The Telegraph-courier. [volume] (Kenosha, Wis.) 1888-1946, 1918-12-05
Keeping Up the Morale.

War is a great despoiler Of nations
but page Spanish influenza!
In little over year twenty thous-
and Kenosha men have offered them
selves ON the altar of their country.
That number of men nave been regis
tered as being liable to service in the
army. Of that great number more
than twenty-seven hundred men in the
prime of their manhood have been en-
listed as volunteers or as selected men
IN the armies Of the nation. The cas-
nalty lists have not as yet all been
made up, but with reasonably full lists
of the dead, wounded and the missing
in hand, Kenosha county has contri-
buted to the spoilation of war the
lives Of forty-two men. Many of them
died gloriously fighting under the flag
they loved. The memories Of them
come back as q great patriotic heri-
tage to the relatives and friends they
left at home The picture of war as
it applied to Kenosha county is not
complete until there is added to this
the list Of forty-fve men who were
wounded in action.
Now let's look at peace picture.
During the month Of October, right
here in healthful Kenosha county,
there were two hundred and seventy
two funerals. The lives Of two hundred
and seventy-two people were taken by.
disease. Compare this, will you, with
the losses sustained by that army of
twenty-seyen hundred men who went
to fight for the nation, and learn from
it the lesson that must be learned
the lesson of keeping up the fighting
morale at home. Of the two hundred
and seventy-two deaths reported in
Kenosha county during October, two
hundred and forty-seven were from
Spanish influenza. Many of these peo-
pie were rendering a service just as
real to their home and to the nation
as the men who fell fighting on the
battle front. Their work was neces-
sary to the success of the. army which
marched forward under proud ban
ners. Their deaths brought no glories
of heroic action. Many of these deaths
were due to the fact that we had failed
to keep up the morale at home.
War is truly a despoiler Of nations,
but let us look at the list of casual
ties which have been reported from
Kenosha county. Here it is: Killed in
action, ten; died Of wounds, three;
missing in action, one; drowned, two;
died from Spanish influenza and pneu-
nonia, twenty-five; died from other
disease, one.
Again we say "Page Old General
Influenza and Pneumonia. /"
1t is impossible to call back the past.
Tt is impossible now to save the lives
of these men who were given up to
Spanish influenza, but possibly there is
"a chance of saving lives in the future.
gEhe cost Of war has been compensated
for in q eay in the victory of great
principles. Possibly the cost of the
lives of these men and women who
fell in Kenosha county may be COM
pensated for by the awakening of the
people to the need of a greater morale
among the fighting forces at home.
Only one phase of the battle with
Spanish influenza and its kindred dis
cases has been fought. There will be
other and possibly greater offensives
.of tins kind. Leading physicians and
health experts of the nation declare
that there rs new epidemic of the
gdisease to be expected in 1919 and pos
sibly another in 1920. Kenosha county
must be prepared to meet these often
sives. The men back of the lines must
be organized now. The people must be
taught to i've right; they must be in
structod in the best methods of fight
ing the disease, and the only way that
they can be properly taught is through
extensions of the work of organized
health departments in the city and
county.
Kenosha city and county must not
wait until the assault of this great
enemy of the common health is under
way again, but the trenches must be
dug now to meet that assault. The
real leader of an army, whether it be
an army of fighting soldiers or an army
of health nurses, must be able to an
ticipate attacks. Many an attack falls
down before it reaches the lines and
this may be made possible IN the next
fight against Spanish influenza in Ke-
nosha county. The morale of the
fighting forces must be kept ND and
the people must be educated while
lis still time. Not day or an hour
should be lost The work done now
1neans the saving of human lives and
THAT is the greatest service that any
Ecity csn render to the people IF we
nailed before there may have been IN
excuse. If we fail again in the protec-
tion Of the people against this fnsidous
enemy we shall have no excuse to offer.
The movement to make Kenosha 8 An
American City for American Citizens =
IS one that should have the support