Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1919-10-26

about national progression.
During all this work Of army build.
ing Gin conjunction with studies als
ready in progress which would have
brought the knowledge. but might
have brought 1t slower) we have
learned other things for sure that
previously we suspected.
I'VE know, for instance, that a
campaign against tuberculosis de<
Ponds largely on prompt diagnosis.
and we have learned that the same
thing Is true Of all those troubles OF
the heart which America seems to
have developed more dlsastrously
than other nations. We find that
when we get hold of cases quickly we's
treat them successfully. and that
where a delay occurs we do not.
I'VE have learned the mighty lesson
that every man every year should
know, not guess. at his condition and
that when anything has gone wrong
he should get at it without delay.
This we have known in the past in
general terms. Now we know it alb
solutely and specifically and if we are
wise will take advantage of the
knowledge.
Take the matter of tuberculosis.
America had a smaller percentage Of
affected young men in the draft than
any other nation. yet tuberculosis
took from the American draft $1,000
youths and from our camps $4,000.
plague was true in varying degrees
And what was true of the white
of other diseases.
4 \ 4
But with regard to these discovs
cries all the nations acted stupidity.
with the United States as stupid as
the others. For what was done with
this vast number of sick young men who
were discovered? Were they made
the immediate objects of corrective
measures, thus using the by-product
of the great emergency to their adj
vantage and that of the nation?
'They were not. They were turned
back into civil life. , :
'"This was sheer madness. II we
had been really alive, really as pro-
eIessive as we'll all boast Of being.
we would have taken every case OF
physical imperfection found and ar
ranged when possible (Which would
have been in the majority of in.
stances) for it's correction.
'Then the war would have given
uSa gift out Of all proportion greater
than it's cost. 1t would have led to
a victory greater even than the vic
tory over Germany. 1t would have
given us a victory over disease. But
we did not do that. r.
"The world had ready for treatment
and elimination (among others) the
tuberculosis problem Of its next gen.
Grafton, and failed to take advantage
of it's opportunity. To do it now
would mean great effort, but tho
gain would be more than worth the
effort.
1--WE have seen and failed to heed
what an examination Of our youth
revealed. Why not proceed with an
examination of our total population
and take full advantage OF It? We
have learned how to establish mill
tary camps. and have such camps. rs
a matter Of fact, we'll located, we'll
built and of great capacity. but
propose to scrap and waste them.
why commit this additional error?
why not change those OF them
which are best located into health
camps and send to them all men and
women who require drastic help. and
why not establish many more and
make the national cleaning-up en-
tirely thorough?
THAT is the way to make this ma
ton the worlds leader-to make 1T
the healthiest of the worlds nations.
Make 1t the healthiest and 1t not
only will become the richest but the
happiest the strongest. the most
rational. Physical sickness means
mental sickness. Both mean ham
pered production and poverty.
IF we could take the nations boys,
whether they be the sons OF mil
'lionaires or those of stokers. and 20
over them once every year. examining:
their physical condition, as we DID
when we went over them for It's
great draft, but within view a div
metrically different end, not that q
finding those among them who ar
fittest for military service, but that
of finding those among them who az,
least ut for happiness and usefu.
.rnutE,.,ad m Tantb