Mr. Chamberlain's methods have been like those of an army.
sapping up to a position which it means ultimately to carry by assault. He deliberately undertook as his first task urban housing—not in the most congested districts. His next task was the building of new country cottages or the reconditioning of old ones. The assault on the slums has yet to be delivered. Nothing but an attack delivered with every ounce of strength at the disposal of all the forces of local government is likely to avail. Mr. Chamberlain dwelt, but not too much, on the annoyance of having to pay the burdensome bill for the Housing Act of 1919. Out of -his estimates for this year £7,000,000 are due to this expensive Act alone. But he did not make the difficulty of finding money an excuse. He pointed out that the puzzle of finding room for those who are displaced by the demolition of a slum is the largest part- of the problem. That, after all, was the reason' why he gave precedence in his policy to the building of new houses. Construction had to come before destruction.
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