The Rock Island Argus and daily union. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1920-1923, 1920-07-12

8loSI4 ana 70 f9Quco MS oIDo1nfa
70 the sun in every way possihls |
because be has this hot summer 81,
the year around, and he would -
suEvive n he did mot take 49,
precautions. Bat the native Of -
United States has OF contend vitI
. tropical climate only thrss
months In the year, and his hahlts
are formed In the other mr.
months. Furthermore, he n ~
slave Of an ideal Of hard work. Il
this country We believe that NJ
man will only work hard euou,s
hs can accomplish anything, ~
that to be deliberately idle n,
considerable part Of the time 4
little short OF criminal. Both =
these articles Of the national crssi /
would perhaps stand . little reyis.
ion. As . matter OF fact, what l
man can accomplish depcnds !
great deal more on the endowment
nature gate him than on the nun,
Der Of hours he works Der Az
Some OF the greatest achievemsnis
have been by men who WORKS
only . few hours . day. Also a. !
leisure to refiect, read and obseryr
IL Just as necessary as strenuosc
effort TO any worth while dsvpln.
ment
But the fact remains that ~
are . nation OF drudges. ThsfeV
are few of us who can loaf durinr
what Is commonly considered I
working hour without feelins
guilty.
Now this strenuous activiu.
whatever its philosophical value, i
at least compatible with health d
. brisk fall day or . mild spri1e
one, but on . broiling summer day
1t Is enormously wasteful Of human
energy and even human life. h
this country practically no ACTIVITY
Is suspended ON account oe ~
heat. The midday rest, which =,
been found % necessary TO tho %.
durance of intense heat everywhsn
, in the tropics, il unheard Of In TIL
country.
Hot Spells Deadly.
Just consider for . moment u
spectacle Of . typical American
city during q heat wave-New yoet
for example. All activities 90 q
just 40 usual; the streets IN
scarcely less crowded than 1t IN
other time. Every days paper n
ports q fe wdeaths and many psos.
trations. And the cases reported III
the papers are about a fraction I
, the whole. How many aged ~
! weak persons die during thM
spells, not directly Of sun strolA
but indirectly Of the effect OF u
heat, will never be known. And Ns
deaths and prostrations are small
part Of the loss. Suicide and crtna
+! run high during these spells Nh
are literally driven mad by u
heat. And here again the striking
climaxes are only as q drop IN .
bucket to the suffering wha
reaches no dramatic conclusion ~
does not get into the papers. Ma
and women wear out their temper
and their bodies, lose weight M
self control, make mistakes aaa
have quarrels that would never o.
cur under normal conditions.
And animals are spared no moro
than men. During . hot epslt b
New York you will see horses down
In the street. with drivers pouring
buckets OF cold water over thsa
half q dozen times in q day, Ani,
you will see . good many dead
I horses, too.
The fact OF the matter Is that .
hot spell Is q very trying and din.
cult experience for any WAN
bloodsd animal. 1t Is not q thing
to disregard. It calls for precaa-
ton and self restraint You Gel.
dom hear Of heat prostrations q
sun strokes In tropical countries
because the people there han
learned how TO keep cool. WN
animals do not die Of the heat, b.
cause they have sense enough y
keep out of It In q wilderness a
q hot day nothing moves during ~
height Of the sun except . few "
ards and other cold blooded rse-
tiles. You must 60 abroad befoFs
sunrise and after sunset II ~
would see the wild things.
| As we began BY saying, 1t is only
the American variety Of the human
species that has not sense enough
to avoid the heat II midday hour
Of rest during the summer could b
established IN this country ~
presidential proclamation, or An ~
Of congress, II factories would cIoee
and work cease from IL to 3. ~
work Of the nation would be bettef
done and life would be saved.