The Minneapolis journal. [volume] (Minneapolis, Minn.) 1888-1939, 1903-02-02
FOOD FOR HUNGRY
Organization of Movement to Collect
Food for Famine Sufferers Rap
idly Being Perfected.
DR.. G. J. Sorsen Of Finnish Central
Relief Association Explains
1 System to Be Used.

famine relief movement. The work is
being so organized that meats. grains,
clothing and other necessities OF life IN
far northern Europe may be sent on with
all dispatch to the stricken districts. DR..
c. j. Sorsen Of Calumet Mich, president
of the Finnish Central Relief Committee
of America with headquarters in Calumet.
is in Minneapolis to-day to aid the move
ment already we'll under way here He
explains that all may contribute some
thing. That it may be made as easy as
possible for those who wish to give and
that gifts may be forwarded with the least
possible delay, the committee caring Tor
contributions has arranged TO place IN
the hands Of those who may have grain
or food products. shipping tags already
addressed. A sack of wheat with one OF
these tags attached delivered at the near
est railroad station will be carried free to
Chicago. Thence it will be shipped free
via New York and Liverpool, to Helsing-
fors in Finland or to Swedish points as the
committee may direct. The Milwaukee
road has already consented to carr ysuch
freight from Minneapolis to Chicago. DR..
Sorson expects to get the Northern Pa
cific Great Northern and other roads TO
grant similar concessions In their terri
tory. He feels that there will be no diff
Guilty in getting Minnesotas products
clear to the famine districts without
charge.
The gifts will be distributed according
to the demands and grea test need. Norway
and Sweden and Finland will be PRO-
vided for as far as possible and IN pro-
portion to their respective needs. The
needy in Finland are in absolute want and
number 4OO,O 900. Those in Norway and
Sweden number far less and according to
DR.. Sorsen are not in such dire want as
the Firms but they will be cared for
without Partially.
1t is proposed to designate a two weeks
L. ~ So, al - rpooSy
deliver freight packages for shipment to
the sufferers-probably the two weeks
between Feb. 20. and March 5.
Pictures Of Suffering.
Picturing the famine horrors Of 1867.
DR.. Sorsen indicates what may be the
outcome Of the present conditions unless
relief is prompt and generous. OF the
1857 famine he says:
Hundreds Of thousands had to subsist
on bread made from the husks. birch
bark, straw, pine bark, hay, roots. etc,
etc. There was nothing else left, and
the people tried to maintain their exist
enee as best they could. The piercing,
gnawing, painful hunger required some
thing to eat, something to keep the life in
the emaciated, almost lifeless body. Even
babies were, in many instances, Obliged
to live or such a fare. 49,"
"On account Of such abominable food,
many kinds of digestive troubles arose,
end death by disease freed thousands
from the slower and more cruel death Of
starvation. Dysentery and typhoid fever
claimed thousands, and smallpox began
to depopulate the country. The dreadful
visitor. death, did not overlook many
families, in many instances only the
empty walls remained. The death rate
was so fearful that in some instances
thirty to forty bodies were buried in one
large grave f.. +;
''1he people Of Finland fully realize that
If quick aid does not reach them from
outside sources the horrible tragedies of
1s67-1s6s will be re-enacted over and over
again.
Present Conditions.
'"rhe spring last year was very late in
Finland, Norway and Sweden. In the
greater part of Finland, sowing of rye,
barley and oats could not take place be-
fore late In June. On account of the
ong-continued, heavy, cold rains Of the
summer the crops were very slow to ripen
On account of the floods caused by the
heavy rains, hay, could not be made
Freezing weather came followed by snow
Thus the food OF the cattle was destroyed
Consequently a great number OF the small
hardy, Finnish cows had to be killed and
the Finnish peasant was deprived OF his
milk a very essential article Of food. As
r. result Of eating bread made from decay
ing grains thousands of people are alread!
sick with dysentary. and typhoid fever ii
the district Of Kajana.
i.'.Reports of the Finnish Agricultural SO
ciety shows that out Of 500 parishes. 49,
are suffering from famine. Out Of l40 o.
these parishes only 1o4 had food enough
to last until Christmas, last year. Ac
cording to official reports about .00'
people live in the famine stricken district
and their existence depends entirely upol
the charity of others .... .... $3.50.
Potatoes Dug With Crow Bars.
"a letter received from Haapavesi, dis
trict of Eleaborg, by the Finnish Contra
Relief committee in Calumet, Mich. state
that Sept. II, 1902, snow storms covere'
tho rye fields and potato fields and tina
the ground was frozen so hard that croy
bars had to be used in digging the pota
toes The frost has spoiled the pota
toes to such an extent that the people VIII
attempted to eat them became sick.
Eat the lowest, the expenses of keepin
a. person in Finland for one month ar
$500. Until the next harvest time {
August, the feeding Of the 100000 fam
ished people will amount to $6,000,000."
Those who are suffering have had littl
opportunity to accumulate in past veal
something for such a period as this. D
Eorsen has travelled over the region no
famine stricken, and says life there wa
strenuous and precarious at the best.
Thousands of young birds and rabbi
died last summer for lack Of food in tt
forest Flowers Of the wild berries wei
nipped in the bud. The ptarmigan hi
disappeared entirely. Wolves, ami eve
the northern fox, which so carefully avoit
human dwellings, have been forced
seek food among farm houses, because
the impoverished conditions Of the 70
ests. Rev. Heikkell. from Kolari, distri
IF 1nah ,>it fell
can you, in the name of God. th
quick relief is absolutely necessary. Need al
misery are very acute. Committee of Invest
CATION is just back from kurtakko and the mer
bers are shocked at the AFFECT misery of tho
people. Committee reports on the condition
nineteen families visited. Not one of the
families had any food clothing, and sickne
prevailed In every house. There were fe
men able to work, but no one had any means
hiring help.
i Why Russia Doesn't Help.
Russia, explains DR.. Sorsen, does n
help, because the cars people alrea,
have two other famines on their hands
one in Central Russia and one in S
IBERIA.
i DR.. Sorsen will address the famine r
lief meeting at the courthouse this eve
Ing.
---- =: - - -
WORKING FOR RECIPROCITY.
A meeting of the Minnesota branch of the
tional Reciprocity league will be held tom,
row afternoon in the rooms of the oJobbe
Union, Endicott building, st. Paul. The ME-
Ing has been called to consider plans. for p
naoting reciprocity. Reports Will be made
b. r. Noyes, r. A. Kirk and ]. b. Johnson i,
have been Investigating various phases Of
subject.