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Show OUR PATRIOTIC DUTY (By FRANK W. LECLERE.) The people of the United States are confronted with five great tasks and upon the performance of each of them depends to a large extent the successful outcome of the war. Wo must raise and equip a great army and naval force and dispatch them to the battle front as rapidly as possible. We must furnish the money necessary neces-sary to equip and maintain these forces and for the other activities of war. We must provide food for tho men on tho battle line and for a large part of the people of Europe and for ourselves as well. We must, through the humanltarl-' an work of the Red Cross, care for the wounded and the sick among the enlisted men and provide the necessities necessi-ties of life, and medical care for millions mil-lions driven from their homes by the enemy In Belgium and France, and care for the dependents of soldlera and sailors in our midst. We must maintain the health and Industrial efficiency and moral standards stand-ards of the people of our country. Statesmen of the warring nations in Europe aro alarmod because of the breaking down of the health and moral standards of their people. Health reports from Europe and Canada Can-ada show a vast increase in disease, especially tuberculosis. Considering only military expediency, expedi-ency, it Is vitally Important that we wage an unrelenting fight against such an Increase of tuberculosis and other diseases In the United States. Sir Daden-Powell said a short time ago: "The war will be decided in 1935." The final victory, ho said, will belong to tho nation which recovers re-covers most quickly and completely from the effects of the war. Upon the men and women who are left to carry on the normal lite of the na-Uen, na-Uen, and especially upon the children child-ren of today, depends the final victory. vic-tory. The council of national defense recognizes the truth of this and has provided a division on health and a special committee to deal with the one problem of tuberculosis. It Is our patriotic duty to Join In the campaign cam-paign to prevent this threatened increase in-crease and to raise the standards of health higher than over before so that we may emerge from this war a stronger, healthier and better people than wo are today. To this end, health laws shoulld be strengthened, the national, state and municipal health departments should receive more adequato appropriations, appropria-tions, health officers should be encouraged en-couraged in tho performance of their duties, and every man, woman and child Bhoulld feel a responsibility for personal and community health. |