Evening times-Republican. [volume] (Marshalltown, Iowa) 1890-1923, 1911-05-25
FAILURE TO APPRECIATE
VALUE OF HUMAN LIFE
Too Little Attention Paid by Public
and Lawmakers TO- Betterment Of
Working and Social Conditions
Governor Clarke Also Speaks Before
Graduates on Civic Life.
Special to Times -Republican.

was by Lieut.. Gov. George w. Clarke,
of Dallas county. in which he spoke
Of the needs Of the time in civic life
and the opportuni les for success
which lie all about The other was
by DR.. A. E. Kepford. Of the state de-
partment of tuberculosis, who dis
cussed some of the needs of the state
| in regard especially TO the conserva-
| ton of the health OF the human race.
TT is indeed significant that upon
an occasion OF this kind q discussion
! of the prevention of disease should be
invited. but the opportunity is greater
perhaps than Is afforded before any
other group of people in the state. 1t
+; Is the public school linking itself to
great social movements: it is placing
at the disposal of those. supposed to
| be equipped for citizenship, q more po-
| tent influence for general public well
| fare than could be brought about from
any other source. The contest against
| preventable diseases is a struggle Of
knowledge against ignorance: of sari-
tation against dirt; Of social justice
against social injustice: Of righteous
ness against oppression.
The eradication of any scourge in
wolves the whole gamut OF social ac-
/
mind great state questions Tuber-
( culosis can not be stamped out so
! long as society remains unreformed.
and the reformation of society involves
/ not its destruction but a re-construc-
ton Of the present order Of things.
I So long as men and women are over
worked and underfed: so long as peo-
! pie are compelled to live in unventi-
lated. unsanitary, overc-owded houses:
! so long as women and little children
! are underfed: SO long as the greed OF
| gain rranslutes nerve and muscle into
i cold dollars and cents: so long as men
| and women are compelled to work
! long hours at the most exhausting
toll and compelled to live on low
wage; so long as factories and shops
and department stores are unsanitary
! in construction and exhaust the vital
| tiles Of those who perform labor with
in them: so long as pale-faced and
underfed children come from the how
els OF the poor; so long as men do
not realize that they are brothers In
the truest sense OF the word; that long
the greatest disease this world has
ever known.
| And I might interpolate here my
creed: You can call it political. So
cial moral. or wilat-not, but I believe
| in the betterment OF human con-
| ditions better tenements, pure air,
pure and nutritious foods. pure water,
| shorter hours Of labor in the indus
| trial occupations, better protection OF
tailoring women. better and proper
| care Of children. more Fairgrounds,
civic Improvement, municipal reform.
just taxation laws. wellbuilt cities.
| enlightened schools and a stable. free
and expert government The ques-
tons which intimately affect every
man woman and child in the state,
have TO do with their daily lives and
the environment in which these lives
are lived.
We have written many statutes and
placed them on the books Of the law
but We have so far failed to appreciate
the value OF human life, either from its
physical, or economic, or spiritual
worth. 1t can not be denied that public
health is the greatest asset the state
has but II you will examine the laws
which appertain to the health OF the
people OF this state and the eauipmen:
available for health administration, you
will find them pitifully weak and dis
grace TO great state such as ours
\ Because Of our lack OF attention to the
betterment OF human conditions anc
just laws for the protection OF the
health Of our people, we have been sac
rifcing every year, from tuberculosis
alone, enough money to supplement the
appropriations Of the state for the
biennial period, more than million
dollars and this estimate is conserva-
tive If the preventable diseases. due
TO lack Of proper health legislatio
were 10 be taken into consideration, the
sun, lost is appalling. What Is needed
today in Iowa, is a political Moses
who will devote himself to sanitary anc
economic statesm anship. Just law:
should be devised which will protec
one neighbor from the ignorance, care
lessness or ayartce of another. It !:
little less than criminal to permit c
family urwittiasly to move into
house which has not been properly dis
infected, where tuberculosis has been
and while last winter, the general as
sem bay of Iowa passed law requiring
disinfection after the death of a tuber'
culous patient in a house. and this 1!
commendable, yet nothing is said con
corning the tuberculous family which
moves from one place to another
spreading Infection from house t,
house like the plaques Of Egypt. With
out warning, the subtle enemy de-
stroys, whereas a compulsory regfstra
ton OF every tuberculous patient in tn
state would obyiate this grave AM
serious danger.
Il believe that there should be, ais
proper medical supervision Of the chill
dren Of the public schools. This is i'm.
perative. Large numbers Of the chill.
dren in the public schools are men.
tally inhibited thru physical defects
The public school exists for the state
It il q process OF assimilation by which
crude and waiting elements found i,
the unfearned are transposed int
orderly self-governing individuals. TIL
theory Of compulsory education 10 t
inculate fundamental principles o
self control and government tn,
theory Is good but the whole system
under which We operate At present, ii
my judgment, 10 open to serious crit
.s!sEa. The state eompe!s the child {,
go to school. take such courses Of stud!
as may be prepared by the board o
education, but 1t does not take into ac
count the physical or mental impos
sibilities Of the child. The state ask
] nothing about defective eyes. ear.