Aberdeen herald. [volume] (Aberdeen, Chehalis County, W.T.) 1886-1917, 1917-03-16
He EATSAND
Himself; TO DEATH
Ha RuShes, He Drinks Too
Much, and He's FIaDby.
WHO? WHY, Mr.. AMERICAN!

TOT TuTInoF IHTOTUdtIon 10 TO his
Shortcomings Read What e. E. Rt.
tenhouse Has to Say About Him.
Then Help Him Mend His Ways So
That He May Live Longer.
The composite average American is
a physical sham, and he doesn't know
it. He Is trying to crowd two life.
times into one. He feeds on lot of
tasty junk and seriously overstrains
his heart, arteries, kidneys, nerves and
digestion. He drinks about nineteen
gallons of booze year. He is partial
to suicide. He is easily winded, weak
and flabby muscled, stiff jointed and
lacking in agility and endurance.
Furthermore, he will probably die at
forty three years Of age, but he car
ries more life insurance than the COM
posite average citizen Of any other ma
ton in the world.
All Of which and great many other
facts were told recently at the tenth
anniversary convention Of the Asso-
citation Of Life Insurance Presidents in
New York city, where executives rep.
resenting about 80 per cent of the $24,
OOO,OOOOOO old line insurance In force
in the United States gathered for a
discussion Of business, patriotism, eco
nomic preparedness and other nation
ally vital topics Of the day more or
less directly related to life insurance.
Tells Us What We Are.
The most frank of all the speakers
was L. z. Rittenhouse, commissioner
Of public service and conservation of
the Equitable Life Assurance society
who dissected Mr.. Composite Average
American most searchingly in paper
on 1.-THE Relationship of Life Insur-
ance to National Physical Prepared
ness" He came to the conclusion that
the call for national physical prepared
ness Of the individual is urgent; that
the evidence Of declining physical en-
durance of the American people en-
phasized the need for immediate &C.
ton.
VI,
he said, "in wealth, in time saving and
labor saving devices which have rad
ically changed the living habits Of a
vast number of people. Physical ex-
ertion has materially declined, while
the per capita intake of food has in
creased, much Of it overrich and in
furious.
"A sudden demand for physical ex.
ertiOn finds the average individual cas-
lily winded, weak and flabby muscled.
joints stiffened by disuse. He is lack.
ing in both agility and endurance.
The mortality rate from wear and
tear Of life is abnormally gaining.
The low powered or substandard group
Of our population is apparently in
creasing. To check this vital waste is
an imperative national duty"
To facilitate matters Mr.. Rittenhouse
visualized the physical American. and
some Of the things he said about that
individual were as follows:
He is amazingly prosperous. In two
generations his wealth has increased
$40 per cent. He looks smooth, pink
and healthy. He is good liver. He
hurries. He has no time to waste.
The age at death Of the American peo-
pie is about forty-three. His hair is
aged, and be is getting bald. Nature
asks why hirsute protection is needed
indoors. His eyes have been strained
by close focus and inside work, hence
the eyeglasses. His teeth put up a
good front. but they need attention.
More Defects.
Ills digestive organs have been CIV
en- too many new and arduOus duties.
Under exertion he is short winded, due
to lack of exercise or bad heart. He
Is designed as an erect outdoor animal.
with feet and legs for service, but he
not only lies down by night, but he sits
down by day. His 400 muscles are vir-
tually all soft and weak from lack of
use. He never walks when he can
ride.
"He would not think Of mixing
bricks or scrap iron or gravel with
the fuel for the furnace, but he does
not hesitate to follow this plan in fur
nishing fuel for his body. He seems
to think auto intoxication' is some au-
tomato way Of getting pleasure. He
should note the insurance records,
which show that. with those above
forty years old, having fifteen to
eighty pounds overweight, the excess
death rate ranges from 8 to IS per
cent above the average.
HE harhors the erroneous impress
sion that our gain In conserving life
has overcome all adverse conditions
He points to decline in the general
death rate and says our vitality there
fore must be gaining. The decline, in.
stead of indicating an increase in the
strength and sturdiness, simply shows
that we have learned how to avoid GER
tain enemies, as we would step around
a dangerous beast chained in the street.
An abnormal increase has occurred in
the death rate from disease due di-
rectly to life strain, the direct results
of the heavy burden of service put