Evening star., 1939-01-23
The Stricken
Youngsters
Need Aid
Your Help Needed
To Combat This
Dread Illness
BY ANGELO PATRI.

Life is great fun as long as you
can do something about it. II your
ball runs away from you. chasing 1t
is part of the game. If your best
friend isn't allowed out for some
grownup's whimsy. such as . cold
in his head. you can always run
over to see him, and fill the lonely
place in your heart. II you do have
to sit still in school and suffer the
wrongs that the unfeeling teacher
inflicts upon you until you wish the
place would blow away in the night
there is always recess waiting. Then
you can yell your lungs free. race
the other fellow to the drinking
fountain, beat him to the play
field, and forget your woe in the
Joy of living on two good legs.
But, suppose that you can't7 Sup
pose, for one awful moment, that
your legs won't bulge: that they lie
still, terribly still in spite of all
your efforts to move them? Imagine
how 1t must feel to lie helpless and
listen to the children going to
school, hear them playing In the
lot, hear them fighting, laughing,
singing on their way, and know the
cold fear that strikes your heart at
the thought of never again being
one of them. Never again to be one
Of that carefree, happy. needless
crowdl
It seems too awful for any child's
spirit to bear, yet some must bear
it. Illness came like q thief In the
night and stole their gladness, stole
the power from their joyous. dane
ing, skipping feet and laid them
helpless, to watch their world 60 by
It seems just too much to ask that
a child, whose life is action, ac-
cept this fate; and yet some must.
Each year sees this blight fall upon
childhood and youth, blotting out
their laughter; blotting out the light
Of their lives; leaving them to the
sad comfort of their own tears.
Surely way to save, to help them,
must be found. It must.
During this month of January
there Is q drive on for funds for
this cause. We are asked to think
about this thing, to plan to kill it,
to lend all the force of our intelli-
gence, our social service, our money
to the prevention and cure of in
fantile paralysis. Nobody with a
heart will allow this plea to pass
unheeded. None Of us is too poor
to lend q hand, with something
in it.
There are not enough hospitals
to treat the stricken children. We
must build and equip more. The
country is to be divided into dis
tricts, each with its own hospital
for the treatment of this disease.
Prompt treatment means half the
battle won. There are not enough
doctors and nurses for the work.
We must get more and we must
pay them. Too little is known
about the cause and the cure Of the
blight, so we must establish more
laboratories and maintain those we
have at tops. We have to gather
the money from you and me and
the neighbors. We couldn't put a
dollar to better purpose.
None Of us is too poor to help
here. Each of US can give up a
meal. or q movie, or . car ride, or
something or other, and give the
price to the fund. Think Of that
child tied to his bed or his chair
while yours runs free, and in thank
fulness for the happy accident to
you and yours. give what you can to
put stricken soul on his feet again.
Suppose 1t were your child? Sup
pose It were you? Como along in
the good old American fashion and
help with all you have.
Mr.. Patff has prepared Q leaf.
let entitled "Baby Carriaxes" In
which he tells parents how 70
make the carriage ride . happy,
profitable experience. Send for
1t, addressing your request to Mr..
Angelo Patri, Child Psychology
Department Of this paper. In
close . self-sddressed. stamped
(3-cent) envelope.
tooDvrisht. 1oSoj