The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1921-08-03
BRYNES ASKS
REPUTATION
OF SIAuDER
South Carolina Congressman
Addresses Strong letter
To President

Washington July 3o.-Represen-
tative ByTnes Of South Carolina
asked President Harding IN a let
ter today to take appropriate ac-.
Etion towards ef11cia.s, who by mis-
representing conditions misled you
into making the statement that
parts Of the south were snenaced
with faraine and plague
Replying to the presidents let
ter OF yesterday in wfsnh Mr..
Harding said that if investigation
developed that reports had misrep-
resented conditions official refuta-
tion would be desirable, Mr. Byrnes
wrote:
x wish to thank ,ou very much
for your letter OF, the 18th. agree
/ that 1t Is highly desirable that the
bureau Of public hesith service
should continue its investigation as
fto peNagra, and know that con-
gress appropriated for this. fiscal
year 100000 to enable the SER
vice to- investigate the diseases Of
man, the representatives of the
Health service advising cur appro-
priatiens committee that out Of
this sum they would continue their
pellagra Investigations, and there
is mo- objection to the special inyes-
ttigation you have directed the
health servee to make What I
deeply regret, Mr.. president. and
| what I believe the people Of the
Esolith regret, is that before such an
| Investigation was made. you were
mialed into stating n your letter to
the president Of. the Red Cross:
must bring a shock to the
American people to rea,.ze that a
great section Of their oMn country,
which they are wont to tlink Of as
Immune from such experiences, is
Eaetually nlenaced by fa.saine and
plague Fer that is what it would
be called If It should befall any
other country, and we may as well
give it its, right name.
Tt is: Of course q consequence
Of the economic disorga anization
following the war; and 1t demands
Instant an6 vigorous attention. Our
people SO long and so often moved
by splendid .charita bieness towards
funfortunates of other lands, will
fneyer permit such az affliction
there
Coming from the president of
1.-The United States. this statement
has commanded attention and has
been publshed in practically every
newspaper In this country. and
doubtless in the press Of other na-
tfons, II Is to these statements we
take. exception. We may be over
sensitive but the average American
dislikes to have placed in front of
his doo1s a flag indicating the
| presence OF a plague when as a
matter of fact there exists within
his home nothing to Justify that
Characterization AND likewise,
where there Is no famine he dis
likes to be held up as the object
of charity, and compared with the
| .sunfortunates Of other lands for
Ithe relief Of whose starvation and
disease our people have generously
contributed.
| Upon reflector, I think you
will agree that these statements are
not warranted by the report as to
the increase of pellagra IN Mis-
sissippt Even # 1t should develos
that these statistics are correct, the
indicated increase Of pellagra il
one state would not constitute a
plague er q menace to the entire
tsouth, because the disease is not
contagious.
"And certainly there is nothing
In the telegram Of the editor OF the
Spartanburg Herald to warrant
either Of the two statements in
question. In that part os Mr.. Hear
on's telegram which ye,, quote, ne
expressed the opinion that the
health service should continue its
investigations this year. Everybody
| q rrees. and congress has authoriZ-