Norwich bulletin., 1917-05-03

to think and feel like moral and i'm
mortal creatures" is being put into
practice. In the face of I'll we be-
i1eve we know we are slow to do
much of anything TO better the situa-
ton as it applies to the mass of our
own people, and the distressing part of
1t is the mass will not help. Cfrinding
poverty is the lot of too many of us
TO make it comfortable for any of u.s.
we take the easier road and let well
enough alone, too much for our own
good. Some of US better off hold back
the others who are worse off and we
do not realize the terrible toll of in
dustry that adds to the poverty of
every man, woman and child who
works for or lives on wages. Facts
gathered from statistics throw light
on the main question:! Two hundred
and fifty thousand men, women and
Children are killed each year III the
United States and something like A.
600. 600 are wounded. because our
OF the daily atrocities wrought in
times of peace" by our system of
economic and industrial exploitation.
Here are the letters in red of the toll
each year in the United States. of pow
erty and its offspring, prevefltab1e dis
ease. The figures are ultra conserva-
tive, but half the total of deaths and
Illnesses. which, according to medical
au tn 9;,t.. could be prevented by
pFiating third the cost of one bat
tleship for the public health.
The 100000 American babies killed
by poverty each year before they reach
their first birthday are not included in
the figures. The infants and the quar-
ter million older persons who die an
nually are Victims of system by
which a few are protected by govern
ment in the ownership and arbitrary
control of the land. natural resources
and machinery that should be a source
of life and we'll being to all. Instead
of attacking the injustice and dishoIi
or and cruelty of exploitation at home,
OF appropriating money with which
the death toll could be cut in half, our
statesmen are to spend huncreds of
millions to defend principles and
Ideals that have been openly and re-
peatedly violated here at home with
out protest, f1ounted and crucified by
men who pose as lovers of their cour1-
try. The industrial relations commit
tee shows that poverty is the direct
cause OF a peace toll of misery suf-
fering and death in this country sur
passing that suffered by the armed
forces of any belligerent country in
Europe. If the wealth now pi1ing up
in New York banks to the credit of
men who are preparing an imperialis-
tic campaign of world exploitation
were distributed in higher wages, cheap
credits and lower rents, there would be
less dissension rife in the land. In
districts where live the wel1-to- do,
babies die at the rate of about 20 per
thousand, in districts where people
are forced to live poorly and close to-
gether, let us look to South Bethlehem,
where live the steel workers, whose
Drawn and brain produce the wealth
that has Elutted Wall Street banks
and the Golfers of the Broadway wine
merchants, their babies die at the rate
of about $50 per thousand.
People who work the hardest their
babies die the fastest 1t is poverty
that kills them, with the result while
poverty is killing babies, it is making
millionaires. The figures and facts in
volved in this subject lie truths so
shocking to any man devoted to the
ideals and principals for which the
American flag stands. that one won
ders how any defender for the nag
could ignore this dishonor and these
atrocities when he sets out to awaken
the conscience of his countryrnen.
Throughout the centuries nations have
Systematically destroyed that which
they cannot, or will not, comprehend
How many flowers of genius have
withered before the Biting blast or
their mediocrity. how many choice
blooms have been sacrificed, will for