It was vast in scope and visionary in conceptthe way Americans like their dreams. It held the glittering promise of a qualitative improvement in every aspect of U.S. life, from urban transportation to highway beautification. It was to be the chef d'oeuvre of Lyndon Johnson's presidency and the monument that would guarantee his place in history.
But the dream, somehow, has dimmed. Thirty-one months after the President proclaimed the coming of the Great Society in his memorable Ann Arbor, Mich, speech, its impact has been disappointingly slight. In the Depression-blighted days of...