Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1918-12-16
MONDAY. DECEMBER l6, 1g
Can This Thing Be True?

the almost rabid earnestness of the Morn
ing News in opposing the payment, by
City Council, of the charges incurred in
lighting the terrible epidemic of Spanish
influenza that ragged in the city of VIII
mington And all because the State
Council of Defence, according TO its
contention, had offered In advance to
meet all the cost of fighting the epidemic,
and subsequently ''iunked >
We are not informed as to the real
situation in respect of the alleged promise
Of the State Council of Defence to pay the
epidemic bill for the city OF Wilmington
Certainly, we can conceive of no reason
why il should have done so. 1t was the
duty of our city to meet all the expenses
of fighting that awful visitation
so far as the contention in respect Of
the position Of the State Council of De
fence is concerned, 1t may be met with s
very simple comparison Suppose man
who was afflicted with illness in his fam
ily requiring the services of physician,
~hould receive assurance from his neigh
or that he, the neighbor, would pay the
doctors bill Then. after the crisis had
passed the neighbor should ''f1unk" and
repudiate his promise. Would it not be
the duty OF the man to whom the ply
sician's services were rendered to pay the
bill? Certainly.
But it appears there is something
behind th1 attitude OF opposition by
the Morning News and the Voters Non
Partisan League of this city to the pay
ment of the epidemic bills by the city Of
Wilmington " The Sussex Republican
uf Georgetown. In its current issue, prints
n editorial in which it Is strongly inti-
mated, If not actually charged, that the
character, involving considerations that
may apply 10 the future control and
management Of the Republican party.
This sounds Incredible, but the Sussex
Republican fairly presents its case
According 10 our Sussex contemporary,
the opposition Of the Morning News and
the Voters Non-Partisan League to the
payment OF the epidemic bills by City
Council is move by the New Dispense
tion Of the Republican party TO make war
upon the present Republican State ad-
ministration, of which the State Council
of Defence Is part. And very forcefully
this city while the plague was raging.
Seldom in the history Of our State. it
says, has there been such an evidence Of |
picaytlne politics as is apparent IN this
refusal Of the City Council Of Whining
ton 10 pay the legitimate bills incurred in
fighting terrible and deadly epidemic |
that was bevond the control of the local |
authorities and physicians In the midst |
of this epidemic Wilmington was crying |
for help and was on the verge Of panic. /
The epidemic was In full control-business |
almost at standstIl, her people by |
thousands sick unto death, hundreds dy- [
ing, some unable to secure medical at
tention or assistance, families compelled /
TO bury their own dead for want Of pro- /
fessional assistance, the dead remaining /
Gninterred until the announcement /
and visitation Of disease. misery and
death with which the city OF Wilmington
had not been called upon to contend with I
IN the past, and which, we have no doubt.
her people hope and pray may never
occur again. And yet, In the face Of these
things, the administrative authority Of /
that city, at the instigation of political
which, parading under a
deceptive name, has proved by its past
acts TO be unworthy Of consideration.
refuses 20 reimburse the people who came
to her rescue and gave time and furnished
to save Wilmington from the
deadly influenza. The whole affair is q
disgrace to the State, and the purpose OF
il Is apparent"
This Is striking picture Of the situa-
ton that prevailed in Wilmington during
inc dreadful infiction Of the influenza
epidemic, but it is not overdrawn TO the
slightest extent We were terribly af-
iicted. Our people did not know where to
urn for relief Never before did such
prevail in our city 1t is no
wonder, therefore, that the Sussex Re
in charging that partisan con
alterations are influential in the sur
,rislng attitude Of our City Council in
'espect Of meeting the cost Of fighting the
.pidemic, should say: Such politics is
'eyond the pale Of decency"
We feel constrained to say that VIC arc
lot prepared to accept the reason for
he situation as thus set forth by our
sussex contemporary. But We are amazed /
md panied by the attitude Of our CITY
lounGl Even if the State Council Of