The star. (Reynoldsville, Pa.) 1892-1946, 1899-03-15
UNTITLED CUBAN FIELDS.
Many Destlsute still Entitled to American Char
ity-Reined Women Unable to Support
Themseives-oov Ludioyv's Appeal.

The condition of the women and
children In Cuba still merits the sym
pathy and charitable consideration of
the people of the United States. The
action of the Cuban soldiers has caus-
ed the American people to view with
Indifference the future of the island,
but the mute appeal of the starving
women and children Is again brought
TO our attention.
Brig. Gen. william Ludlow. COVER
nor of Havana, has written lengthy
letter, describing minutely the condi-
tions In the Cuban capital and appeal
Ing for assistance for Cuban charities.
Gen. Ludlow refers to the local adj
ministration of Havana as n SERIOUS
and laborious task" Touching espe-
cially upon the matter OF keeping Ha-
vana clean, Gen. Ludlow writes that
cleaning and sanitation are carried on
under every difficulty of century,
old accumulation of evils n deficiency
OF material inadequate personnel and
paucity and uncertainty as to FUNDS
which for the present are derived from
weekly and monthly acquisitions on
the variable custom-house collections,
..9iIs sIu sMouH ouM pUuo eul slssIM,,
thus multiplying the uncertainties and
vexations of the task"
The destitute. he says, are found In
other provinces.
I'm this department" writes the
governor, (which includes the city OF
Havana and its suburban region west,
south and east, between the rivers
Almandares and Colimar. the desti-
tute drawing rations approximate 90
0O0 who must for the present be fed or
permitted to starve.
1T is one of the distressing features
that a general proportion of the desti-
tute are women and children, whose
men have died or been killed In the
waste of war, while 10000 or 10000
more are still aggregated as an army,
practically idle and dependent upon
the country for their maintenance, in
stead of being at work earning their
living and supporting their families.
1t Is almost impossible in the average
case of the women, to find anything
for them to do, and this helpless class
make special appeal to sympathy"
The charitable institutions OF Ha-
vana Gen. Ludlow declares to be quite
inadequate to meet the emergency. He
cites as an instance the Casa de Las
Vidas" CHome of the Widows), large
structure in the capital occupied by
the widows of Spanish officers. OF this
institution Gen. Ludlow says:
Upon assuming direction Of affairs
here 1t was found that the pensions of
these women had not been paid for
over year and they had been left
behind when the Spanish forces aban-
doned the island. absolutely without
the means of obtaining food. There
are at present I'm the home total of
over 200 of all ages-T0 women, 80
girls and 80 boys-who are almost all
entirely destitute and are deplorably
reduced, and have much sickness
among them. Many of them are well
har t.l.a oil Tod IN
tally unable to do anything for them
selves. They could teach, perhaps, but
the schools are not open to them.
They are alien to the community in
which they are compelled to live"
To meet the needs of these women,
Gen. Ludlow suggests that an associa-
tion of women in the states might
make them n charge.
The governor concludes by saying
that Mrs. Ludlow, who has taken a
strong interest in the matter. would
be very glad to receive any commune
cation on the subject or such contrl-
buttons of food. clothing or money as
might be frWarded