The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1911-08-10
GOVERNMENT HOARD ON now


Brother Charles i. Taft protests ir
his newspaper the Cincinnati Times.
star. against the parental carelessness
which produced the generation Of
bow-lesged men in Memphis, Tenn.
who have been excluded from serving
their country in the United States
Navy because of this alleged physical
defect, and in the development of his
subject makes sundry pertinent ohser-
vations upon the general subject OF
w-leGgedness. which show that he
has been careful student of physio-
logical phenomena. For example. he
says:
IF i, is true. as reported. that 90
per cent. of the applicants examined
az the naval recruiting station in
Memphis were found to be bow -lecre6.
mat is pretty good evidence that pa
rents in that section encourage their
offspring to toddle before their little
legs are ready for such exercise
Few persons are born bow legged /;
either they acquire bow-leggedness,
or. what is more likely, have bow
leEgedness thrust upon them. Ger
tainly nobody is bow-legged by choice
Ihere are certain curves of the hu-
man body that are to be desired. but
outward curving OF the neither limbs
10 not that Kind Bow legs are the
ieSuit OF careIessness. not on the part
OF the unfortunate possessor, but of
others old enough to know better"
We are disposed to agree with
Brother Taft that the condition OF
which complaint has been made and
which has Doubtless deprived tho
country of some great Nelson of tho
hghting line. is TO be laid TO tho
charge of the parents of Tennessee
who have suffered their children, par-
tcularly their boy children. 20 attemn,
TO walk before they were able. As +,
matter OF fact, bow legs do not in
terfere with the efficiency of tbos.
VINO have them; indeed. we believe It
can be demonstrated that they arc
stronger physically than their
straight-legsed brothers. and in -.
spect of mental force they have ,itt1a
OF hothing to lose by comparison. man
~" man. with those who think they
walk uprightly. The strength of tbo
etch has been noted since Ions beforo
me time Of Confucius. and is designed
by reason OF It's polyhedral structure
TO receive the load equally at all
points and thus to transmit the pres.
sure through stones, ribs or other Gle.
ments placed in the line of pressura
Hence we should say. the leg that is
ouiIt upon the plan OF the arch known
IN me building trades is really strong.
ct IMAM the leg that is regarded as
SNihciently symmetrical by reason or
ITS following a straight line TO ounlif,.
lis possessor to serve his country In
swabbing up the decks of our men of.
war.
We agree. however. with Brother
Iait that speaking in a general wav
men are bow-legged in the Memphis
uiS'fict OF Tennessee ALI OF account
OF parental carelessness." Ero,b.r
Tart has correctly stated the cause
but ne has failed to Recommend
remedy. Why not have Congress- ,a.s
an act authorizing the President 10
appoint a Government Board on Row.
Legs to take especial charge OF mic
increasing inArmity among the peo.
PIE OF Tennessee and to provide nurse,
tor the mothers who have Ga much
elSe 10 uo that they cannot look .f,a-
their own children as closely as they
should Gould not such a commits
sion be appointed under the genera,
welfare clause OF the constitu,,on.
Qua not this be proper field for
Federal exploitation? Is it not az
important and necessary TO the tu,uro
prosperity of our great country to CON
serve the legs of possible recruits ,o~
forests: - '"e