It is a policy of frustration, physical and mental. It is a denial of the fullness of life, of family life, and of natural life. The natural impulse of the man who is compelled to live in a huge tenement is to put up barricades, in self-defence, to isolate himself from his neighbors, though that is really impossible. The birthright of every child is surely to play freely, joyously, to establish contact with nature, animals, and the land, and this is denied to him. Instead of this, repression and fear are the first conditions of living.
Constant irritations begin, and unnatural conditions prevail.
There is no security of family life under such conditions. The mass mind, mass emotion, the neglect of individual initiative, the unimportance of family life, are fostered under such conditions. The problem can only be solved by a proper disposal of population and industry so that the people shall live a healthy life. A healthy and contented population is really the first concern of statesmanship in peace and in war, and it is a curious fact that while many people will give lip service to this knowledge, few people give it their undivided attention. It must be obvious that a natural environment not imposing nervous and physical strain is of the utmost importance.