Food or physical training?

Series

Series Name

The March of Time 2nd Year

Issue

Issue No.

7

Date Released

Jun 1936

Length of issue (in feet)

1856

Stories in this Issue:

1. 1Food or physical training?
2. 2Veterans of Future Wars
3. 3Arson!

Story

Story No. within this Issue

1 / 3

Summary

The March of Time synopsis: Vital to the British Empire are her defence forces, protecting commerce along far-flung trade routs and ensuring a steady food supply. To-day, with the Territorial Army 40,000 short, the regular Army 10,000 short and the Air Force seriously under-manned. England needs men - men physically fit. But recruiting figures show that more than half the applicants are physically unfit for military service.
For years the depressed areas have been haunted by poverty and hunger. According to Professor Julian Huxley, the animals in the Zoo are better fed than half the people of this country. The Rt. Hon. Tom Johnston declares that ill-health costs the nation every year £300,000,000 most of it avoidable if the surplus foodstuff which our agriculture is capable of producing went to the empty stomachs of the people.
At last, physical fitness, based on nutrition and exercise, becomes a matter of public interest, and young and old alike display unwonted enthusiasm for sport and the art of keeping fit. But still without sufficient food are the millions of unemployed, and from his study at York the Archbishop dictates a letter to the "Times" warning the country that food, not exercise, is the real problem. Welfare-workers propose to end malnutrition by establishing a nation-wide army of health centres supported by the Government, providing food and the means for physical exercise. Already a model for such health centres exists at Peckham, where cheap, well-balanced meals are provided for families with small incomes, and where there is provision for health-building exercise. But the Peckham health centre, with accommodation for 2,000 families, is the only one of its kind in England, and experts declare that nearly half the children of England will continue to be under-nourished, unless they are somehow cared for by the State.

Researcher Comments

This story was included in Vol.3 No.9 of the US edition.

Keywords

Health and medicine; Food and cooking; Physical fitness and training

Written sources

Monthly Film Bulletin   Vol.4 No.38, 28 February 1937, p24.
The March of Time Promotional Material   Lobby Card, Used for synopsis

Credits:

Production Co.

Time Inc.