The times. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1897-1901, 1900-05-02
Corn for stnrrinr India.

! Il is said that a movement has been
started in the State OF Kansas to send one
/ million bushels OF Kansas corn to the
famine-stricken people OF India. The first
| Sunday in May will be known as India
Relief Day" collections will be taken UP
I in all the churches. and il is stated that
! the fund thus secured will be used to pur-
I chase corn and send it to points where food
! is most needed. The plan is said to be the
! uutgrowth Of suggo tons made by the
Z Rev Charles NJ. Sheldon during his re-
! markable experience as journalist.
This is all very pretty and pleasant, es-
pecially il the money contributed is used
TO purchase corn from the Kansas farm
eTs. thus encouraging home industries and
keeping the whole thing inside the limits
Of the State; but there is a question
whether the starving people in India will
get much benefit from the operation. In
the first place it is going 10 cost a con-
siderable sum Of money to carry that corn
to India and it will also take much time.
Il seems as IL some more convenient way
Of feeding the hungry might be found.
Moreover. those familiar with current
history may remember that great and
continued efforts have been made TO in
troduce Indian corn as an article of diet
in Europe, and the only result has been
increased consumption Of that grain in the
making OF beer and gin. The French,
German. Dutch. and other European peo-
pie have stubbornly refused to be con-
WINGED that the corn dodger. the hoe cake
stswed sweet corn. or corn roasted in the
ear. were fit articles for human cOnsump-
ton. In Germany they said corn was lao
doubt good cattle food. but as for human
beings eating it-such a thing was not
to be thought of. Here and there are peo-
pie who appreciate the American dainties.
but they are not more numerous in pro-
portion to the whole population than the
Americans who are devotees Of the Span
ish tamale. Even in this country the con-
sumption OF corn has decreased, though
this is due less 10 any natural distaste /
fof the grain than to artificial commercial I
conditions. How. then. is the Indian peas /
ant to be convinced that corn is proper /
food for him to eat?
1t may be said that starving people /
ought 10 be glad TO get anything. This, as
experience has proved to the 4
English civilians in India. is not true OF /
the Oriental. He is a fatalist and death |
has not for him the terror that it has for I
the Western mind. He becomes apathetic /
and resigned where the European would /
be fierce and wolhsh. And it has been /
proved over and over again that he will 1
starve rather than eat food to which he |
is not accustomed During one great fam
inc carloads of millet were sent into the
southern provinces from northern India,
and those engaged in the relief work tried
to show the natives how to bruise the
grain in a mortar and make it eatable.
They refused to try the experiment They
would barter large quantities Of the new,
strange food for a handful of rotten rice.
They were used to rice, and even when
1f bad quality it was better in their eyes
than millet. II they had to die they
would die under circumstances with which
they were familiar. II anything in the
Inc Of grain is 10 be sent to India, then,
L would seem that the philanthropists
should go South and buy rice. or cable to
he English authorities to find out what
,ught 10 be done. Il is reasonably certain !
hat a shipload OF Indian corn will not be
4 much use TO such population as that
4 southern India.