Omaha daily bee., 1918-12-27
Control of the "Flu +"

Grand Island, Neb., Dec. 1910
the Editor of The Bee: 1t is need
less to produce evidence in order to
prove the existence of the terrible
scourge that is holding high carni-
val in Nebraska. The general preva-
lence of disease, the high death rate.
the cry for doctors and nurses, the
cancellation of state GATHERINGS and
the call of the State Board of
Health for doctors from all parts Of
the state for consultation, demon
strates the gravity of the situation.
That the most effective measures
should be adopted without delay, to
minimize and stamp out this dread
full calamity is conceded on every
hand. The people look to the au-
thorities and doctors as the only
parties able to cope with the situa-
ton.
A short time ago the State Board
of Health took the matter of a state
ban in hand, conditions improved
and they then abandoned the work
and left it to the powers that be in
the different localities to work out
their own salvation, or perish. The
result has been that there has been
no systematic method of dealing
with the situation. II, for a few
days the scourge assumes a violent
form and there is appreciate in
crease in DEATH the authorities, as
though terrified and stampeded like
herd of cattle, put ban and quar-
antine on nearly everything in the
shape Of public gathering. If the
disease relaXes little, evidently un-
der the influence and pressure of the
commercial interests, they lift the
ban till the disease again increases,
producing another paroXysm of hys-
terra and another ban.
From what | have read in The Bee
it seems to me that there has been
no serious, honest, persistent effort
to control the situation. In Omaha.
from appearances. the commercial
interests have been the dominating
consideration. One of the leading
merchants is reported to have said
that if certain measures were
adopted it would mean loss to his
business Of $4,000 day. Here in
Grand Island, according to the editor
of our town paper, one man asked
him not to publish the influenza con-
ditions, and the claim has been
made that the ban on Grand Island
caused large numbers to go to Hast
ings to do their trading, to the COM
mercial loss of our tradesmen, with
the result that the pendulum actions
and horseplay of our health board
has made them a laughing stock and
byword among the people.
When an epidemic is simply a To-
ffoi, hn
thorities are able to deal with it sue
cessfully and not they themselves
or the people become the victims of
commercialism it is we'll to leave it
with them to deal with, but when a
scourge becomes state and nation
wide it is. or ought to be, made the
business of the state to deal with it.
The advice and counsel of the ablest
men of the state and nation should
be called in, and the most effective
and skillful methods adopted, The
commercial interests should have
due consideration and nothing
should be done to their injury, any
further than is imperatively neces-
sary to safeguard the health and
lives Of the people, but under no con-
sideration should the lives Of the
people be sacrificed on the altar Of
commercalism. Only yesterday l
received a letter from Michigan, in
which the writer said: "The flu
has broke out again and there is
talk of closing the state" Neces-
sity is laid upon us, to lure our
selves into a state Of false security
is suicidal Why trifle and sport
upon the brink of death?
G. P. JACKSON.