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Short Talk Bulletin Vol 04 No 06
SHORT TALK BULLETIN - Vol.IV June, 1926 No.6
T.B.
by: Unknown
There are so many ramifications to our modern Masonic edifice that to
be well informed in all would require most of our waking moments to
be spent in study and research. Even to have a working knowledge of
the contemporary history-in-the-making of this great institution
requires more time than the average member of the craft can give to
it.
One phase of modern Masonic building, however, should be close to the
heart of every man who wears the Square and Compasses. The relief of
the needy and distressed; the care of the sick who are not able to
continue as bread winners, is the pride of the Fraternity, and at the
top of the list of those to be helped are written large in the names
of our Brethren who suffer from the Great White Plague.
The ravages of this dread disease are enormous, more so than most of
us realize. It is to bring to the attention of the Craft the
terrible inroads tuberculosis is making in our ranks and to show what
organized steps can be taken for relief, that this Bulletin is
presented.
Tuberculosis is the chief cause of poverty, suffering and distress to
the Masons of our country. Competent statisticians estimate it costs
the Masonic Fraternity of the united States over $60,000,000
annually.
Of the 4,000 Masons who die each year from this preventable disease a
large number die from a lack of the financial aid to make the
necessary hospitalization possible.
Some 30,000 members of our Fraternity are victims of tuberculosis,
requiring proper hospitalization to restore them to health. The
disease strikes down the supporting head of a family, often when he
is most needed. Tuberculosis is preeminently THE disease that calls
for united, concerted action by any body of men to restore the
victims to health, a process which requires expensive curative
methods.
The "Sore Spot" of this tuberculosis problem is in our Southwestern
dry-climate states, to which large numbers of tuberculars migrate
each year in search of health. Sixteen per cent of these ask for
assistance within a week after arrival; one-third within one month;
one-half within one year. Many Masons become objects of public
charity, - the middle west leads in supplying these migratory
tuberculars. In one southwestern town a survey identified over 200
Masons from 31 different Grand Lodge Jurisdictions, all victims of
tuberculosis seeking health.
Little wonder, therefore, that our brethren in the Southwest have
seen the need for relief for Masonic tuberculars. Aroused by this
need, they have for some five years past pleaded for aid in
developing a plan for such relief.
The problem of tuberculosis, its prevention, curative treatment, and
the care and cure of its victims, effect every Masonic Grand
Jurisdiction. Some of these are big enough, rich enough to meet
local demands, but often those very Jurisdictions send more than
their quota of Masonic tuberculars to the Southwest. But many
Jurisdictions do not, and never can, maintain their own sanitoria.
There is no Masonic Tubercular Sanitorium anywhere in our country,
open to our Fraternity generally.
Here is a verified record of a Freemasons, afflicted with
tuberculosis, filed in the records of the National Masonic Tubercular
Sanitoria Association as "Case No.21."
"A member in good standing of one of our large and prosperous Masonic
Grand Jurisdictions came to El Paso, Texas in search of relief from
tuberculosis. His home Lodge paid his expenses out there; quite a
common form of "charity." Shortly after arrival, physically unable
to earn a living he became destitute and applied to the Associated
Charities of that city for aid, which was given. He also received
aid from an El Paso Masonic Lodge, his home Lodge and his own Grand
Lodge. From this money contributed he helped to support his wife and
children "Back Home." To economize he lived, cooked, ate and slept
in a basement de-scribed by charity workers as "rat-hole."
Naturally he lost ground and was finally sent home to die by the El
Paso Lodge."
This is not an extreme case. It is typical of scores that have been
verified but investigations made.
This brother of ours lost his fight for the right to live, not
because he failed to receive aid from his home lodge, but because of
the lack of an existing agency to take him in charge for a period
long enough to effect a cure, relieving him of the worry of making a
livelihood while seeking health, give him proper treatment, and
removing the danger of his infecting others.
Put yourself in his place. If you existed upon public charity would
not your thoughts go back to the moment when you stood in the
Northeast corner of your lodge and learned an important lesson in
charity? Ask yourself, as a Mason, if Masonry does not owe it to
these hundreds of afflicted brethren to extend the hand of fraternal
aid, by applying to them those recognized methods of curative
treatment that are so successful in Tuberculosis?
Other Fraternal organizations are taking care of their tuberculars;
why should not Masonry? One fraternal tubercular sanitorium
representing a total investment and expenditure of some 3-1/4
millions of dollars estimates that over $15,000,000 has been earned
by the "graduates" of that institution, restored to health, and to
normal earning capacity.
Because of the urgent need for relief measures for our Masonic
tuberculars, verified after years of careful investigation, the Grand
Lodge of New Mexico has recently Chartered, The National Masonic
Tubercular Sanitoria Association to serve as an agency or trustee, on
behalf of all our Grand Jurisdictions, for the relief of those of our
Fraternity suffering from tuberculosis, and the members of their
families; to erect and operate sanitoria; to secure hospitalization
of the sick and to aid in the prevention of tuberculosis.
This Association is ready to serve the Masonic Fraternity of our
country. In no sense a local organization, it appeals for active
cooperation and participation by every Grand Lodge in the United
States, with representation on its Board of Governors.
The Masonic Service Association, after four years of investigation,
definitely recognized, at its last Annual Meeting, the magnitude and
importance of this problem and undertook to aid in working out a
solution. It authorized a call on all Masonic Grand Jurisdictions
for funds to work out plans and provide immediate relief where
needed.
First - Let Lodges and individual Masons who want to help make known
the facts. Wake up Masons and Masonic organizations to the need for
action. Remind them, if need be, of that Northeast Corner and its
lesson, familiar to every true Mason. Help in the necessary
publicity work to be done.
Second - Get in touch with National Masonic Tubercular Sanitoria
Association, Las Cruces, New Mexico.
Third - Do all you can to have your own Grand Lodge participate in
this work.
Masonry stands - has always stood - for relief. The true Mason will
respond more quickly to the appeal of a worthy, distressed brother
than to any other cause. The need for tubercular relief has been
definitely proved; it can only be met by united action. It is a task
for us all, not for just a few. If we all work, the task is
accomplished - which means, literally, thousands of lives saved every
year - lives of men with whom we have sworn the Brotherhood of the
Mystic Tie.
