The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1919-01-25
National Assets and Liabilities.

National Assets and Liabilities.
The greatest personal and the most
valuable national asset is robust,
Astounding health. Health means per-
sonat well-being as expressed in the
normal functioning of body, mind and
soul Health makes possible ply
steal and mental efficiency which
means national progress and wealth.
Health also makes possible the mobi-
lizing of the nations full defensive
force in case of national military cri-
sis, without which the national exist
ence is imperiled.
In one of the most noted addresses
of the war, David Lloyd George, pre-
nier of Great Britain, charged Eng
land with the physical neglect OF the
people and that thus one million OF
her young men, by reason of the gov
ernrpent's neglect, were physically un-
fit for military service. For England
and the allies this awful fact that one
million less men could be rushed to
the war front to stay the onsWeeplnS
hordes. of Huns meant the difference
between victory and defeat, and all the
world now knows that if America had
| not supplied this shortage IN man
! power, the iron heel of autocracy
would be crushing liberty out OF all
| Europe today. The premier numbered
| this solemn warning which has been
heard around the world, GU cannon
maintain an Al nation with 80
population and then he added, AS
| soon as the unseen hand casts the rain
| bow of peace in the skies, we must
| be ready; care of the health OF tne
I people is the secret of national eIIl-
| ciency-it Is the secret Oh hdllohal
/ cuperation.
/ Britain's great statesman laid down
the terms which must at once be
both a challenge and an opportunity
/ to every legislature in session IN tEls
! country. Let it be sounded IN leSai
words by legislative enactments from
! every state house in the land that ma
tional recuperation shall go hand in
| hand with public health. If so per
! cent of English young men and 20
( per cent of American boys Were physi-
cally unit for military service, let US
| spare no reasonable means, or refuse
| to try any sane measure that oHef9
promise in any degree lettering the
| state of the public health. In this
connection. it seems strange to note
that a number of years before the
war, a former great premier of Eng
land declared that the first bushes;
of a statesman was the care of the
public health"
In the biennial report of the former
state superintendent of public instruc-
of the relation that physical health
bears to personal and national eff
cheney is brilliantly stated and definite
recommendations are made to the leg
islature thru which immense physical
and mental benefits may be expected
to accrue. Let me quote a paragraph
from Superintendent Ross adnlira bic
report:
i when the Conservation of food and
of our material resources has beco lie
almost a religion with US, we are al
lowing an unbelievable number of our
greatest potential producers-our
youth-to go to untimely graves. BY
the same token a still far greater num-
Der will go thru life physically, and
therefore in all too many instances
mentally handicapped. Yes it will
cost money to have school physicians
and school nurses; but i. will cost
more money not to have them. This
greater cost will consist not only in
the items of unnecessary sickness al
death and of physical and mental
handicaps: but it will also represent
a tremendous waste of the money ac-
tually spent for education since Sc
much of it will have been spent to re
purpose.
L urge first of all that Legislative
provision be made for both the meal
and machinery for adequate and eff
fective physical supervision of all the
! school children of Kansas thru com,