The Wheeling intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1903-1961, 1917-09-07
SOCIOLOGICAL
EXPERT GIVES
v, VA. PROGRAM
s,.,,,, D,,,,,cb 10 the Tn,rnrs,ncer.

| Virginia and those In authority. Is the
declaration Of Hastings II. Hart, LII. D.,
Of the Russell Sage Foundation in re-
port to the State Council Of Defense.
! DR.. Harris interesting 24-page report,
printed by the State Council deals chief
~ with a discussion Of the problems OF
social service growing out of the war.
suggesting a program for the Council
OF Defense in the extension OF welfare
work to meet the demands that will be
imposed upon the State as q result OF
the entrance Of the Nation into the war.
The proposed general State hospital
Mt Huntington: a convalescent home for
cripples State supervision of the moth
crs' pension act to care for dependent
families Of soldiers; the care Of sold
iers' orphans: the conservation OF jur-
emile morals: utilization Of prison labor;
new hospital for insane soldiers and
the creation Of state advisory board
OF charities arc among the suggestions
made by DR.. Hart.
| "The first duty Of the Council OF De-
Tense" says DR.. Hart. lis to promote pa
triotic feeling and conservation in the
hearts Of the people Of the state. espec-
tally those adopted citizens who have
come to West Virginia to seek larger
opportunity and greater freedom. but
who need instructions in the principles
OF democracy and In the exercise or
their rights. privileges and duties as
citizens Of the state and nation"
Patriotic Education
DR.. Harris propaganda for education
in patriotism suggests public meetings
in the principal cities Of the state ana
in the smaller communities. the speak
ers emphasizing loyalty; the duty OF the
citizen to enlist for the war and to ma
n way to serve his country whether In
the field, in civil service. in the hospi-
tai or in the more faithful performance
of the task Of production. education or
social service. and the conservation or
our national resources. both material
and human.
Members Of the clergy should be en-
listed. in the country's service accord
ing to DR.. Hart. who proposes mat cV-
ery clergyman Of whatever denomlna-
ton preach a patriotic sermon at least
once a month and that patriotic hymns
be sung at every public service. together
with a display Of tho American flag.
"Tbe Council Of Defense can contrib
ute to the comfort and welfare OF the
soldiers while in training camps and
after they are sent abroad" says DIR.
Hart In speaking Of the duty Of the
state to the soldier. "This can be
done by promoting kindness. good will
and correspondence between the SOL
diers and the people whom they have
left behind them. The sending or
gifts and letters often bring cheer to
the young soldier who Is prone to suffer
from inconsistencies"
"As Mr.. Stonaker has clearly pointed
out. many of the soldiers who return
from the front will be In need Of the
kindly offices Of the state. Some will
be worn out and will need opportunity
to recuperate. Some will be sick and
will need hospital and convalescent care.
Some will como back wounded and Grip.
pied and will need surgical treatment
with a long period Of convalescence.
These men together with those who
have lost their sight will neod special
training. Others will come back af
flicted with tuberculosis and will need
sanitarium care.
| Some men will return infected with
social diseases which will make them
unfit to associate with other people.
Many will come back afflicted with mem
tai disturbances which will often be
durable by prompt and efficient treat
ment, but the success Of that treatment
will depend on having first class DsS-
chopathtc hospitals ready for their
treatment.
| west Virginia Is especially favored
in having three state surgical hospi-
tails and five subsidized hospitals main
tanned in part at state expense. We be-
lieve that 1t will be possible to use
these hospitals for returning soldiers.
increasing their facilities by the use of
tents or building temporary shacks.
Home For couvalesoent
Zone Of the earliest needs will be a
convalescent home for wounded and
crippled soldiers. The convalescence OF
Il cripple is much more tedious pro-
cess than that Of ordinary sickness"
Dr. Hart urges vocational training in
the convalescent home. stating that it is
q disgraceful sight to see n man with
one arm or one leg begging by the way
side when he might have been made Il
useful citizen.
In the opinion Of DR.. Hart one OF the
most important suggestions made by
Clarence l. Stonaker. who assisted him
in the study was the proposal that tho
Huntington State Hospital should be-
come a general receiving and distribu-
ting hospital for all kinds Of cases from
all parts of the state and shall cease
feeble minded cplleptics and other
classes Of patients.
Under his recommendation" DR.. Hart
saws. ut would include a psycopathic
/ hospital equipped with all the modern
! methods Of treating insanity and all
new cases from all parts Of the state
would receive the best possible treat
ment in the early stages Of the disease.
As 81 result many of these cases would
never reach the insane hospitals OF the
state. Children of doubtful mentality
would receive expert examination in
| order to ascertain whether they arc
really feeble-minded or cpiliptic or
whether their condition was due 10 REM
ediablct causes"
Soldiers Families
1.-THE obligation to care for the sold
iers' families" DR.. Hart says. appeals
70 every right-minded citizon. The old
method of establishing soldiers orph-
ans homes" he says '"separating the
child from the mother, did not prove
entirely satisfactory" 1t was cruel
PLAN" he says.
Happily in this generation we have
@ound n better way. The State of West
Virginia has passed a mothers pension
Low. under which ii will be possible FOR
tho state TO supplement the provision
i which may be made by the national gov
eminent so that it will be unnecessary
for any good and competent mother to
sen.ratcd from her children" He
i advocates state supervision of mothers
pensions on the ground that when the
state provides money by taxation for
o,,lS, fNFIN ilIsL