Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1906-07-31

associations and private individuals. The
Russians are very charitable people. They
have many hospitals, asylums, homes and
other institutions for the, care of the poor
and sick and friend,ess, and even permit
professional beggars to stand at the doors
of their churches-long rows of men and
women whom the police know to be i'm
posters, able to take care of themse elves.
The newspapers only a few days ago gave
an account of the death and burial OF a
professional beggar who left an estate of
more than 10000, nearly every penny of 1t
collected from kind-hearted people on the
streets.
Troops Summoned to ST. Petersburg.
Ten thousand additional troops have been
added to the garrison at ST. Petersburg
within the last week or ten days to assist
in suppressing any violent demonstration
that may be made by the unemployed. If
the money expended In transporting and
maintaining those troops had been or could
be expended in giving employment to hon
est idle mechanics, by orders for supplies
or any other means of keeping the fac
tories in operation, 1t would be much better
for them, much safer for the citizens and
much more economical for the government.
Similar conditions exist in every other
city in the empire In several places they
are even worse than here. Moscow. for ex-
ample, has many more manufactures and
three times as many wage-earners, with
more than thirty per cent of them out of
employment, and I might go through the
list of the larger places with similar re-
marks. If the total were computed the
number of unemployed would doubtless run
up into the millions.
This Is a dangerous class. An Idle
man with a grievance is always likely to
make mischief, and the masses of hungry,
disconnected and ignorant men are excel
lent material for the revolutionist agitators
to use in their schemes.
The universities and other schools for
higher education have been closed for two
years, and between 10000 and 10000 stu
dents, nearly all of whom have radical
opinions in political matters, are assisting
in the revolutionary propaganda. Professor
Milyoukov, leader of the constitutional
party, told me the other day that If the
government did not open the universities
this fall as usual the douma would pass 9.
law requiring that instruction be resumed.
Millions ,Menaced With Starvation.
But the greatest of all the ealamities is
the famine which has already continued
for nearly year without the knowledge of
the world. and now threatens the existence
of at least twelve and possibly twenty mill
lions of the population of European Rus
STA In twenty-four of the fifty provinces. II
you will take your map of Russia and fol-
low the course of the Volga river west and
southwest of Moscow, you will find the area
where the greatest distress prevails. Ac-
cording to an official statement made by
Mr. Stolypin, minister of the interior, to the
douma the other day, there was total
failure of crops In the provinces of Samara,
Saratoff, SimbrisA Kazan and Nijni-Nov-
gorod last year a partial failure In twenty
two governments" in the adjoining prov
trces and very small crops in portions OF
twenty-four provinces of the empire. The
total yield of the fifty provinces of Russia
last year was less than so per cent of nor
NAL and this year. according to official re-
turns 1t will be still smaller. In the prov
trees named. and also in Astrakan and Ku.
lais. the official reports show that not more
- ~ nj o,.r rx1I f.n
harvested and in 215 districts fcounties)
where the government distributed more
than million and half dollars worth OF
seed last spring, there VIII be an absolute
failure.
At least IL 600 600 people will be entirely
without food and 20,000.000 will be more or
less affected in consequence of the failure
of crops. ard will not only require assist
ance to carry them over the winter, but the
government must furnish them seed to
plant next spring. The extent and severity
Of the famine are greater than six years
ago. when we sent shiploads of wheat and
-four fromatfie United States
The cause of the famine primarily is
drought. which has prevailed for two years
In the Valley of the volga. Not more than
twelve inches of rain fell last year In the
provinces have named. and this year there
has been even less The seed that was
planted last month has not sprouted- 1t has
dried up in the ground, In other provinces
the crops were destroyed. damaged or neg
lected by political disturbances. Vast areas
OF ripened wheat rye and barley were
burned by the soldiers who were sent into
the farming districts to suppress peasant
uprisings last fall. and burned village after
village like the Goths and Vanda's The
peasants themselves have also created enor-
nous devastation upon the estates OF ricn
mobiles and other land owners much of 1t
being due to an unreasonable frenzy to re-
venge fancfed or actual grievances Ine
Russian peasant at peace Is stoisd, ODE
dent. Industrious, loyal laborer, but he is
very sY1perstitious, stubborn cruel and VIM