The Florida star. (Titusville, Fla.) 1880-1917, 1900-07-06

DIR. LOUIS KLoPscH.
moment cry out for food. But for the
present | can write only OF the 10000
900 who are absolutely dependent upon
government or private charity.
OF these nearly 100000 are fed and
clothed and kept alive ut the numerous
government relief camps. AS many rs
possible OF the remaining 100000 are
being cared for by missionaries with
money supplied by foreign contrIbu-
lions, notably American.
There is no better thermometer OF
the famine than government relief
camp. These camps, like thermom-
eter. indicate the rise and fall in the
intensity of the famine; they show the
increase or decrease in the number OF
sufferers according To the number OF
people mt the relief works. Last week
the number of people being cared for
by the government increased by $1,000,
SO that the total Of persons cared for
by the government is mt this writing in
exact figures 5.6ll. 900.
These government relief camps are
of three kinds-firSt. petty camps, In
charge OF Il native. where not more
than 1000 people are fed; second,
great camps. in charge of an English
engineer. where from 10000 to $1,000
people are given work; third. moving
camps. in charge Of nativr-camps of
Il few hundred people. who are employ
eel in rOadmaEing and who change
their base Of operations every few days
as the work progresses.
NJ town called Kcdgaon. 100 miles
from Bombay. had my first glimpse
of life ut Il relief station. This WAS
the petty station. called Warwand
can p where 500 people were employed
in breaking stone AMI in carrying the
broken stone To spots convenient for
the repair of the highway.
This Warwand camp is in the center
Of the Deccan, Il great desert plain in
the center Of che Bombay presidency.
Imagine vast desert of brown parch-
eel earth. where never Il green thing
rests the eve. where you breathe hot
air that we'll nigh Suffocatcs you.
where not an insect sound is heard,
where only carriun birds hover i'm the
still AMI dreadful air. where the sun
looks like a disk of brass pasted on the
sky. AMI YOU have the environment of
the setting of this government camp.
Then. i'll the midst of this desert
place. picture for yourself hundred
heaps al gray. Jagged rocks, each heap
Swarming with human beings, who.
with chisel and hammer. are breaking
In
and relentless. beats down its ScOrch-
ing rays upon uncovered heads, ami
the hul air tries to absorb the ripe
moisture yet i'm their poor. shrivelcd.
Shrunkrn bodies The skin Of these
ucaplr looks like tanned leather. Their
homes prcScnt an outline as of Il skcl"-
ton. Never n song is hcard-only the
click. click Of the hammers. Never
smile iS spcn-only Il grin Or what
may be- called Il glad despair when
the sun settles low on the horizon,
when the hours Of stone breaking are
nearly over. when the , cents for the
DAYS work is almost earned.
Two-thirdS Of these sad. silent he
ingS crouchinS on the rocks are WON
en-. Here are nursing mothers with
babe at breast: here are women about
IN bccome mothers: here are little girls
only s years old bearing Il red mark
OH their forchcadS. giving notice that
they are married.: here are girls only
IL years Of age with shaved heads. In
dicating that they have even 50 soon
reached widowhOOd. All these, with
the men breaking stones NJ cents Il
day. I'm order to keep life in their poor
bodies,
The government famine code says
that pregnant women ana nursing