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Show - , ' t Why Germans Live Longer. A physician has declared that Germans are long-. " er lived than Americans, although they work longer Lours and consume more alcohol. The statement was made in a. paper read before the International Congress of Medicine, now in session at Wiesbaden, and the writer quoted statistics showing that the American working man is not nearly so long lived as his. German brother. : According to these; figures there are 179 German workmen between the ages of 40 and 60, to 170 Americans; and 78 Germans over GO to 65 Ameri-cans. Ameri-cans. The report then goes on to say: '-'Although more temperate in th use of alcohol 7than the Germans and working an average of 10 per cent shorter hours, the Americans are exhausted earlier in life." . Dr. U. Laquer, who makes these . statements, makes no attempt to explain them, merely contenting content-ing himself with the figures. The explanation is not hard. It is true that the Germans' hours are 10 per ceri longer; on. the average, than are those of his . brother Americans, but the Germans' working time is divided. He not only takes time for lunch at noon but also time in the middle of the morning, and again in the afternoon, when he must be given a breathing spell, and an opportunity to get a glass of beer and a hunk of black bread. The. American get3 . no such rest hours. In addition to this, the American working man ' ' is surpassed by none other on earth. While his Lours are short he does more actual labor in the prescribed time, than the workmen of any other nation. na-tion. He is quick, alert and confident and does not need to be constantly supervised. When told what 'to ;do, he needs no further directions, but at once proceeds to carry out his instructions, and he drives rhead with a tireless, nervous energy, that leaves hint exhausted when his task is completed. ' TLe German arrives at his work early, starts in at his appointed tasks ponderously, and works for three hours, when he pauses for a rest and Junch. - Then he resumes his labors until noon, when he consumes more beer and lunch, and following this 1 Le works again,- for- several hours, and when he tigain knocks off work and eats and drinks, then he finishes his day.. Long hours? Yes, but broken. Added to this the Teuton is phlegmatic. He does rotning hastily. His work is there to do, and he j does it. but he'does it in his own time. There is no hurrv in buildng a house. "Donnerwetter, the ma-teral ma-teral is there, it will not fly away. Why hurry?'' -ThitJis.the German and the German way, and he ! wastes no tissue in nervous force or worry. American contractors who take German work : much prefer to have American workmen, and it is ' the rule in such work that at least the heads of the . different branches of the contracts are Americans ! who know what their work is and how it must be .' done. These men are always sworn at by. the Teutons.: Teu-tons.: but they get the work done in the American fashion. . . It is the calm, phlegmatic, slow thinking, slow . ! acting way of the Germans that gives them their longer life, but in that longer life they accomplish less than do the Americans. But after all, is it - worth while? . |