Evening star., 1932-12-23
PHYSICAL SETBACK
FEARED BY BAKER,
Plea Made for Support of
Welfare and Relief MobiIi-
: zati0n Work.

Warning that the present depression,
with its uprooting from homes and oc-
cupations OF men and women. Is likely
to result in the same sort Of physical
'backwash" as that resulting from war
times was sounded today by Newton D.
Baker, former Secretary Of War and
now chairman of the Welfare and Re-
lief Mobilization of 1892, in state
ment issued here through the Social
Hygiene Society Of the District Of Co.
lumbia.
Mr.. Baker declared the struggle
made in 1e17-18 to safeguard its young
men agRtnSt vicious and demoral-
izing environment" Is likely to be lost
unless society meets the same sort OF
challenge today.
Exposed 10 Evil.
said, I'VE see all about us, not only
young men and young women, but those
of mature years, suddenly uprooted
from homes and occupation and ex-
posed to the potential evils of disease
and vice, against which We struggled so
heroically and intelligently in the
Great War.
The danger Is that we will fail to
Gee this analogy; that the same human
values for the preservation Of which
we spent millions of dollars then, are
now in jeopardy; that unless We act
now, the venereal diseases against which
we have made notable headway since
1917 will spread extensively, with great
communities throughout the country"
Mr.. Baker made public report COM
piled from information gathered by the
American Social Hygiene Association
which shows . dangerous condition be-
cause Of the fact that many persons in
fected with social diseases have no
money to pay physicians and that the
free clinics have no room to take care
of them. It IS quite impossible in some
cities for all patients to obtain needed
treatment, 1t was pointed out, and this
means that their untreated infections
are growing increasingly dangerous for
themselves and all about them.
Losses Enormous.
The economic losses from social dis
eases Is enormous, the report declares.
The annual cost IS conservatively esti-
mated at $100,000,0o0 in medical care
in the United States for ambulatory
and hospital patients. In industry the
loss Of wages due to these diseases, for
to G be % abous S. 81 900 Soo Sa0.e annualiya sa'eo
quite as important as the medical
problem, though less Immediately OBJ
Nous," 1t was reported, "is the aggrava-
ton, brought about by the depression,
OF other social hygiene conditions in
community and family life. The gen.
eral atmosphere OF unrest and uncer-
tainty threatens the stability Of ordi-
narily normal persons. Men who are
heads OF households must leave home,
and women must leave their families In
order to gain employment, thus increas-
ing the danger Of broken homes and
neglected children. Unemployment is
sometimes a factor in reducing the re-
them more easily to become the victims
OF those who live by exploiting women.
Without the safeguard of work, the
danger Of delinquency IS greater for the
easily Influenced boy and girl
In summing up the report. Mr.. Baker
said the American Social Hygiene AS
sociation and affiliated societies In all
parts of the country are working now,
as In 1917, to combat the hidden dan
gers to health and morale.
Seeks Realization.
II hope" he said, "the American
public will realize, that the work of
these agencies is just as essential now
as 1t was is years ago and that well
fare and relief mobilization in every
community will include provision for
continued medical, protective and rec
reational activities directed toward
these ends.
IF the public wants convincing in
formation to help in appraising the
appeals Of community chests and other
fund-raising agencies for this type Of
work, recommend the reading Of this
report"