Palatka daily news. [volume] (Palatka, Fla.) 1919-1994, 1921-08-01
'BYRNEs CALLS ON
PRESIDENT TO Be
FAIR IN PROBING
Should Punish Officials
Who Made False Story
About South
INJUSTICE TO SOUTH
Quotes Presidents Let
ter to President of the
- Red Cross
(By Associated Press,

, Washington, July 3O.-Representa-
tive Byrnes, of South Carolina, asked
President Harding, in letter today,
to take appropriate action toward
officials, who by misrepresenting
conditions, misled you into making
the statement that part of the
lsouth was actually menaced with
famine and plague.
Replying to the Presidents letter
of yesterday, in which Mr.. Harding
said that if investigation developed
that reports had misrepresented con-
ditions official refutation would be
desirable, Mr.. Byrnes wrote:
"What l deeply regret, Mr. Presi-
dent, and what l believe the people
Fpf the south regret is that before
such an investigation was made, you
were misled into stating in your let
ter to the President of the Red Cross:
1t must bring a shock to the
American people to realize that a
great section Of their own country,
which they are wont to think of as
immune from such ,axperiences, is
actually menaced by famine and
|plagne, for that. IS what it would be
|ealledsif it should befall any other
and we may as well give it
Its. light name. s
n President Accoagtsd @
80 is, of eotgsc; q Isl sise eessence
of the economic 3
lowing the war, and II deSand iIlss.
slant and vigorous attention. Our
people so long and so often moved by
splendid charitableness toward un-
fertunates of other lands, will never
permit such an affliction here
Coming from the President of the
United States this statement has
commanded attention and has been
published in practically every news
paper in this country, and doubtless
in the press in other nations. 1t is
to these statements we take excep-
tion. We may be oversensative, but
the average American dislikes to
have placed in front of his door
flag indicating the presence of a
plague, when as a matter of fact,
there is within his home nothing to
justify that characterization, and
likewise where there is no famine he
dislikes to be held up as the object
of charity, and compared with the
'unfortunates of other lands for the
relief of whose salvation and disease
our people have so generously con-
tributed.
"Upon reflection, l think you will
agree that these statements are not
warranted BY the report as to the
increase of pellagra in Mississippi,
even if it should develop that these
statistics are correct. The indicated
increase of pellagra in one state would
not constitute plague or a menace
to the entire south, because the dis
ease is not contagious"
In conclusion, Mr.. Byrnes wrote:
"If you will direct that the investiga-
tion include the accuracy of this
statement and if the facts do not JUS
tify it, you will make an official refu
tation of it, it will be exceedingly
gratifying to us. And I shall hope
that in doing so you will take appro-
pirate action toward the officials who,
by misrepresenting conditions, mis-
led you into making the statement"
The Institute of American Meat
Packers announced today that through
its president, Thomas E. Wilson, of
Chicago, 10000 pounds of meat had
been offered the surgeon general of
the Public Health Service for use in
preventing and cure of pellagra in
any district the service might desig-
nate.