Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1922-01-26
COUNCIL FALLS DOWN
Physicians Say an Outbreak Of Tu.
bercuIosls VIII Follow Conditions
In the city - Unemployment
Forces Slow Starvation.
. That Means piseaee
BY GEORGE NOx MCCAIN


Every charity in the city is working to
the limit to alleviate suffering among the
poor and unemployed.
All report that they are short Of money
and facilities TO handle the situation. This
ts entirely separate from the city's own vel
fare organization under Director Warbur'
ton.
City Council has practically refused its
aid
Outside charity is dependent upon volun-
tarS contributions, and the failure Of the
Sl,OOO,pO drive 10 get its full amount has
handicapped efforts 10 relieve distress at
home.
Private contributions Of millions. supple
mcntcd by other millions from the Govern
ment, arc being poured into Europe to aid
the suffering and starving.
Tho age old axiom has been reversed ap'
parently; charity does not begin at home,
but abroad.
TTNflE greatest amount Of unemployment in
L the aggregate in the city lies south OF
Market street, with the northeast II good
second.
The gentlemen in Council who are with
holding the city's helping band are led by
Councilmcn from south of Market street.
Chicago has contributed for relief this
winter S2t1.WO. Boston hiss come 10 the
front with scf1 900. Buffalo has given
S133 900.
Philadelphia has appropriated $4,000.
karl de Schweinitz. secretary Of the So
ciety for Organizing Charity, contributed
new slant 10 this very serious situation:
1t IS only rare case here and there
where we find family. suffering FOR the
absolute lack of food he said. ~ mean TO
say women and children who have souc for
days without anything TO cat.
nat We do find. however. is that there
are hundreds of families in Philadelphia who
arc actually suffering from slow starvation.
Ihey do not get enough 20 cat.
They arc living on bread and coffee and
fow boiled vegetables
Such people arc under ucurishcd. Their
vitality is diminishing. Many Of them, if
trey had work would be unable to do it.
uERE is Il leaf from the notebook Of the
IL secretary which is worth reading in
connection with his sentence quoted above !:
I'm Il little city within two hours ride
OF Philadelphia contractors for two big oper-
at!ons agreed to hire a number Of men from
among Phiadelphia's destitute.
They were TO be employed as laborers-
pick and shovel men.
AT the same time applications were re-
ccivcd from other laboring men for situa-
lions.
The Philadelphia contingent was made
up OF textile workers, clerks and indoor
workers. They had bccn out Of work for
long time. They were under -nourished and
soft
Some Of them stuck on the pick and
shovel job for four days. Others Succumbed
on the second day.
Their places were taken by trained la
borers who were accustomed TO that kind
of work. and the Philadelphans were com
PEELED to return home. -
The most startling remark made by Mr.
dc Schweinitz wac:
'"TubcrCu!osis is going 10 reap great
harvest in a year or two from this condition
OF affairs unless the pecr Of Philadelphia
eau he helped"
T CONFESS that regarded the prediction
l. OF the secretary of the Society for Or
ganiztnS Charity as professional obser
vaton. =
He and his co-workcrs see so much of
misery, hunger and destitution generally
that they are prone 10 take, perhaps. an
exaggerated Wow of such a condition as now
confrontS thc city.
1t was not until after had talked With
several leading physicians-specialists
the meaning and menace Of Mr.. de Scbyyci-
nit2'S remarks dswned.
The process Of slow starvation in any
conmunity il bound 70 have its aftermath
1t might appear in fat death roll fol-
lowing an invasion Of influenza. though the
secretary did not mention this disease
1t is inevitably certain 80 follow the un-
employment of thOusa nds and the under
uouriEhmcDt and consequent manrtriiion
among thousands of women and children in
their iam!Les.
nR. LAWRENCE +. FLICK formerly
~ head of the Phipps Tuberculosis Insti- =
tute, il one Of the leading specialists in this
country.
"InsufEricnt food is recognized as ono Of
thc greatest agencies for increasing tubrr.
cuoSis.' he said.
please understand what ] mean. There
are large number, of individuals who have
! implanted IN them the germs of tuberculosis.
! They are able, however. by maintaining II
! certain standard Of living to ward of an
! attack Of the disease.
! when. however, it Is impossible TO main :
! tain the necessary nutrition, or when 1t falls
| below certain standard, the implantati ton
| makes itself manifest.
| '"I' is not that slow starvation Of itsrIf
! VIII cause the diSeaae, but those unfOrtunat cS
! in whom the germs are dormant and who
| fail 10 receiv, proper food and nou rishmc n t
are almost certain to become its victims"
| DR. WILLIAM T.. HUGHES. one Of the
- city > eminent consulting physicians ha 8
J no doubt rs to the outcome Of the present
/ condition Of unemployment and under
: nonri.hmcnt Of the unemployed and their
| families.
Its cf~cLs will not likely be fully dis
| closed for perhaps year, IN his opinion.
| There Ia no doubt We arc passing through
| a very serious situation said Dr. Hugher.
There are thousands out of employment t.
| and that always means suffering.
! The condition Involves two things: The
hcrding together of families to keep warm
| which means living in a vitiatcd atmosphere
| and which in turn affords diseasr germs to
! accomplish their work.
II am sure that conditions existing in thr
city today are making for an increase III
| tuberculosis far above any similar incrca 50
! in recent periods.
The only suggestion that have 10 allie
'iate the situation Is to supply the sufferers
with sufficient food Of the proper kind.
IF the proftrers would lower their prices
il would make a decided change in the ont
look.
''Or course, that is something practically
hopeless -
nR. THOMAS KLEIN, assistant profess
- sor Of medicine in the University Post
graduate School and Undergraduate De
psrtments, took precisely the same stand a,
his colleagues.
1T will take year or SO for the result
| . and