New-York tribune., 1906-12-01
FAMINE GROWS WORSE
NO FOOD IN THE VOLG4.
Babes Die IN Mothers Arms While
Ministry Probes Grain Scandal.

st. Petersburg, Nov. 3O-As a result of the
investigation which the press campaign and
public indignation have compelled tn ministry
to make into the Lidval contract for the pur-
chase of grain intended for famine relief, IN
which Assistant Minister Of the Interior Gurko
is alleged to be involved. the sufferngs or the
stricken population of the Volga provinces nave
been greatly augmented.
Controller Schwanebach, head Of the Inter
ministerial commission appointed to inquire into
the grain scandal. went to Tsarskoe-Selo to-
night to lay the matter before the Emperor ana
to obtain the latter's instructions.
The removal of NJ Curko If found necessary
will hamper the execution of the adminstra-
tion's agrarian programme, as he is the author
of the great mass of the agrarian legislation al
ready promulgated and was charged with the
preparation of projects to be submitted to par
lament
The composition of the Gurko investigating
commission has been changed. 1t will not be
composed Of members of the ministry. as first
announced. but the members will be selected
from dignitaries OF high rank and men in public
life Independent of the government. This step is
made in order to minimize the possibility Of
whitewashing verdict. The members Of the
commission are follows: NJ. Goluboff, vice
president of the Council OF the Empire: Senator
Gudovitsch. secretary of the st. Petersburg
branch of the Marshals of Nobility, and NJ.
Prosuroff, president of the st. Petersburg Bourse
committee.
The Emperor has said that this investigation
must be conducted without delay.
On account of the disappearance Of Iidval. the
chief grain buyer, in the face of the threatened
proceedings, the purchase and shipment OF the
sorely needed grain have been suspended. and
considerable time must elapse before con-
tracts can be drawn up.
Further disclosures increase the gravity of NJ.
GurkO's action in awarding the contract to Lid
val, Governor Alexandrovski, of Penza province,
who has been mentioned as one of Lidvals
sponsors, says he never heard of the man until
he received orders. through NJ. Gurko's depart
ment, to purchase grain only through Lidval.
1t has also become known that the profits on
the deal were greater than first supposed.
The Ze;nstvo committee of the neighboring
province of Tula was able to purchase grain for
61-3 cents a bushel below Lidval's contract
price or an equivalent to over 100000 on the
whole contract.
The grain contract disclosures have also re-
suited in great criticism OF the management OF
the railroads, which have been unable to move
sufficient freight trains keep the population
from starvation. and demand is voiced for
roads. The roads are not moving any grain or
fuel from the South, and the coal mines in the
Donetz region have shut dc after accumu-
lating enormous quantity Of coal which the
railroads have declined to handle. 1t Is feared
that this may lead to a suspension of work in
the factories and great distress in several OF
the manufacturing districts.
Princes G.. z. Lvofr and Orbeliani. represent
ing the Zemstvo Bureau for Famine Relief. who
have Just returned to Moscow from trip
through the famine stricken provinces. report
that the situation is worse than outlined
in the earlier reports. The famine is complete,
producing everywhere starvation and sickness.
In some localities even the supply of pigweed,
with which the inhabitants minimized the panss
of hunger, Is exhausted. and children dying
at their mothers breasts. Only the hardest
adults have strength enough TO work. An cpl
demic of scurvy has broken out in the Kholfsk
district of Saratov province. and in the absence
Of needed food and medicine is spreading widely.