The Birmingham age-herald., 1920-01-07
LETTER TO EDITOR
Raising of Hogs in Town

l To the Editor of The Age-Herald: | I notice. according to the Birmingham
 papers, that we citizens of Birmingham are not going to be allowed to keep hogs | this year on account of the uncleaniiness of the hog pens affecting the health of the people. All this, regardless of the fact that 1919 was the healthiest year l ever known in the city. and the only year during the 15 years I have lived here in which we did not have some kind of an epidemic of sickness. Incidentally while the general public was enjoying this good health, there were more hogs kept within the city limits than ever be- fore. germs direct to the hog pen. Why didn't they trace it further and find out how it got to the hog pens?
 Had the people listened to the doctors advice in regard to the treatment, would we ever have learned how to handle the disease? Only g years ago they used to advise thusly: Don't use any ice and , whatever you do, don't give that child any water" Had we not taken the doc tors advice my sister might be alive today and we lived where the hogs were not even penned up.
 report came out a short time ago from some branch of the government (bu- reau of agriculture or some otler au- thority) that a large percentage of the children of the country are underfed ThiA should be enough to arouse the interest of the people and bring on some action towards securing bigger and better food supply. It is not that they do not get enough to eat but that hey do not get the right quality of food.
 Had the people not raised some hogs last year. pork and side meats would zf1 |. l..1 and lard would have been kept off the market, like sugar has been then ra- tioned out at perhaps a dollar or so per pound. If child should get enough Of the right quality of food it might want to go out and play; then some wreckless autoist. possessed of uncurbed speed mania.'' would curse because the child was not in the house crying for something to eat. so that he would be safe The next move will undoubtedly to take the milch COWS out of town.
 Did the city officials ever look around the town to see how the sanitary con ditions exist? If we are forced to dispose of hogs and chickens. what will become of our table scraps and other refuse? | dump my tin cans in the alley throw them in the ward or garden or any other way to get rid of them. Some time last summer my wife tried to get a trash wagon to come after the garbage. After about six weeks they came and then bought a new garbage can. and they have not been back since In fact, they have only gotten my garbage twice in three years. and one of my neighbors recently told me that he had not seen trash or, garbage wagon pass his place in nine years.
 One great preacher has said that if you don't like your town, leave it. but I do not agree with him on this point. George Washington. Patrick Henry and other noted men did not like this coUn- try, but they did not leave 1t; instead they stayed and worked to make the conditions better so that this same preacher could have freedom of speech and action in his profession. believe in helping to better conditions in any way possible. but some of the so-calied reform impresses me as doing more harm than good.
 Inasmuch as there is great, scarcity Of print paper, l, will close with one sug gestion to the city Commission of Bir- mingham, if may. and that is: Stop, look and listen" Yours truly.
 N T. A. WHAIsEY.
 alI7 Birch Avenue. BiFminsham. January s. 1919.