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For. Mr Mayor. This is where our. Ambassador fell. Adopt them a claim is here as a friend of mental health I want to welcome you here and thank you for your presence in spite of the inclement weather you are listening now to the ringing of the bell we had hoped to do this outside but we can't do business with them weatherman at all. It gives me a great deal of pleasure and I consider it a distinct privilege to have been drafted to be the chairman of the mental health fund campaign this month but I want to take this opportunity of introducing you to a man who is devoting his entire time although when he first started he said he was only going to spend an hour or two a day toward raising the necessary funds and sinews of war to make America mentally healthy it's a great privilege to present the president of the National Association of Mental Health Mr Richard wild who needs no introduction to anyone this interested in mental health less well. Like your commission across the uniting for a fee for mental health. As particularly fortunate and the distinguished support and active helps that it's receiving from the city administration from the mayor from commotion across the strength of the campaign from Commissioner Baumgarten from the newly sworn for motion or the motion of the climes. And I feel very confident that this sponsorship and active help will make a great difference in the success of the campaign where assembled here for a very important occasion the opening of the National Mental Health drive on the New York mental health by Dr I speak to you not only in the name of the National Association for Mental Health and at the Phillips but also in the name of millions of victims of mental illness the men women and children whom we call the forgotten ten millions. We call them the forgotten ten million because so little of them done to ease their plight to rescue them from their suffering the people of this nation of rally time and again the combat physical a physical disease only last week we saw the beginning of a test which may read us once and for all of the dread disease and fertile paralysis by the end of the summer we may be in a position to say that no child need ever again suffer the crippling effects of this disease and we may be able to regard polio the thing of the past as we have with smallpox diptheria type of light and other diseases which of courage mankind but let us remember as we rejoice in the discovery of the Salk vaccine that this discovery did not come quickly nor easily let us remember that research efforts leading to this discovery had been going on for many many years and let us remember that tens of millions of dollars were expended on research before the vaccine was perfected as we take our most wonderful development we cannot help but consider the fact that mental illness strikes down each year at least ten times the number of people stricken by polio nor can we overlook the fact that right now there are over seven hundred thousand people in mental hospitals as many as there are for polio cancer heart disease tuberculosis and all other physical illnesses combined. I do not cite these figures to alarm you I cite them to alert you to the seriousness of mental illness and urge that you act to combat it. I rely tell you the conviction of the scientists working in this field the conviction that mental illness can be defeated on the basis of their experience they are able to assert that between sixty five and seventy five percent of the people suffering from mental disease could be say if only they were given the benefit of cretin which has already been tried and proven successful the scientists are able to tell us also that these percentages could go even higher if enough research were carried on to refine and improve the method the pretense they do not played with us for more and bigger hospitals they played with us for research so that we can begin to empty the mental hospitals the outlook in the fight against mental illness is hopeful but hope does not buy a research nor does it create psychiatric clinic guidance services referral centers psychiatric training or mental health education it takes money to do these things there are thousands of capable workers doing the technical job but they cannot move very far because they lack the funds we in the National Association for Mental Health and its affiliated organizations are prepared to launch a frontal attack against mental illness an attack which could bring substantial results within a few years if if the public would support this cause as generously as it has supported other health causes. Mr Netanyahu this is a very auspicious occasion you have just sworn in our new commissioner of hospitals. And there is no department that can be closer allied to the mental health workers and the Department of hospital and under the Department of hospitals we perhaps are doing a most super did the job with the resources at our command and for that reason we feel this is a wonderful opportunity for the beginning of the drive to raise additional funds in order that our department of hospitals that is pioneered in mental health work through its wards both that attached to my department the Department of Corrections and the non correctional aspect of it and that is why we feel we're fortunate in spite of the whether it's I consider it a privilege to be able to work with you and particularly with a Mrs Wagner This is a unique thing to find that not only the mayor of the greatest city of New York has the vision and the understanding and the sympathies. To bring him out of his routine work to join with the citizens in augmenting what already is a big program but his wife who lends her support in every possible way it's a pleasure and privilege for me to head this campaign and be part of the our staff play here for you now to make the proclamation which will alert every one of the eight million citizens in the city of New York of the need for a better a mental health and under your information and your leadership with the support that I know we're going to get from every one of our department and with the commissioner of health and enthusiastic in this area I am confident we will do mo than live up to the goal we have set I give you now as the mayor of the city of New York the honorable Robert F. White. I thank you for making across. The farm gotten in the TO while Phelps and ladies and gentlemen I want to say it's a real pleasure for me as the judge said to interrupt him of the routine procedure of the office to be here I may say sometimes it's routine sometimes it's a little more complicated than just routine work but that we enjoy it and I am delighted to to lend my personal support and the support of the office of mayor to this great cause and as Mr while has pointed out and it does affect so many of our people here in the United States so many in our city. That fi working to eliminate this dread disease. And to assist those suffering from mental illnesses we do a great job for all of op people and for the future of this country a by Mr Wilde to I want to compliment you on the splendid work that you are doing and the great sacrifice you're making for this cause and I can assure you just as commissioner Cross has done and I'm sure I can speak for a commission of Baumgartner and commission in McLean and all of the other departments that can be of assistance to you in this Dr and to commission across their actual service and I'm sure will cooperate in every way possible and it's my privilege now to read this proclamation which reads whereas mental illness and nation is on nation's number one health problem accounting for more hospitalized patients today than all other illnesses combined and whereas more than nine million people are one out of every sixteen suffering from mental and emotional disorders and whereas mental illness manifests itself also in physical illnesses delinquency crime school failure job failure and alcoholism and whereas the effects of mental illness felt in this community no less than in other parts of the country and whereas it is the responsibility of every community and every citizen in the community to combat mental illness through support of measures for prevention improved treatment research and education and for the personal application of sound mental health principles now therefore I Robert F. Wagner mayor of the city of New York do hereby proclaim the week of May second two May eighth as Mental Health Week in New York City and do furthermore call upon the citizens of our city to participate in the observance of this occasion that's better acquainting sat them. Those with the facts about mental illness and mental health and with their responsibilities in maintaining good mental health in this country and witness where Rabbi here on to set my hand and cause the seal of the city of New York to be a fix this third day of May nineteenth fifty four. I. Missed him only the business of the United States of America prevented Admiral William Hall of the national campaign chairman of the Mental Health Fund from being here in place and to a friend to you if you know thanks for your leadership in the campaign in the city of New York and only the inclement weather made it impossible for us to stand in front of the bell which is the symbol upon which are inscribed these words passed from the shackles which bound them this veil showering out of hope for the mentally ill and victory over mental illness these good hope and victory a wonderful way it is the hope which has carried our people through many Dr Harry Ed and brought them to victory over the forces which have peril that it is the hope which will bring the people of this city and of this country to victory over the greatest internal threat which this nation has ever faced mental illness. Mr Mayor we would like to wring the mental bell but if it's raining outside we don't want to empower yourself. To hear that sounding during messy it's going to ring loud and ring long with the mayor so that it will be heard in every home in this country so that it will give the people courage and hope so that will it inspire all of the people to join in the nationwide fight against a mental illness and we thank you for your participation Thank you Mr Mayor and we know how busy you are so that if you need to go on to catch that train that I know you want to catch we'll complete the program. We do not we do want to let you go I want you to understand that thank you very much I.