Newark leader. ([Newark, Ohio]) 1917-1946, 1922-03-17
SUICIDE GROWS
SELF MURDER INCREASED %
PER CENT LAST YEAR.
unemployment One of the Chief
Causes Reported in 1921-"SOldier
Boys" and Children Under Six
teen Form Large Portion.
(By Federated Pressl

New York-There were in 1921
the year in which unemployment in
the United States was worse than at
any time since 1898 per cent more
suicides than in the preceding year.
The number was approximately 20,-
900. Of that number, $40, or more
than two day, were in New York
City. Eight hundred and fifty-eight
were children averaging between Is
and Is years old, and-509 of those
who ended their own lives are de-
scribed as "soldier boys"
The figures are made public in the
annual report of the Save-a-Life
League, 108 w. 77th st. The accom-
panying comments make reading
which, if not very instructive, at least
is interesting, and which if not tragic
would be funny.
Almost every condition of existence
which is result of present-day So
cial and industrial life is described as
cause of the frightful number of
suicides; and remedies which are SER
iously suggested are stricter laws re-
garding the purchase of drugs and
firearms. Loss of employment is
mentioned, almost casually, among
other causes, including reaction from
the war;
Complexity of modern life, general
unrest, and even women's mode of
dress are blamed in large part.
Other data, however, compiled
from the statistics of life insurance
companies, of the national committee
for mental hygiene, and various or
ganizations, shows that the astound-
ing increase in the number of cases of
self-destruction is a direct result of
unemployment. In 1920 the suicide
rate among insured wage earners was
less than one-half what it was in 1911.
Then came what the captains of in
dustry" are pleased to term the period
of readjustment and the suicide rate
shot up. Exactly year ago a bulle-
tin issued by the Metropolitan Life
Insurance Co.-putting the statement
in the form of a question-asked:
"Has the less favorable industrial
situation of the latter part of 1920
and the early part of this year result
ed in increased numbers of suicides
and homicides? There has been more
of each recently in the wage-earning
group of the population"
Last August, The Federated Press
called attention to the fact that Tues
day had become suicide day in New
York and other large cities. Jobless
unsuccessfully-the Help Wanted ads
in the Sunday newspapers, killed
themselves on that day-victims of
the war for democracy and it's after
math Of putting labor in it's place."
Still one more sidelight may be
thrown on the climbing suicide fig
ures. Last July DR.. Thomas w. Sal
men, New York, who was a colonel
in the army medical corps during the
war, told a United States senate com
mittee that in 1920 400 ex-soldiers
committed suicide in New York state,
most of whom "would be alive today
if they had been given the proper
attention" Then he added, "It is time
to think about the 400 or more young
ex-soldiers who may commit suicide
in the next year."
At that time, he said, in New York,
New Jersey and Connecticut there was
not a single hospital bed for the ac-
commodation of veterans under OBJ
servation for mental diseases result
ing from the war, although there were
in that area 100000 ex-service men.