Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1930-08-17

Ten years have brought as many
vicissitudes to cities and towns of the
United States as they have to individ-
uals, according to the last census, near
ing completion. In that decade riches
have come to some which were lowly,
while evil DAYS and attenuation have
fallen upon others.
1t has been an eventful decade in the
United States; indeed in the entire
world. Following the World War there
was restlessness upon the people and
spirit of adventure left over from the
conflict which had taken so many upon
their last one. Old ties, old conserva-
tisms were cast aside. The war plunged
people into unaccustomed employment,
when the tension was released and the
discipline of military regimen over
and done with, the impulse to take
fresh chances was strong in the sur
vivorS.
Never was there such an age of new
promotions. Money was abundant in
this country and the people, as never
before. had acquired the habit of spend
ing it. The high wage level which the
war had brought did not sag and the
need to invest surplus earnings in Lib
erty bonds was passed.
Not only did people travel by rail and
water as never before, but the automo-
bile was added by the millions and at
prices so low that soon every family In
the country owned one. Federal and
local governments spent billions to
build roads over which the travellers
could ride. The whols Nation was bub-
bling with movement. The address OF
millions of Americans was forwarding
address.
People who had lived in the North al
their lives but wanted to go South did
so. People in the South who long had
been lured by the Northern cities were
able for the first time, to succumb to
that failure. There was sufficient spirit
of adventure and, moreover, sufficient
money and facilities with which to fol-
low that spirits dictates, to transport
whole cities and set them down in new
places, to move entire industries from
one section of the country to another
Individuals, towns, industries moved
where fortune beckoned.
The effect of this decade on the dis
tribution of American population is now
being shown officially by the census re-
turns. 1t takes long time to calculate
such movements as that of the center
of population, of the rural population tc
the cities, of the Negroes Northward, OF
the increase of the Oriental and the
foreign-born or second-generation for
eign blooded, but preliminary indica-
tions are that deep-seated changes will
be noted. More striking, however has
been the change in the cities and
towns.
Widespread Real Estate Boom.
AS every one knows the decade was
one of long blasting boom in real estate.
Building construction had necessarily
slackened during the war; indeed, in a
degree, being officially restrained to es-
sential activities. When the end came
a shortage in housing made itself felt.
There was plenty of money with which
to build and plenty of workers available.
Nothing could stop the movement. But
what an opportunity for real estate
boomersl
People, VIGOROUSLY Americans, are
restless In a new country like this. The
old homestead has its attractions, but a
new house, a new location, looks invit-
ing, especially to the young. 1t was a
magnificent opportunity to induce new
homeseekers to build in this suburb or
that; even to go to distant places, to
Florida, to California, anywhere.
So it was that the last decade might
we'll be called the real estate develop
ment age. Not all the sudden growth
was due to purely residential booming