The Washington times., 1914-01-12


Die owing to their wood carving.
chimney pieces and windows The
business was equally profitable to the
Inhabitants, who found that the in
terest on the loans amounted to less
than the former rents And no long
er was anybody tempted to tear
down the old houses.
ALL NEW DWELLINGS
OWNED BY TENANTS.
Rothenburg also insures that newly
built houses shall be owned by men
who dwell in them. 1t makes it hard
to put up new houses. Rigid proyi-
sions are enforced to insure that the
new houses shall not spoil the ap-
pearance of the old. This means that
many fake old buildings are put up.
For q few years their obvious taking
offends. But that passes as they zeI
mellow and moidy. In this way Rcch-
enourg manages TO keep UP its Mid
die Ages appearance better than
other towns. Compared with il, Nur-
emburg is an indiscriminate mixture
of styles.
As a result OF land owning and Of
running the profitable Wildbad spa
Rothenburg municipality is ricn. It
spends its riches on developing .
generous land policy. The munich
patty thinks that one OF the great
causes Of urban misery Is the di-
vorce of the working class popuIa-
ton from the land. The mar who
is not part farmer, the man who
Cannot at a pinch p-od,.ce has own
food, that man Is oaly haf a man.
Therefore, said Rothenburg, every
man, town dweiler, though h. be,
must have his little farm. And IL
began TO divide up the communal
lands among its citizens, and to buy
other lands, and sell them to citizens
on easy terms So now not onIy
does the typical Roth1aourger own
his own house, but he owns some
where on the fringe OF the city a
little allotment for farming. He
can himself work in the modest
baby carriage or toy facsory wni
his wife and children have gone 70
the miniature farm a mile or so
away. Thus the Rothenburg work.
ing man has his own production OF
fruit and vegetables ands sometimes
even his own animal food. His prod
ucts, 1t Is estimated. average in
value 30 per cent OF ms wages
STRIKES ARE UNKNOWN
AND CRIME is RARE.
This policy sends Up industrial
wages. The Rothenburg 3 the most
Independent workman IN Europe.
What with his own house. his own
savings, and his own allotment, he
can pick and choose his wcrk. He
refuses to be sweatsd. Strikes are
unknown. Also crime is rare There
is about 50 per cent lCss than IN
neighboring towns. ThCre Is NJ need
TO steal Also there is no pcssi-
bility. For the paternal municipality
Is severe. Men without oceupa-
tions and men OF doubtful eharae-
ter from other parts .. Gefmahy are
promptly sent back to their native
towns. And bad native RothenoorS-
ers, when there are any, nave
had time. The municipality refuses
to let them share N ala the other
bolnties which by reason or It's
wealth il can shower down on tne
lust. So there is no temptation 70
a bad Rothenburger to stay az nome.
Indeed. Rothenburgers say that ths
Iast bad men enlisted with THY.
No, content with providing every
thinys - make its inhabitants COM
fortsolc and happy, Rothenburg mu-
nicipaiIIy worries itself lest any OF
its cares should become dissatlsned
and yearn 10 try his luck elsewhere
II kseos a Jealous watch over its
citizens. and when one plans 10
leave il does all it can do to per
suade him to change his mind. The
nortIy aood-natured burgomasteT
calls around for a friendly heart-to-
hear. talk. What are his grievances,
what his reasons for believing that
any other town in the world Will
offer him the advantages Of beautiful
Rothenburg? II this line VI talk
does not dissuade him the municipal
ity does not hesitate to shower down
upon him increased blessings
IL he is manufacturer IL OferS
him all sorts OF conveniences and
bounties. If he is a plain working
man IL offers him a fresh and more
productive farm on the outskirts OF
the town or promises to secure him
a better job in one of the factories
The municipal councillors follow the
burgomaster in calling upon him and
appeal to him first as business man.
and finally, il that fails, to his love
OF Rothenburg and its honor. Re
novaI Is called deSertion, and the
dissatisfied citizen is told that the
whole world win regard his action
as a siur upon the fair name of the
city.
AS a matter of fact, few Eothen-
burgers ever leave the old town. or
those that do leave, the majority
return repentant in due course, after
learning that the outside world, COM
pared with their motheriy home
town, is hard, cruel, and msympa-
thetic. OF the hundred families that
left In the past ten years almost sew
enty returned. They found no other
town half SO picturesque, or one
third so progressive as the little
Arcadia perched above the gorSs OF
the deep blue TanbGz-