Atlanta semi-weekly journal. (Atlanta, Ga.) 1898-1920, 1917-09-25

"TASHINGTON, D. c.. Sept 15-This is
wv tainly one question raised by the war. Phys
ical examinations have shown large pro-
portion of unfit among the nations young men,
The appointment of a committee of heurologists 10
for the soldiers nerves is taGt admission of
the fact, well known to the medical profession that
we are nation of neurotics.
Congress has taken note of the nations heath,
too. Mr. Claypool, of Ohio, has introduced a bill
providing for a national board of physical culture,
which is cooperate with the states in establish
ing national system of physical training in schools
for the purpose of raising men physically mt for the
army. Mr.. Tilson, of Connecticut has made and
widely distributed a speech on Walter Camps Sc
nior Service Corps" which enjoys the patronage Of
ex-President Taft and other prominent men, and
has for It's object the physical training of men past
middle life. These two schemes, should they ooth
be generally adopted together with universal Mill
tary training for young men, would provide for the
physical training of the American from grammar
school to old age.
He needs it-that is not hard to prove either
by statistics observation. The most impressive
statistical proof Is the growth of degeneratve dis
cases. such as cancer Bright's disease, heart dis
ease and other organic ailments which spring from
lack of exercise and too much eating Fifty years
ago America a relatively insanitary place, and
death rates from germ disease, such as typhoid and
malaria, more numerous But we were poorer
Their, didn't have any automobiles, so we worked
hard and walked. That lean and Unlocking cid
gentleman known to the world as Uncle Sam was
pretty fair portrait of us as we looked then:
really representative Uncle Sam today would have
a 49-inch waist line and no whiskers but double
chin.
OF course, out the farms and In the west
generally the physical is better But nearly
half Of us live In cities now, and most of us are
getting either too much of the worlds good things
or not enough. Between the overfed and the under
fed there is just narrow stratum OF the rightly
fed and adequately exercised who can still run
down a street move piano without perma-
nent injury or undue perspiration.
Mr.. ClaypooIs bill Is a plan for cutting of this
physical degeneration at the start by intoxicating
habits of exercise in early youth 1t seems to be
wise and comprehensive measure. There is to be
federal board for instruction in physical culture,
and an annual appropriation, which will be dis
tributed among state boards for in establish
ing in physical culture Each state is to
put up as much 1t receives from the federal gov
eminent.
This federal board Is further to make investiga-
lions and hold for determining the very best
exercises. Prizes will be given to experts who
demonstrate by actual tests upon selected subjects
tional system OF physical culture is to be built up
based upon the most scientific methods. and upon
combination of state control and federal super
vision.
Mr.. Camps senior service corps is blow at
the evil of physical degeneracy in its most per-
ncious development. The worst Of this spread of
degenerative disease is that it takes OFF be-