Harrisburg telegraph. [volume] (Harrisburg, Pa.) 1879-1948, 1918-12-07

WAS the world war national
Wv physical blessing? In answer
to the above query, attention
is directed to any young man of your
acquaintance, returned home from
active service abroad or the training
camps, where Uncle Sam has for any
period of time been acting as his
physical director. Note your friends
erect carriage, elasticity of step and
grace with which his every move is
freighted; his clear eye, ruddy COM
plexion and ability to endure violent
or fatiguing exercise or service hard
ships. He has returned a real hon
est-to-John American soldier, pos
sessing all requisites.
The American people now have
different ideas of ideals. Indoor
weaklings, with manicured nails, an
acquired vocal drawl. with a decided
tendency to slide through life by
climbing the old family tree, whose
only acquired right to live, reproduce
and grow was an accidental dropping
of fertile financial seed in produc-
tive soil at some period in the past.
The trees growth is now retarded
and stunted to the. extent that those
nonessential family members in this
busy world are able to reach the
lower limbs, climbing to a position
of social safety, unnoticed by the
common or industrious element, they
have now by the conscription or
draft route been brought back to
earth.
The wearing of a khaki suit has
been social equalizer and q caste
eliminator. Imagined social differ
taT al Nv ha tt1fro HIGH
brows, are now unpleasant memories
to be forgotten by those who by as
sociation have been converted into
red-blooded citizens, their true latent
manhood has been brought to the
surface and developed. A social and
physical awakening has been expert
enced. Statistics show that we have
lost $4,000 men. the flower of our
land, killed in battle. Our nation
as an entirety has been physically
rescued from threatened deteriora-
tibn by the training and advanced
ideas of health, intensively taught
our soldiers, perpetual and lasting
benefit to the present and rising
generations.
We must hereafter be lead into
and reside in the open. inhale Gods
uncanned ozone and experience those
nerve-soothing and health-promot-
ing ground currents with which
Mother Earth is always freighted.
There is now a crying demand
from the populace for the creation
of new cabinet position in Presi-
dent Wilson's or his successors Cab
met. A representative whose duty
will be the health building of our
nation by promoting the outdoor
sports and athletics, rounding into
physical perfection our lads and
lassies. Agriculture, war, mines,
labor, industries and many other
angles now have promoters in the
Presidents official family. If success
is to come to any OF the above prop
ositions, it will be due to the efforts
of those physically and mentally able
to force them to a successful finish.
The extended benefits of health have
cen overlooked and neglected by
he official promoters.
Trapshooting is the one patriotic
major sport which combines the dual
phases, of health promotion and ma
'ional preparedness. The high art
# trapshooting should be inten-
sively taught and universally encour-
aged in every community. Park
nomissioners should install traps,
'ppointing competent shooting in
structors for the public service bene-.
fits to be derived. A league of ma
tions is the logical solution for the
adjustment of national differences
or Observation-Disclosures. This theory
will be an undecided quantity for
decades after 1t has been agreed
upon and put into practice.
In the interim, during an agreed
period for the rehabilitation of our
standing army, let us not forget pre-
paredness, a national necessity. Uni
versal military training in schools