Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1900-08-27
THE DISTRESS IN INDIA
MONEY NEEDED FOR BOTH FOOD
AND BLANKETS.
Situation Reported to he Appalling
Copy of Cablegram From the
Famine-Stricken Section.

Mr.. Clarence F. Norment, treasurer OF the
Washington committee Of one hundred on
Indian famine relief, has received from Mr..
T. l.. Chamberlain, executive chairman OK
the New York committee, acknowledging
receipt Of check for the amount-$2. 456.41-
subscribed by Washingtonians. and for
warded by Mr.. Norment for the benefit Of
the destitute. The gift Is not only generous
but timely, says Mr.. Chamberlain, and he
then says he had become anxious lest the
impression should come to prevail that the
acuteness of the distress Is over, so that
relief gifts are no longer urgently needed.
He incloses in his letter to Mr.. Norment
copy Of a cablegram received August -
from the American-Indian relief committee
in Bombay, by the hand OF William l. zee,
United States consul, in which 1t is stated:
Famine distress is appalling. Thousands
will die of starvation unless descued. Money
is needed to buy both food and blankets.
The suffering from lack of clothing Is ter
rible. Cholera still active. The condition
Of destitute women and deserted chiidren
specially pitiable. Many boys and girls are
in heartrending need. -
The favorable rains, says Mr.. Chamber
lain, falling destitute, shelterless mil
lions, have actually intensified the imme-
date suffering. Nor can there be any es-
sential betterment In the situation until
after midas harvests Of next October and
November The prospect for those harvests
is far from satisfactory. The wasted, ema-
GATED peasant farmers. their oxen being
dead, have not been able properly to pre-
pare the soil. In many instances they have
not been able to procure the proper SEED In
proper quantity. That necessitates crops
far below the average. He has no DOUBT
that, he adds, even after next November the
situation will be intensely dstressful. Plain
ly the Washington committee is right IN re-
solving to continue its relief work Cen
erous gifts will surely be required. 1or
fI-t will cff q
walton, with the added sufferings OF expo
sure and lack Of clothing.
ION the other hand" continues Mr..
Chamberlain. 1.-The facilities for relief are
not lessened. In the actual famine dis
trct, it still is true that from two to fve
cents day will save life. and that six
cents a day will provide food, clothing and
shelter. The S2,456.4l, with other gifts
amounting to nearly $4,000. will be cabled
to India, Friday. August 81 without ex-
pense. We cable regularly once a week
Four days thereafter the gift may be
thought OF as providing days food Tor
50 600 hungry persons, including not few
famished children, or buying 1859 blankets
for the almost naked, or enabling nearly
1000 impoverished peasant farmers to re-
seed their fields.
1.-THE British government is providing for
six millions daily, and the benevolent peo-
pie of Great Britain and her dependencies
are providing each day for half a million
more, yet there remain great numbers in
mortal peril. To feed and shelter the other
wise unrescued Is Americas opportunity
l trust she will not stay her bountiful
hand.
Indeed. l beg to add word respecting
the thousands upon thousands Of orphaned
and deserted children, for 1t is evident that
their condition will require special atten-
ton, even after the horrors of death by
starvation and exposure have passed:
Those children, If their rescue is to be a
blessing and not a curse, must have more
than a provision for their lowest physical
mn Gt
means into the path toward good charac-
ter and real usefulness"