THE POLITICAL HOOP

The Boston City Legislature has at last heard the facts concerning the much-discussed "Loop" thoroughfare which is proposed to alleviate Boston's intolerable traffic situation. The needed improvement has the strong support of almost every business organization and the silent improvement of most of the public. Up to date its existence has been precarious. Mr. Lomasney the political boss of the West End, although he was instrumental in putting through the very costly widening of Cambridge Street, did his best to spike this project when it, at last reached a legislative hearing.

It is obvious that Boston must have relief, if the city is not to be choked and business retarded. Every year that the city delays, the cost of the improvements will increase by millions. At present the undertaking is not ambitious, as compared to a hundred gigantic tasks completed successfully in New York. Chicago, and Philadelphia.

To the casual observer, this phenomenon of penurious timidity is mystifying. To the case-hardened Bostonian, it is only wearily disgusting. Politics is conceivably the explanation. Politics was the landscape-gardener for the Esplanade, the recreation director for Franklin Park, the marine zoologist for the Aquarium at City Point, and the engineer for Stuart Street extension. Politics was the architect for a beautiful bridge spanning the Charles at Massachusetts Avenue. Politics was the name of the hard-headed business man that quashed the project and then threw away some bushels of taxpayers money reinforcing the old ugly structure. In the present case, Politics does not know quite which way to jump. A little more pressure from the voter and it may jump in the only sensible direction.