Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1919-12-07
REX BEACH TELLS
INSIDE OF STORY
Noted Fiction Writer Has Lived
With Many Strange
People.
FAvoRs THE OPEN AIR
Receives Many Letters of Inquiry
Relative to Heroes He
Creates.

NEW YORK. Dec. G.-If there Is
anybody who knows from personal
experience and observation the value
or fresh air and sunlight better than
does Rex Beach. author and explorer.
that person should surely have re-
cord for travel and study ia odd cor
ncrs Of the world.
MIR. Beach has lived the life OF the
natives In such widely separated re-
Sions as Alaska and South America.
and has seen just what fresh air or
me lack OF 1t can do when applied
Ky supporting the campaign OF ;he
National Tuberculosis Association ana
Is 1000 affiliated State and local or
Sanizations to sell more than Ss5OO-
900 worth OF Red Cross Christmas
"eals before December ~. This money
Will be used during 1920 to carry
out nation vide light against 'ubcr-
rulosis, which kills 10000 persons an
nnally in this country.
Inc particular feature OF antitubcr-
,ulosis work which appeals to Mr.
and sunlight as ibtent means OF pre-
venting the spread OF the white
Open AIR Benefits.
have seen how life in the open
can rebuild "a man." said SIr. Beach
Inc other day. Il have found in the
out OF the way places such az Alaska
tuberculosis nd have won back their
neaith. Ia ono OF my stories. called
Rain bows End! used facts which
AT The time brought Inc many queries.
The story dealt with a newspaper
man suncrin. from tuberculosis in
such an advanced stage that the
physicians gave him no hope unless
nc should 80 away 10 an expensive
anatorium in high, dry atmosphere.
The time OF the story was a little
more ihan twenty years aso. Since
M fFI rAfN .ssi l., "a
stratsd that tuberculosis can D. sue
essfu.iy treated at sanatoria in
he climate Of Sew York or New Eng
. iand. But ~ the period Of which |
wrote toe situation j described was
correct
The newspaper man could rot az
iord 10 take the treatment advised
md he began 10 think OF committing
suicide. but hc lacked nerve. lie COM
promised by going to CUBA and en-
4htns in the FORCES OF the revolution
lists. lie hoped that d Spanish bullet
YOU'D put an end 10 his life, nc
Welcomed dangerous tasks OF ali kin1s
- a result he won the title OF 'El
taboo and The Cuhans regarded
au-rourd daredevil who ever swung
MAGNETIC. All ills took time. how
ever. and ihc newspaper man was iiv
ing the l!tc OF the insurrectos. out OF
Goors ali the time. getting exercise
such as ne had never known before.
..,, Hero Turns Arrnnt Coward.
sNdIl. Tic woke UP TO the TACT
that while the spanish bullets had
consistently failed TO end his career
ne had been winning back his health
and strength. As soon a nc became
convinced ne had fought off the white
plague his greatest desire was TO save
the lie which had become worth while
once again. IN other words, he might
have been rated an a-raut coward, al
though his Cuban comrades still re-
sarded him as III Diabolo.'
That story was based entirely on
facts. although the man in the case
served with one OF the Mexican ar
mics at the time OF the Nadero trou-
blcs IN Mexico. four or five years ago.
J merely changed the time and the
scene. There are many instances
perhaps not quite so dramatic, how
rvcr-that have come to my atten-
ton TO prove that open air and sun
l!Eht VIII do wonders in curing as
well as preventing consumption. That
> why want to see the Red Cross
Christmas seal sale succeed, because 1t
J., the means OF spreading education
- 10 the value OF outdoor living.