South Bend news-times. (South Bend, Ind.) 1913-1938, 1919-03-06
DRAFT SHOWS Up
NEED OF TRAINING
SeC'y Daniels Says Attention
Must be Given to Physical
Efficiency.

The health lessons learned in the
war and how they may be employed
in times of peace formed the theme
of an address at Raleigh, n. c., the
other day. by Sec'y of the Navy
Josephus Daniels before the North
Carolina Conference for Social Ser
vice.
The dramatic and compelling
pressures of war have ruthlessly un-
covered many OF the failures Of
peace" Mr.. Daniels said. Wise men
and wise women have been telling
US for many years that we have been
stealing vitality and growth and de-
velopment from our children, and,
therefore, from our future citizens,
because we have been thoughtless-
" limiting their play as industrial
ism and the varied and comph-
Gated demands of education have
increased.
ut took this great war, with its
fearful demands, TO drive home the
fact that we pay the penalty at the
price of impaired and deficient ma
turity when we squeeze the play out
Of the lives of our children.
The physical deficiencies found in
the draft and the convincing les
sons taught by the army program
of play are powerful and compelling
arguments in favor Of wise laws on
child labor, wise programs of edu-
cation. and wise provisions for ply
steal training.
Value of Physical Education.
Short days ago our allies told
each other that victory would come
to the nation that possessed the last
man and could fight for the last
quarter of an hour. They counted
their manhood and youth with fear
and apprehension. Never before
did they, or did we, realize the full
OF the physical defects
that disqualify our boys for the
obligations of life. These lessons
of the war have prompted a num-
Der of our national agencies to in
stitute programs for the better care
of children. During the last two
years seven states have enacted
laws requiring physical education
i'm their schools and I am told that
Is other states are proposing such
laws. If universal physical educa-
ton could be achieved not only
for the children in school, but for
those who are unfortunately forced
out Of school. il is not extravagant
10 state that the physical vigor and
the peace and the war utility Of our
adult population would soon be very
greater than at pres
emit
This war has taught Us the
Importance of making practical use
OF our scientific knowledge concern
ing the agents that injure health
Preventive hygiene may
save armies. II the losses from
typhoid in this war had been as
great as those losses in the Spanish
American war we would have had
seven times as many OF our young
men destroyed by that disease as
were destroyed by German weapons
OF warfare. This great war has>been
Tree rum tire fRAdStiAANS VI AAlAAAIeAi
history Preventive hygiene saved
US not only from typhoid. but from
tvphus sfever, smallpox and cholera
On the other hand. our ignorance OF
the real cause Of influenza has made
II impossible for US TO establish
proper scientific measures for the
prevention Of this disease.
Fight Against Disease.
IF the successful methods utilized
for the suppression offvenereal dis
ease in the American army and navy
during this war are continued dur
ing rehabilitation and peace. the
saving OF future human usefulness,