The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1932-11-09
MALNUTRITION
AND PELLAGRA

plOyeO.
MALNUTRITION
AND PELLAGRA
Pellagra has swept the children
of Missouri. Kennett, Mo, reports
two dozen cases in developed stages
in a few days. More are added
daily to the list. In New York
City, the Department of Health
Weekly Bulletin gives the follow
ing statistics of malnutrition, in
proportion to cases examined, as
follows:
1873 sss''ss''''.''''.' 1o'f
1880 ......,..,,......... 16.l
1881 Observation-Disclosures, III
1892 (fOr only 1st quarter 20.5
In the face of these facts. Sur
geon-G General Cummings of the
U. S. Public Health Bureau, comes
to the assistance of the govern
ment's propaganda agencies by
minimizing unemployment and its
effects. He issues statement to
the effect that the poverty of the
American masses is not under
mining public health. In one state
ment, he says, I'm spite of the
contrary testimony of scores of mu-
nicipal and state health authori-
ties, public health has not been
impaired since the depression
began"
THE RED CROSS
And what is the Red Cross con-
tribution to the health of the I'M
employed? Miss Mabel Boardman,
secretary of the National Red
Cross, speaking before the Penn
sylvania Nurses Home at Pitts
burg. says, Among the things the
Red Cross is doing is citizenship on
the East Side of New York. Many
of the parents, you know, come over
from Russia. But you should see
the American flag they sewed. We
only allow them to work on the
flag a little bit at time, as
reward for good behavior. We are
educating them in service ~
Mental and nervous illness" Is
behind Gin a single issue of the
Boston Herald, the following sui
eide items: Peter Abazorious, AZ,
of Hyde Park, suicide by drowning.
He couldn't find work. Raymond
Pratt, suicide by hanging. Laura
Silcox, suicide by drowning. She
couldn't find a job. Charity patient
at Tewksbury State Hospital, vet
eran. John F. Millikow of Brook
line, suicide by hanging.
IN CHICAGO, Sara Mates, 81,
4 mother of a boy of and
girl of 2, tried to kill herself in
desperation, because Of the seeming
hopelessness Of her struggle with
starvation. Her husband out of
work, an eviction notice served on
her, the furniture dealer serving
notice that her furniture would be
taken away, she took poison. Mrs.
Helen Pabon Of New York, 81 years
old, hurled her f1ve-year-old daugh-
ter, Edna, out of the window. Then
she climbed onto the sill, and her
self leaped to the pavement. Both
died. And the police held indict-
ment for no one except Mrs. Pabon.
The verdict of police was "crazed
by poverty"
HUNGER PROPAGANDA
The New York State Department
Of Health feels itself called upon
to weakly apologize for many state
ments like Cummings. Their news
service release Of October, 1882,
says many official reports pub
lished recently fndacate that death
and sickness rates are unusually
low; in fact death rates have never
been lower. Some people have in
terpreted this falling off in deaths
as due to the depression. 1t has
even been said that these hard
times are good for the health of
our people
"Of course, it Is a fact that In
prosperous times many people eat
too much rich, indigestible foods.
Plain sensible food will do such
people good. But larger number
of people who, even in prosperous
times, had to live on the cheaper
foods, now find it difficult to get
sufficient food to maintain health.
This is true in impoverished FAM
lilies where children especially may
not be getting a suitable diet, ball
anced to contain required food ele-
ments."
The news release ends with the
cynical statement: Good health
was never better investment. Let
us protect our full share now"
UNEMPLOYED workers, through
Y four years of unemployment.
and the propaganda of the bosses
propagandists and apologists, learn
that the Red Cross, relief group,
doctors, are not concerned primari-
" with the mental or nervous ill
nesses," the starvation diseases, the
health of the unemployed, but are
occupied with minimizing the sui
cides, the misery, disease and death
of the unemployed, are occupied
with quoting the voice Of the I'M
employed.
Unemployed workers, Negro and
white, Joining hands all over the
country. today are refusing TO COM
NIT suicide because Of hopeless
ness.
MASS FOR
HUNGER MARCH!
They have seen struggles in st.
Louis, Chicago, other cities where
mass action, mass protest, mass de-
mand has wrung from the bosses,
from their "relief' agencies, real
relief, where struggle has forced the
bcssex to give relief. food, medical