The morning journal-courier., 1908-03-21
MT. Beers, Author of "A Mind That Found Itself" Out lines Project Suggest
 ed in Book.
MEN ALREADY ENROLLED
Among Them Stokes, Van Dyke and Pinchot-Plan Is to Co-Operate
 With Asylums, Not An-
 tagonize Them.

Clifford Whittingham Beers. the author of the book "A Mind that l4und Itself" which has aroused such an amount of interest all over the country in the course of one short week since it came off the press, last night granted an exclusive interview to representative of the Journal Courier in which he outlined offic- tally his plans for national organ ization which shall have for its ob- ject the amelioration of conditions among the insane and mentally un- balanced
 A plan for such an organization was broached by Mir. Beers in the last chapters of his book under the gen. eral title of The Remedy" but, al- though it has been known for some time that he has been quietly effect ing such an organization. he has per sistently refused to discuss the mat ter until now. q
 MT Beers plans call for nat tional committee for mental hygiene. Upon this committee some of the already given their consent to serve. foremost men in the country have Among them are Director Chittenden of the Sheffield Scientific school; pr. Henry Van Dyke, of Princeton; Sec
 
 dan, of Leland Stanford; President Schurman. of Cornell, and Clifford Pinchot
 The general idea of the work ls to cooperate with the officials of tho asylum, rather than antagonize them, it being known that much more good may be accomplished in this way.
 Mr. Beers is also planning a Con- necticut Society for Mental Hygiene. It's work will, of course, be largely concerned with the institution at Mid dletown. MT. Beers has received a statement from the authorities there since the publication of his book, say ing that the medical staff will heart fly favor such an organization and are perfectly willing to cooperate with it in its work.
 MT. Beers admits the national com mttee will begin it's operations with out any money behind it, but adds that he has not doubt that the need cd funds will soon be forthcoming. In his interview. MT. Beers expresses his willingness to receive letters from those interested in the matter, feel ing assured that valuable sugges- tions for the carrying on ofsthe work will be the inevitable result.
 "In a way" Mir Beers said "1 am glad to have an opportunity to elab- crate the remedy which is but briefly outlined in the concluding part of my story. | realize that such message cannot fail to carry hope, even cheer, 10 thousands of relatives and fricnds of the inmates of our public and pri- vate hospitals for the insane Fur ,hcr. as tho suggested remedy is so broad in scope as to benefit those out-s side of such institutions, my message should not be without some interest to every reader of your article.
 Tho National Committee. N
 As you know, l recommend the prompt founding of a national com mittee for mental hygiene. under the auspices of which a campaign of edu- cation and cooperative reform in the selected field may be carried out in- tellicently. Heretofore, attempts to better conditions among the insane have. except in rare instances. proved of little. and not usually lasting, CT feet; and, so far as l am aware, no national movement. having for it's ob- iect the curing of insanity by pre- venting. or, at least, diminishing It's