Evening journal., 1919-10-03

or an order in camp. or In any way to
qualify as competent soldiers.
THAT causes a shudder 10 run down
your spinal column. DO you know that
in the United States today there are
seven and q half million people over
sixteen years OF age who can neither
read nor write English or any other
language Surely you say-'what else
could you expect in a country where
there are twelve or fifteen million
ignorant Negroes where we have been
receiving for years the scum Of Hitter
ate Europe
wait a minute. or that illiterate
multitude Of seven and a half million,
nfty-nine per cent. are white and TWEEN
ty-nlne per cent, are native born white
Americans. Those OF that multitude Of
lllteracy who are over twenty-One
years Of age Out-vote the metropolitan
cities of New York Chicago and Phlla-
delphla and number more votes than
any single State in the Union except
New York
1T is against a background such as
this that we come in this campaign TO
say that while the Government has
arranged certain theoretical forces for
the relief of existing conditions the
vital necessity Just now Is an interpret
ing and executive force TO put into local
translation theories that are still float
ing nebulOusly in nOthingness.
Throughout The United States the
average community spends a per capita
average Of S2S5 a year for police and
Ore protection. II spends an average
- al
while for the health Of its people the
average community spends a maximum
total Of twenty-nine cents per capita
per year. There Is one State among
our forty-eight where The total appro-
pratlon for health purposes amounts
10 $1,000 a year, which is the relay sal
ary that commands the service OF a
State Public Health Onlcer.
During the nineteen months OF the
war we lost 5000 OF our men on the
neld OF honor. killed by the enemy in
action. During these same nineteen
months 1000 American babies died
100000 babies die every year before they
are twelve months old: 10000 OF them
do not live a month iss, ,763 women died
last year in our Public Health regstra-
tion area in childbirth. This stipend
ous dimunition OF vital power was
largely unnecessary. Nine-tenths OF
those wemen and three-fourths OF those
CHILDREN might be saved from needless
and preventable death II VIC were as
careful OF human life as we are OF
breeding pigs and registering dogs.
'Last,year 100000 people died in the
United States OF consumption alone
kAa hntra naneNanNIsr n i
10000 bed-ridden from that one dis
ease. Seventy-flve per cent. OF those
ieaths are between eighteen and forty
i've. That one disease costs us two bill
lion dollars year, in actual loss and
waste OF our present population. IL
things continue as they are, six per
cent. stlll eventually die of tuberculosis,
and yet tuberculosis Is absolutely cur
sble. United effort and determined
sentiment can wipe IL out We know
his because Victoria In Australia has
lone it.-done 10 by taking both public
health and public money out Of politics
md operating along distinctive Red |
ross lines for the public good.
Typhoid sweeps the country now |
md again. 10 exists all the time in the
verage community, and yet typhoid is
ot disease-it is crime. 10 is not a
is a disgrace. lt reflects
OF upon scientific inactivity, nor lack
Z theoretical knowledge, but is a re-
ection upon the ordinary decency OF a
for typhoid fever can he
in only one way-and that
y either eating or drinking dirt and
lth-by taking into the digestive tract !
se living germ that has come from the [
owel discharge OF person having ty-
hold; that permits food and water and
nc ordinary contacts Of daily life to be :
and poisoned by what we I
, not like TO even think about in terms
decency.
In 1918 out Of our Army OF nearly
'ur million men-what General Perish
IS called the cleanest army the world !
'er knew-only tvAlty-three men died
typhoid. In our civil communities
the United States during the same /
me. 10000 people died What influence
Hess II be a local organization fully
formed-a prudently directed force
ch as the American Red Cross sup
led, can cope with or make the slight Il
Z impression upon the problem OF do +
esti0 sanitation and hygiene.
u wish that the American Red Cross
uld take its stand boldly and without h
'ology as a crusade against the infinite y
enace OF venereal disease. That Is the
osi threatening danger in our Ameri-
n lite today, threatening In its mag n
tude-a magnitude unsuspecting in Y
at instead OF being held by quaran r
le and combatted by prophylaxis. n 3
'lks unsuspected amidst our life 8
d fine llnen--a hane 10 the present.
Id alike In rags and decked IN purple =
incalculable menace 10 the future ,
lighting manhood: blasting girlhood. S
'erating womanhoed; making mother ll
'od curse; binding little children: y
mining the years to come with an 4
utterable load Of anguish. misery and 8
rrow. IN
What influence other than an or I
nization such as the Rcd Cross can &
,e and master problems such as these. 3
docs not aim TO displace the Govern &
mt; II does what the Government II
mot do. II does not aim to dIsplace =
church; II does what the church =
s not done. 10 does not aim 10 in $
lde upon the school; II goes where N
school may not reach n does not y
n 10 disregard the medical profes- y
m II goes In this great struggle. as s
went amid the sanguinary battle r
es OF war, to stand beside the sur u
on-to be the Reserve Corps OF The *
my-to be arms and hands and ewes g
d feet to the heart OF natios that y
lgs with allonging that Is lmmeasur-
le-that FOR the destiny and the duty -
the years to come-ihe America OF ~
morrow should measure up TO the .
tern OF The America 49, sbo,,ld -, 4 n