The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-04-08

The appeal for aid for the India Famine
Relief Fund recently issued by the
Christian Herald of New York, and the
immediate and generous response from ev-
cry State in the Union has aroused wide
spread interest in the famine-stricken land
of which Victoria is Empress. The re-
ceipts average more than $4,000 day, and
$4,000 has already been cabled to India,
and the paper will at once send a relief
ship with a cargo of corn for Bombay.
The Queen. or in other words. the Gov
eminent. is doing everything possible for
the starving people, but the Government
can take care of only one-tenth of the
people in the breadless districts. Fifty
million are in peril of death for want of
food; of these, England can feed only five
million. The remaining fortyfive million
can be helped by other nations. And other
nations. in cases of distress like this,
means principally the United States
When Armenia was starving, America fed
Armenia; and in their time of famine this
country fed also Russia and Cuba, while
during the last famine in India. in 1897.
America raised relief fund of half a mil
lion dollars and sent over hundreds of
thousands of bushels OF corn. The present
famine in that unfortunate land is spread
over a much greater area. and includes
many more millions of people than the
famine of thee years ago. The breadless
area this time extends over 100000 square
miles east north, ard south of Bombay.
Thus over nearly half of all India there
is famine. the sufferers from which num-
Der fully one-sixth of the whole population
OF the Empire. The American people can
at best feed but comparatively small por-
tlon of the starving host. and to help even
this much, the help of every man. wo-
man, and child in this country is needed.
The chief elief measures which the Brit
ish Government has put in force are;
First, relief works. where tens OF thou
sands of people are employed. such as
making common roads. railroad embank-
ments and improving the irrigation Of the |
country. The thousands of men. women. |
and children in these relief camps are paid |
from TO cents day, just enough to |
keep body and soul together. but not |
enough to tempt anyone away from his |
legitimate work. The second relief meas |
ure on the part OF the Government is pro-
viding kitchens, or headquarters, for free I
supplies OF food for children and for all |
adults who too weak to work. Some |
of the practical applications Of the Gov
OF helping
pauperizing are as follows: Opening of /
grain depots where corn is sold at cost |
price. This helps to feed the hungry and |
at the same time keeps down the price of
grain. The latter fact is important, as il !
serves 10 check the avarice of the native |
grain dealers bunniahs as they are called, |
who. in time of famine. try to run up the |
price of grain TO an eXorbitant figure. |
The Government practices another help !
I'll V,.s-
of the toll CT all who can work at prices |
sufficient TO support them and thus keep
them at their work. Thousands OF hand
looms are in this way kept in operation.
Thus what is known as the Government
Famine Code is now giving employment TO
Eve million people.
As many as possible Of the remaining
Al, eco famine sufferers must be cared
for by other nations than England And
the work of distributing food purchased
with The money sent from hose other ma
lions, which practically means only Amer
.ca. deyolves upon missionaries. With
Bombay as headquarters. relief trains will
be despatched 20 all the missionary sta
tions in the famine area.
Christians Among the STRIVING.
Besides the millions of MaholnetaDs and
Hirdus. known in common yernacular as
"heathens" the missionaries report that
fully 10000 Christian people are also in
urgent need The Me- hodists report Il 600
Christians within their lines alone The
Bindus and Mahometans who thus turned
Christians had to be content with ostra-
cism from their own people, and thus these
people who have accepted Christianity
have double claim upon Americans-the
claim Of brotherhood added to the claim
Of common humanity.
Nor are all the sufferers from the pres
ent scarcity of food. recruited from the |
lower castles. or from what would De
known in this country as the masses.
Thousands Of those who are starving at
deaths door. are high caste. people who a
few months ago owned their own houses.