The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-08-13
THE INDIA FAMINE FUND.
First Monthly Report of the Ameri-
can Relief Committee.

The first monthly report of the America
India Famine Relief Committee, just is
sued, is most gratifying, giving evidence
of the deep interest taken by the people
| generally in the philanthropic work begun
/ by the Committee of One Hundred. Ac-
companying the report is also the second
report of the executive committee of the
New York Committee of One Hundred.
stating the progress made up to date. 1t
! is stated that the receipts of the relief
! treasury are over 100000. The really or
ganized effort has scarcely extended be-
/ yond two and a half months. The rate Of
| daily receipts has been upward of 81 600
The contributions have come from every
section Of the country. Many of the gifts
have been of small amounts-from l cent
upward. Little children have saved money
for the starving children of India. Boys
have earned and collected money. Girls
! have held fairs and lawn parties and asked
their friends for gifts Christian Endeavor
societies, both senior and junior, have
7 been earnestly ingenious in deYising ways
and means. The aged have sent self-deny
ing contributions. A band of Cinnamon in
Oakland Cal, forwarded a goodly sum,
earned by extra labor. The inmates of the
Ohio peniteBtiary made a purely free-will
Offering Of considerable amount No dis
tinctions Of race or creed. or sectional or
social condition have divided the givers.
Churches, athletic clubs, factory opera
tives, members of chambers of commerce
and boards of trade. students in schools
and colleges, have lent a helping hand.
The cooperating committees of Boston,
New Haven, Hartford, Philadelphia, Balti-
more. Washington, indianapolis, Lafay-
cite, Ind, and San Francisco have for
warded considerable sums. st. Louis and
Milwaukee have now taken up the work.
Scores of smaller organizations have
pledged their aid.
The famine distress is undated and
there is urgent need of a continuance of
relief gifts. Favorable rains have ROW
fallen over the whole famine area. But
those storms have fallen upon emaciated
and shelterless millions The inevitable
effect has been to intensity the suffering
and to increase the death rate. The neces-
sity for clothing and blankets and shelter
is now almost as urgent as the necessity
for food. Nearly three fourths of The pop
ulation OF India is agricultural: but in
their Impoverished condition, their cattle
for the most part dead, and they them
selves wasted almost TO skeletons the
peasant farmers cannot properly prepare
the soil for crops. That means that the
harvests of next October and November
must he far below the average Even after
next November the situation will doubt
less, still be appalling. Especially pitiful
and critical is the state of the tens of
thousands of orphaned and deserted chill
dren. They must be not only fed but
also clothed. They require shelter. They
need enlightened care. Otherwise 1t were
far better that they had been left TO die
OF starvation. The condition of the fam
ished women is as frightful as ever Thou
sands upon thousands are dasoIata Tba-,
are dying, day by day, of hunger and ex-
posture.