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.
49, - 'ts.t&
DR.. C. J. Sorsen Of Finnish Central
Relief Association Explains
System to Be Used.

famine, relief movement. me 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.
G. 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 tho
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
citic. Great Northern and other roads to
grant similar concessions In their terri
tory. He feels that there will be no diff
Guilty in getting Minnesota's products
clear to the famine districts without
charge.
The gifts will be distributed according
to the demands and greatest 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 100000 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. -,
It Is proposed to designate a two weeks
period in which farmers and others may
deliver freight packages for shipment to
the sufferers-probably the two weeks
between Feb. &c. and March 5.
Pictures Of Suffering.
Picturing the famine horrors of 1857.
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
ence 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
,: bies were. in many instances, obliged
to live on such a fare. 1920
ION account Of such abominable food,
many kinds Of digestive troubles arose,
and 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 We're buried in one
" large grave
THE people Of Finland fully realize that
# 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. e..
"The 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
long 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 great number Of the small
hardy. Finnish cows had to be killed ant
the Finnish peasant was deprived of his
milk a very essential article of food. Al
r result of eating bread made from decay
ing grains thousands of people are alread.
sick with dysentary and typhoid fever il
the district Of Kajana.
Reports of the Finnish Agricultural SO
ciety shows that out Of 500 parishes. 49,
are suffering from famine. Out of l4O o
these parishes only 104 had food enough
to last until Christmas, last year. Ac
cording to official reports about 10000
people live in the famine stricken district
and their existence depends entirely upol
the charity of others.
Potatoes Dug With Crow Bars.
"a letter received from IIaapavesi, 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 cro1
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. :
"At the lowest. the expenses of keepin
g. person in Finland for one month al
$500. Until the next harvest time, {
August, the feeding Of the 400, 900 fan
1shed people will amount to $6,000000."
Those who are suffering have had lit
opportunity Ito accumulate in. past veal
something for such a period as this. D
Sorsen has travelled over the region no
famine stricken, and says life there WE
strenuous and precarious at the best.
InOuSdnuS OIL young DlTuS ana rdDDl
died last summer for lack Of food in tt
forest. Flowers Of the wild berries We
nipped in the bud. The ptarmigan h,
disappeared entirely. Wolves, ana 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
Of Uleaborg, writes as follows:
| can assure you, in the name of God. tn
quick relief is absolutely necessary. Need a,
misery are very acute. Committee Of invest
CATION is just back from Kurtakko and the 1neI
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 or clothing, and sickne
prevailed In every house. There were fe
men able to work, but one had any means
Hiring help.
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
" DR.. Sorsen will address the famine r
lief meeting at the courthouse this eve
Ing.
WORKING FOR RECIPROCITY.
meeting Of the Minnesota branch of the
tonal Reciprocity league will be held tome
row afternoon IN the rooms OF the Jobbe
Union, Endicott building, st. Paul. The me-
noting reciprocity. Reports Will be made
D. r. Noyes, X. A. Kirk and !. b. johnson. "
have been Investigating various phases Of
subject.