The Pensacola journal. (Pensacola, Fla.) 1898-1985, 1909-09-19

The subject matter of the article
contributed by Walter P Mcclure to
the September number OF Pearson 5
Magazine is OF supreme importance
so the South. It tells Of the insidious
origin Of disease that saps the en-
ergy, strength and intelligence of
many OF it's people and shows a sim
pie method to get rid OF the evil.
We, therefore, consider II a duty to
reproduce it in full in order to do our
part toward giving it the widest
publicity. The article follows:
Bill Number 1872 CHOuse File)
meant the solution OF the SOuth's la
Dor problem; that is, its rural labor
problem, and the South is distinctly
rural There are only two states
which may be called urban in pOpula-
tdon: Delaware and Maryland, and
they are not really Southern states.
The men upon whom Southern
farmers must depend for labor, both
white and black, are inefficient, The
average farm worker in North Dakota
earns S755.00 a year, and he works
134 acres. Only s per cent. of North
Dakota farms are worked by tenants.
The average farm worker in South
Carolina earns $144.00 a year, and he
works ii acres. Sixty-One per cent
OF the South Carolina farms are work
ed by tenants.
Hook Worms and Labor.
The negro Is inefficient as labOrer
, for several reasons. The white ten
ants Of the South are just as inef1
cient; "lazinesS" is the reason COM
monty given DR.. Charles Wardell
Stiles, CHIEF of Division of Zoology,
United States Public Health and Ma
rtne Hospital Service, accounts for the
inef1ciency in a different way. He
says It is the hook-wOrm He
has made exhaustive investigation
throughout the South, and estimates
that one-third Of the rural white pop
uiatiOn, designated as poor whites"
OF the South, have the hOOk-wOrm
disease. There are between five and
ten million whites Of this class in the
South.
The disease cannot be entirely
eliminated In this generation, but, If
the work Is commenced now and
proper care is taken as to sanitary
and hygienic conditions, the next gen.
Sration of tenant whites will till the
farms as effectively as the Northern
farm Is titled.
Or. StiIes's Investigations.
The Public Health and Marine Hos
pital Service has little authority in
the matter Not long ago the State
DOdI0 VI IlSd4In VI with NehA OAAAAH
made application for DR.. Stiles's ser
vices in connection with the hook
worm disease. The surgeon general
found that he had no legal authority
to allow DR.. Stiles to take up the
work. DR.. Stiles's Investigations have
been permitted in part through the
courtesy of the surgeon general, in
part on request Of the commission OF
labor and in part at his own expense
hac a4ragzH
as many as fifty-One men and boys
in a day, ana found that only four
teen of them did not have the hook
worm disease. He is known through
certain parts of the South as the
Government Doctor with Spectacles"
and Is Venerated for the wonders he
works in making good healthy work
ers out of Gnaenlic and SlOthful men,
women and children. He has estab-
lished the fact that the Incidence and
thriftlassness and lack OF ambition in
these people are caused by the hook
worm, and that the patients can be
cured at a cost OF from fifteen to
eeyeuty-f1Ve cents each. Bill 1872
provided for the elaboration OF the
work DR.. Stiles had been doing, but
congress- did not have time to vote
lIpon that bill; the calendar was
crowded. and 1922. together with
many others, was never voted upon
in the house, although the senate
passed II. q
Congress Too Busy.
A similar bill was introduced dur
ing the recent session OF congress,
but congress WIS again too busy
this time discussing what the tarin
should be on silk stockings, etc. 1t is
more important than the tariff dis
Cussion or the immigration question,
or anything else, for that matter. The
millions Of tenant whites in the South
are Of the purest Anglo-SaXon blood
in this country. Their progenitors
were among the first families that
came to this country and, at that
time, represented the highest civil
iZation in the world. Now their de-
scendantS represent about the lowest
civilization. The unsanitary condi- |
lions in which they live are almost
unbelievable, and proper description
OF their homes is UnpTintable. The
poor conditions are not confined to
the homes. Many Of the schools which |
the boys and girl of these people at |
tend are just as bad. It is estimated
that In some of the states 80 per cent. |
Of the rural public schools are with |
out proper sanitary equipment TO |
prevent them from being menaces TO |
public health. The hook-worm breeds |
in such conditions. It's influence is |
spreading through the south
Hogs Versus Humans.
The way 10 lower the death rate in /
the South. TO increase the working |
efficiency Of the people, to remove the |
handicap on growth and development, |