The Brandon news. (Brandon, Miss.) 1892-1961, 1921-07-28
WHERE is THE FAMINE AND
i PESTILENCE?

day, in discussing the presidents
letter asking congress for imme-
diate relief of the stricken cotton
belt, says that President Harding's
request upon the public health
service and the American Red
Cross to make an immediate inves-
tigation of conditions of famine
and pestilence" throughout the
greater part Of the coton belt in
the south, coupled with his sug-
gestion that if it should be deem
ed necessary he would ask con-
gressional appropriation for re-
lief, comes with all the shock of
flash of lightning out of a clear
sky. 1t is all the more inexplic-
able and shocking because we have
never heard of an appeal for aid
having been made by the south,
and the suggestions of the chief
executive are most general in their
implication of conditions most
grave and menacing. Were the
situation in the south anything
like what the president repre-
sents of course we would be CRATE
full { orany aid ogered, but since
the south itself is without knowl
edge of such a situation it cannot
but feel that President Harding
has acted with too much haste and
too little discretion in letting the
world understand that great sec
ton of the United States is in the
throes of starvation. misery and
death.
The words used by the presi-
dent in his requests upon the
health service and the Red Cross
sound as if they were spoken of
China. India, Austria or some of
the Balkan states that have been
near the point of dissolution. We
cannot but feel wounded when we
hear the leader of the nation speak
in this way:
1t must bring shock to the
American people to realize
that a great section of their
own country, which they are
won't to think of as immune
from such experiences, is ac-
tually menaced with famine and
plague. For that is what it
be called if it should befall
any other country, and we
may as we'll give it it's right
name. 1t is, of course, a con-
sequence of the economic dis
organization following the
war, and it demands instant
and vigorous attention. Our
people, so long and so often
moved by splendid charitable
ness toward the unfortunates
of other lands, will never per-
NIT such an affection here at
home.
These words will be more than
shocking to the south. They will
increase the burden that this sec
ton has ben bearing so courage
ously for about year, because
they will put us in a false light
before the remainder of the coun-
try and before the whole world.
We speak it advisedly when we
say they add insult to injury, al
though we do not in the least &C
cuse the president Of being actu-.
ated by any such motive. We do
believe, however, that the presi-
dent has been badly advised and
that his advisers did not have the
best interests of the south at
heart. Some Of the high-priced
medical experts of the government,
no doubt, have just found out that
the negro share-croppers of the
south have been subsisting chiefly
on diet of salt pork, cornbread
and molasses and that this diet is
causing famine and an epidemic
Of pellagra. 1t is evident that
these new tangled experts are ig-
norant Of the fact that for half
century and more the southern ne
gro has lived and grown strong on
such a diet or one similar to it. It
may be true that there has been
a slight increase in pelalgra in
some sections, but this does not
justify the assumption that the
southern people are starving to
death and being killed out by dis
ease.
The communications of the pres
ident make it appear that the chief
danger from famine and pesti-
lence is in North Carolina, but the
secretary Of the board of health of
tina Estate declares he knows Of
nothing that would lead him to be-
lieve that pellagra is on the in
crease. His statement makes it
all the more inexplicable as to
where the president received his
information. We cannot believe
that the head of this nation would
allow politics to enter into such q
grave matter, and we would much
rather choose to believe that his
l. II. - Il 8