The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1906-10-28
LIVING TOMBS
Great Britain Has $l5OOOOOOO Invested in AsyIums

in China While this is doubtless in a
large measure due 70 the phIegmaii
temperament Of the ifa.eo5. Go subjects ~
Emperor kwang Su, it Is still more at
tribats5ie 70 the extraordinary industry
OF the Chinese, an industry rendered nee
essGry BY the oYeT-DoDulati0n Of the en-
pirc. The Chinese are as perpetuauv
busy as the provorbial be-, and their a.
tiYity Of mind and Of body Is even more
continuous than that Of the Americans.
This surely goes 10 show the faliaey OF
Lord Rosebery's opinion when he ex-
presses the view that lunaey results from
restlessness, from haste. and from an sb-
seRce Of rcp0sc.
If Lord Rosebery had taken a wider
view of the subject he would have a.
trihuted the increase Of mental unsound
ness not 70 the full employment CT mind
and body. even IN a strenuous degree, a
eFinced by haste and perpetual move
ment, but TO the lack Of that hopeful
buoyancy SO Characteristic Of American
on the one hand, OF to the absence Of
that fatalism. which relieves the Oriental
mind OF all dread OF the r1Jure, and Of its
real or imaginary disasters. Il has been
well said thar It is not work but worrs'
that kills The American spirit usually
rises superior 20 "a disaster that would
crush q European. II nc loses one for
tune he cour3geously and cneerfully set
10 work TO make another, He has conf
dence in himself be knows that his
country is full Of opportunities, and thst
efficiency OF any kino meets with its
due reward. On the other side Of the
Atlantic, however. this true sporting in
stiEct appears 10 an American Conspio-
uous by its absence. Everything seems
10 run in a groove. 4 few rise and pros
per. but they can only zach q certain
height. Various artificial social distinc-
tions continually remind them % their in
feriority. Those who fan are seldom able
to rise again. For them the future s.
hopeless The ones who remain in the
groove in which they were born. find their
position none too easy For they are
crowded and jostled by those ready e.
take their place wherr age or sickness
causes them TO fall 20 the rear This con
tinual dread Of being forced to Join the
ranks OF the unemployed IS an important
factor in the breeding or that WORRY
which leads to insanity. It begets ''fev-
erish haste which is very different IN
healthy desire for activity. Il Is a form
Of fear that is killing IN its effects. T.
not only shows itself in a dread Of loss
OF fortune or employment. but ia otheP
ways that arc familiar to those who have
charge OF asylums for the insane. Equs-
nimity OF mind a courage that has no
more fear for an ina giuaTy future disas-
ter then II has for present trial OF
strength. and patience, are the qualities
that strengthen the mind against fnsan-
ity. They are Qualities which are large
~ q question OF environment and OF cir
cumstancc. and in these respects the
United States Is singulaUly happy. And
yet the characteristic mental equipment
OF rs citizens is diametrically opposed tn
the fatalism Of the Orient although the
results obtained are apparently similar
There is one remark, however, Of Lord
ROsebcry with which every one viii o.
disposed to agree. It IS this, that if The
public are willing 10 devote such enor-
NOUS sums Of money 10 the housing and
the care Of the intellectually dead, i-
should not be 50 careless with regard to
the housing OF the intellectually living
that i 10 say. OF the sane proper. Wrere-
as, Iunatics who can be Of no further use
whatsoever TO the community. and who
are destined 10 remain forever q totally
unproductive investment of capital. are
provided not only with greater comforts.
but likewise with the most Up-to-datc
councillors. and even luxurious habita-
tons regardless OF cost. the laborfnC
classes that is To say useful citizens.
ana their children, who are destined to
become factors i'm the nation prosperity.
are permitted 20 live among the most ap-
palling surroundings in fTightful tens-
ments, under tho most iusanitary ana
demoralizing conditions. True. there have
been isolated efforts on the part Of. mil
liOBaire philanthropists 10 redress this
wrong. which can only BE- looked upon az
an economic crime. but there has been no
organized attempt on the part Of either
governments or municipalities 10 deal
with this question Were they 10 devote
the same amount Of money and thought
10 the housing ol the hardwGrking poor
as they have given in the past 10 the in
sane. IL would represent an investment
that would Yield in the long run lar
greater advantages TO tie community
EN-ATTATTIE.