The New York herald., 1921-10-23
Convention Early in Decem-
Der Is Planned to Seek !,
Solution of Problem.
GETS WORSE IN BUDAPEST
Philanthropist Who Helps
Many Is Urged to Attend
Proposed Paris Conference.

Special Cable 10 THE New YORK HERALD.
Copyright, 1921, by THE New YoRK HrnAr.a
New York Herald Bureau,
Paris. Oct. 22.
psychologists and public health
workers In all parts of Europe
are planning European convention
early in December to seek a solution
of the poverty madness which rs driv-
ing thousands of persons in all the
continental capitals to suicide. Paris.
with its Seine. is providing a constant
lure to those who are weary of exis-
tence. but, strangely enough, Paris is
suffering less than the other capitals,
and the total number Of suicides here.
according to the police, is now less
than 800 year, as compared with
almost double that number before the
war.
Vienna, Berlin, Budapest and, in
fact, the capitals of all the defeated
rations, are, however showing a tre-
mendous increase in the number of
suicides. Berlin reported eleven sui
cides in twenty-four hours recently.
Whether this Is a result Of loss of
wealth or the continual fear of Boil
shevism spreading westward is un-
certain, but psychologists insist that
something must be done to prevent
this suicidal contagion il Europe Is
to be spared really serious epidemic
Of suicides. The solution most favored
is that started before the war by
Robert Feinsilber, formerly a pupil of
Leo Tolstoi
Feinsilber's Suicides Institute" in
U2rJa ;.
advance yet made in their treatment of
weakened morale and is reported to be
literally besieged by hundreds of Hun
Igarians who are convinced that death is
the easiest way out of their misery
Big Gain I'm Budapest.
In five years Budapest's suicide record
has jumped from $50 a year to more
than 1900 during the first eight months
of this year. without counting hundreds
Of cases which have been prevented every
month by the prompt action of Fein-
silber's agents.
Although not wealthy man. F'ein-
silber has refused remuneration for bis
services rendered mind-weary human
ity and has succeeded in enlisting six
collaborators and numerous special
agents whose duty 1t Is to seek aid from
wealthy Hungarians for those upon
whom fortune has refused to smile.
Attempts at suicide are reported
promptly to Feinsilber by the police
and II is rare that after few days Of
rest and after Feinsilber has had a good
talk with would-be suicide and has
given him material assistance, that the
victim OF Europe's strangest malady IL
not able to leave the institute cured and
anxious to recommence the struggle.
II the plans of experts are carried out
every large city In Europe will have its
suicides home next year, each with a
trained personnel to encourage patients
to try again even in the face of financial
difficulties.
How the Institution Helps.
Some idea of the need of such an In.
stitution Is shown in the details of one
Of the Budapest cases. news of which
has just been received here. The widow
of a one-time Austrian Minister was
forced by poverty and reduction of
her pension of 1900 crowns a year. TO
earn something, and she tried singing in
the streets In the poorer suburbs. With
the pension she received she was not
able to buy even bread.
The more she thought OF her condi-
ton the more hopeless II seemed to her.
and when, through starvation. she be-
came greatly fatigued she tried to drown
herself Feinsilber's institute gave her
an asylum for several weeks. with free
medical treatment. and then found for
her several violin students. who paid
her enough to keep the wolf from the
door.
Thousands of such cases have been
handled In Budapest since the arrnis-
tice, but Paris. Rome. Brussels and
Warsaw are all behind Budapest's initi-
ative and are now asking Feinsiiber to
attend a Paris conference. and II pos
sible to aid in establishing similar homes
for despairing humanity in those cities.
According to records compiled here.
50 per cent. of the suicides are caused
by poverty. 10 per cent. by financial
difficulties, and per cent are due to
sentimental reasons. Strangely enough.
these latter are nearly always young
women OF reputable families. OF the
remaining 90 per cent. 10 per cent OF
the cases are traced to nervous mala-
dies. the result OF privation during the
hat I'll