The midland journal. (Rising Sun, Md.) 1885-1947, 1942-10-23
bv d
Eleanor Roosevelt

BREMERTON NAVY HOSPITAL
SEATTLE, WASH.-One day my
daughter and son-in-law, with the
two older children went with me to
Bremerton, Wash. After a very
pleasant luncheon with Mrs. Tai
finder, wife Of Admiral Sherwoode
Ayerst Taffinder, commandant Of
the navy yard, we visited the hos
pital with Capt. Dan Hunt. This is
not as big a hospital as those in
San Francisco or San Diego, but it
has been somewhat enlarged lately.
There were number Of patients
from the northern area, not all Of
them, however, from the battlefront.
A good many boys get hurt on board
ship. In all these hospitals there are
number Of nervous cases, some
Of whom, perhaps, will never be
able to resume work in the armed
forces, but may be able to take up
their civilian occupations again.
They have some wards for the
care Of navy dependents, and saw
a number of wives whose husbands
are off on foreign duty. Seven
babies were in the nursery, and sew
eral children were recovering from
more or less serious illnesses.
This is not separate hospital
building, as it was at the naval air
station in San Diego, but is part
of the regular hospital. The patients
pay $3.50 day, just as they do in
San Diego. I had not been at this
navy yard since the President was
assistant secretary of the navy. We
visited all the navy yards on this
coast in the winter of 1914, and the
change is simply breath taking
What used to be golf course is
now covered with shops and great
activity is going on everywhere.
SEATTLE'S VICTORY SQUARE
Next day at noon, spoke here in
Victory square. Ever since last
May, Seattle has carried on noon
day meetings in Victory square. AL
ways they have a record of bond
sales read In addition, they make
a point of bringing interesting peo-
pie to talk at that hour on anything
to do with the war effort.
This day an army band, belonging
to a Washington, D. c., regiment,
played very well. In compliance
with Donald Nelson's request, the
newspapers here, as well as in other
parts of the country, are responsible
for the scrap metal drive, and they
had charge of this program.
AN AWAKENING FILM
saw a picture the other day
which was taken in China by Mr..
Mark L. Moody, an American bust
ness man who has spent some Is
years in the Far East. He had ex-
ceptional opportunities for taking
pictures when the Japanese took
Shanghai and various nearby cities.
The film is called "Ravaged
Earth" and he tells me his desire
is to awaken the people in this coun-
try to knowledge of the kind of
adversary they have in the Japa-
nese. They are certainly appalling
pictures.
NERVES IN ARMED FORCES
In San Francisco, among other
places, visited the army hospital.
There are new buildings there, too,
but on the whole, it gives one less
feeling of hurried change than
most of the other hospitals. It is
evident everywhere that an effort
is being made to use all the new
scientific knowledge which can con-
tribute to the better care of the men
in service. M te4
I would surmise, however, that
we are not giving our draftees a suf-
ficiently careful psychiatric exami-
nation, before they are taken into
service, for there seem to be con-
siderable number of maladjust-
ments which may or may not be-
come liabilities in the army. In the
navy, too, / have seen some cases
of what one might call nerves"
There seems to be more attention
and understanding of these cases
once they are in the services than
in the pre-induction period. If once
they are taken into the services, of
course they become a charge on the
medical services of our government.
PROMOTING GOOD WILL
Also in San francisco, went to
a tea at Pacific House. Mrs. Will
liam Denman has been very active
in promoting, through Pacific House,
closer relations between the vari-
Gus consuls stationed in San Fran
cisco and the students who come
from so many South American and
Far Eastern countries.
The students will all return to
their own countries to be ambassa-
doris Of good will for us if their ex-