Statement by the President on the Christmas Seal Campaign.

TUBERCULOSIS has taken the lives of more than 5 million Americans in the past 50 years.

Tragic as this figure is, it would have been worse if the American people had not banded together to fight tuberculosis. They formed the National Tuberculosis Association in 1904 and launched a nationwide campaign against this disease. Since then, the TB death rate has been cut 85 percent. Yet I am informed that tuberculosis today leads all diseases as a cause of death in the age group from 15 to 35.

The progress already made is proof that further progress can be made and will be made, with the continued cooperative effort of the American people. One way of showing we are behind the antituberculosis campaign is to use Christmas Seals, sold annually to support the work of the NTA and the 3,000 State and local voluntary associations now affiliated with it.

First sold in this country in 1907, the Christmas Seal has become a symbol of the people's fight to eradicate tuberculosis. To hasten that day, I hope the American people will be generous this holiday season in their purchase of Christmas Seals.