Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1916-11-03

o,,,, who comes here without enough live
likely have pretty sad time Oh 1t Lnere Is an
immense amount suffering the part of people OF
This class which charity aevates as best it can
while admitting to be wholly Inadequate
Efforts to keep the INDECENT sick are almost
foredoomed 10 failure National advertising for health
seekers generally carries the recommendation that no
person shall TO the southwest Wthoul enough 10
live for least year But the SICK man "o sees
the advertising likely to note only the prospects Tor
cure and disregard warning. He is ready to take
a chance on making living, when living means life
If has been suggested here that eastern physicians
should take themselves prevent INDECENT health
seekers from, coming to the west
their power. the physician. after all, is not a
financial adviser business is to make diagnosis T
and indicate treatment 1t is up to the sufferer to
consider ways and The most that the south
hope do in this line is to spread knowl-
edge that the moneyless health-seeker is
likely have hard time Of it,
The element of uncertainty in the game will always
keep the flowing. Some VINO came here able
up and about not been We'll enoufh to work
week in five years Others, taken off the trains
strechers have earning their living six months
after arrival One man who came here to die
twenty years ago made failure of it, and is ramping
twenty miles a day through the hills as prospector
Such inevitably attract others whether the
others have any money not
The stipulation that years capital is necessity
is probably sound, it has been backed up by the
opinions of thoroughly familiar with the
problem; but being needed apparently. Any
local charitable organization, matter what its
original purpose, soon finds wagng hopeless
fight against this special problem of the moneyless
tIbercuIar patient Such an institution for example
is the Civic Betterment league in this city, which
started out with aims as broad as its title. The
records of the league that it is rapidly being
narrowed spite of itself to attempt to
with this charitable problem.
An organization this is dependent local
contributions. when you consider the size of the
size of the problem, it is wonder that
the league stays in the game instead of getting
discouraged and quitting entirely They are quite
unable to care permanently INDECENT health
seekers who arrive. many cases. along with
similar organizations of health towns
if the sick man cannot work and has money, they
help well they can, and finally help him TO
the next town. The next town may the moment be
better for him. to give him work
do As result of this system, of the unfortu-
nate strangers remarkable itineraries behind
them. The league keeps track Of them when possible
One mans route shows Birmingham. Orleans San
Antonio, Trinidad Denver Las Vegas, Albuquerque, Ell
Paso Tucson Phoenix and back Albuquerque again.
of the western towns he helped for a time
and then sent to the next.
a system is obviously inadequate but 1t is
best that the southwest work out This is large
hearted country. and if IMAM lands in desperate
it will him through, though it probably doesn't
sort already strain resources of the
charitable. alone cities, but out on lonely
ranches you often of instances where help
Stragner tended for months until he
ered-or died
Out here they think the problem is a national
problem. There is bill in congress appropraNng
money for the of INDECENT consumptives on
condition that the state concerned appropriates a
similar That bill is regarded here with doubt
because they afraid that the state legislature
pass the appropriation and the national bill
passes a stream of patients will arrive. They
would prefer a straight national appropriation bill
failing that they believe that the which the
sufferer a native should keep him on the charity
he contracted the disease should help rather than
the one where he is looking for cure. 81