The Delawarean., 1900-08-18
A PLEA FOR INDIl'S FAMISHING.
An Appeal for Aid That is Promptly
Needed.


that every one possessed of evtn a
small amount OF money has plenty of
opportunities for spending and can
lind worthy objects of charity in al
most endless numbers, the condlion
of the famine stricken and starving
millions of India is so deplorable that
it seems to me none of our American
citizens should be deaf to their cry.
This cry for help is different from
most Others in TWO respects. First, in
the number of sufferers. Eighty mil
lion people in actual danger OF star
yaCion. Think of it! And hundreds
of thousands who have already starved
TO death.
100000 orphans, their parents dead,
themselves utterly helpless. Some
one has called them "Famine's Legacy
10 The Christian World" If we help
them not, how Shall we answer in the
day when THE Master says: Il was
hungry and We gave me no bread?"
DR.. Klopsch, who has visited India
to ascertain the facts, says:
Famine in India! How / dread to
write about it! What pen can ade-
quaJely portray the scenes which my
eyes have witnessed; scenes of desc
lation, of pain, of suffering, of hopeless
despair, of heart anguish, of death
And what a death! Lingering, agon-
izing, Gerrible! l had fully expected
TO witness great distress, intense suf-
fering, yes, even death. l had nerved
myself for the mission in hand, yet l
was in nowise prepared for the dread
full. shocking state Df affairs / was
called upon to encounter.
"On the day of our arrival, the
streets of Bombay were literally alive
with walking skeletons. Every step
of the way we were beset and besieged
by men, women and children in the
last stages of destitution, piteously
begging for mite that they might eat
and live. They lifted up their hands
i'm earnest supplication and uttered
their petitions. Gaunt men, emaciated
women, with parched bosoms nursing
shrivelled, diminutive, hollow-eyedI
sickly babies, children with legs and
arms like those of a skeleton, and
every rib plainly visible, all ran to-
ward us and after us, completely sur
rounding the carriage, entreating us
every step of the way
Such, citizens of prosperous Ameri-
ca, is the condition of India to-day
Do you say, "Let them work?" They
would GLADLY work What can they
do? The continued drouth makes it
impossible to till their fields. They
crowd into the cities. 1t is their last
hope. If there is none to help, then
they must die. The government has
supplied from five to six millions with
work at mere pittance-barely
enough to sustain life. But they are
only a small part of the wretched
starving mass of helpless humanity.
Even if the rain comes they cannot
harvest until October. Many are too
weak to work. Many have no cattle
to break the soil, and many. very
many have not sufficient means to re-
plant their farmsand buy or hire teams
to plough. Rain, though so sorely
needed, will increase, temporarily. THE
distress of many who are without
blankets and shelter. Though much
has been done, there is danger that
efforts will relax too soon, at this very
time when the suffering is at its
height.
The second remarkable fact is the
small amount of money that will do
good. "A few pennies day will keep
"a man from starving. Five cents for
each working day will save famine
child. About $3.50 will enable a poor
farmer to again SOW his land. For
$1,000 a year one can adopt a famine
orphan and support the child in a !
missionary orphanage, receiving regu-
lar letters from the protege if it is old
enough to write. This $500 can be
paid in one, two, or four payments.
The donor could send his or her name
and denominaItional preference to
India Famine Orphan Relief Work,
care of the Christian Herald, 80 Bible
House, New York City.
These or any other contributions.
large or small, will be received at
either of the Dover banks or ait the