The Organization of the Garden City 213 



two hundred times, and that when the trend away from 

 the land was at its maximum. Great savings could also 

 be made in the cost of material and construction be- 

 cause of wholesale operations and of the standardiza- 

 tion that could be effected in building the houses and 

 furnishing the various equipment for garden homes. 



Is there any middle ground between outright private 

 enterprise, on the one hand, and Government leadership 

 on the other? The best answer to this question is the 

 extraordinary experience of the National War Garden 

 Commission sketched in a previous chapter. In that 

 instance, the finest public spirit leaped to meet a great 

 emergency, without waiting for one line of legislation, 

 or asking a penny from the public treasury. It proved 

 in the highest degree efficient, accomplishing monu- 

 mental results; but — it ended with the passing of the 

 emergency; it was a part of that spiritual exaltation 

 that enabled the Nation to perform miracles in every 

 department of its life. 



It might not be impossible, though it certainly would 

 be difficult, to evolve a similar spirit and organization 

 to meet the needs of peace. In fact, there is a wide edu- 

 cational sphere for such a work — a sphere that must, 

 and doubtless will, be occupied by forces even now in 

 operation. These are the forces of public opinion. 

 They need to be organized and widely extended, in 

 order that the Nation may be aroused, inspired, in- 

 structed ; but when it comes to leadership in the actual 

 buildinir of the Nation on the soil, why should not the 

 Government itself assume the responsibility? It has 

 all the facilities in its various departments, which could 

 be readily coordinated into an effective whole. Above 



