The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1914-01-09
WASHINGTON LETTER.

WASHINGTON LETTER.
Most of the members OF Congress left
in the Capital during the recess are busy
studying the problems with which they
will have to. deal when Congress recon-
venes,
40
Praising the Wilson administration for
keeping its tariff and currency pledges,
John Wauamaker, speaking at the ar
nual New Year celebration of the Union
League took most optimistic view of
the business and financial 81 uation. He
said the tariff bill was much better than
that of the Cleveland administration. and
as Republican, he empbatically stated
that he could see nothing in it that was
dangerous to American industries. AL
though he criticised some of the features
of the currency measure, he admitted
that it was decided improvement over
the old system and suggested that all
good citizens unite to make it complete
success
Nv
A fight which is expected to open up
the whole question of water power policy,
including the Federal regulation of prices
to c 1nsumers and Government exaction
of tolls, will be began in the House short.
ly after the recess. Representative
Rainey, OF ILLINOIS, backed by compre-
hensive data from 258 cities of 1000 popu-
lation or more within a radius of 100
miles of the new $40, 900. 900 dam across
the Mississippi River between Keokuk,
Ia and Hamilton, ILL.,, will demand an
investigation of the effects of that dam
upon the section of the country it affects
ami hold it up as wedge in the cam.
paign for safeguarding thecountry's great
water rights in the pending Omnibus
Dam bill.
~
Uncle Sans health patrol is catching
its breath in anticipation of the biggest
years work it ever has undertaken.
The summary ofthe last IL months work,
prepared in the headquarters of the
Public Health Service here, contains a
record of heroic fights against disease,
concerted opposition to the invasion of
foreign maladies and excursions into new
fields of medical exploration which has
had no aqual in the history of the Federal
health organization.
Trained experts, working under the
directions of Surgeon General Blue and
Assistant Surgeon General Rucker, dur
ing the last year have covered every
nook and corner of the country, routing
out unknown diseases, cleaning up in
tested places, teaching communities and
individuals how to guard against disease
and protecting the American public
against diseased immigrants. itinerant
carriers" of disease, unhealthful sur
roundings, infected ra and polluted
drinking water.
From the mountains of Kentucky,
where two field hospitals aud dispen-
saries are teaching the mountain people
how to combat pellagra, to the water
fronts of San Francisco and Seattle,
where Federal experts are helping State
authorities in their fight to prevent the
carrying of plague germs by rats and
squirrels. the Public Health Service has
pushed its activities into many unusual
fields and has co-operated with State and
municipal officials to improve sanitary
conditions and lessen public danger.
Much of the research work for the
health service is done in the hygienic
laboratory in Washington.
Practically every phase of sanitation is
being studied and taught by the Public
Health Service officials as fast as funds
permit. Dnring the last year each ex-
pert of the service, no matter on what
work he might be detailed, acted as a
trave ing inspector Of railway trains and
vessels and reported any violations of th |.
interstate regulations governing drinking
cups, pure water, roller towels and the
like.
Officials of the health service consider
this work and the study of the carrying
of disease from one community to another
as among their most important activities
directly affecting the health of the people
at large. Some of the more arduous tasks
of the service. however. have been those
connected with the local suppression Of
epidemics and the attempts to stamp ont