The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-05-25


luairation of the conditions prevailing
among more than 20,OooO0o starving
peasants In Russia IL afforded BY q PEI
tition received at the headquarters Of
the Russian Famine Relief Committee,
iS5 East 18th Street, this city. A III.
eral translation Of The petition shows
not only the depths Of suffering and
despair TO which the famine.stricken
peasants have been plunged, but also
the social and educatios==,, conditions
Of The sufferers which make II difficult
for htem 10 frame an appeal 10 the
outside world for assistance. II reads:
I'VE humbly beg the Zemstyo Of sa.
mara. as receiving no aid or relief from
anywhere.
can our means are exhausted BY the
famine. AL our cattle md other move
able property are sold to keep Us from
death by hunger; we are the poorest of
The poor. We are afraid TO enter our
wretched cottages because OF the chill
drcn. One Is crying, the others are
groaning for food, seeing them causes
Our tears 10 flow and the blood To leave
our hearts.
AS II TO mock our misery we hear
from strangers that in this village or
that village, free kitchen has been
opened. We have nothing, nothing
can Il he that we are doomed to death
through hungcrs How glad we would
he II we could get only bread and po,
tatoes,--even " good people would only
give them to our childNn and old won.
en,--we would not know how TO thank
God Almighty sufficiently. yesl we
pass our days together thinking about
those things,--but what can we dor
None Of us knows anything: we are
quite In the dark. We 90 about like
dead already, and instead Of the dag.
sling whltcness Of the snow we see
something greenish IN the ground and
again we wait for the day To pass, hope.
Ing against hope.
what shall we DOT Where shall we
gof What shall we says What are
we 70 dot Go home to our hutsi The
very word home makes our hearts
turn But there II nothing else to do,---
we 90 home, enter the dark house try.
ing not to look at the wife or children.
pretending not TO hear their eager
questioning-Where have you been.
fatherr And like everybody's enemy,
like some wild beast, you slink away
to your corner to seek forgetfulness in
sleep. But no, sleep does rot come.
something prevents IL, and bitter
thoughts through your head, one after
the other like the waves Of the sea.
And 50 You toss till daybreak, and In
the morning--get up and fee. Where
TOT You don't know. What shall we
dof Where can one find breadf You
don't know. Again we all crowd to.
gether like flock Of hungry birds and
twitter about our sorrow. All at once
some man who can read and write Joins
ns and says, Friends, you muss beg the
authorities for help And we ali be.
gin entNating him. BE so kind. write
petition Perhaps 1t shall reach
some kind Of a man in power. and Al
the same time our prayer shall reach
God Well may the lord bless ~
speakl You begin, Basil CherkassofI.
IAN my harvest was 10 pools 400
pounds) of rye. This lasted only tin
September, because have a wife and
siS children, After this was eaten, n
began 70 sell our clothes ana house.
hold things, then I sold horse. and we
lyed TIL December, Now have moth.
ing more to sell though I have two
starving horses yet left, but how am II
TO sell themf Spring is coming. what
am ! 70 plough with II I sell them -
And 4 have only one COW left and that
one can't stand, The neighbors helm
me TO lift It on its legs in the morning
and my horse--it is scarcely ANYTHING
but the name Of horse--a puff of wind
can knock y over can't say anything
more, only God have mercy upon IL if |
we do not get help.
And you, old Peter,--what can You
addf-'ohl brothers, l can manage vet.
Il am the only workman az home, I |
have 9 heap Of children and only one
eye,--so that I can see only half tho
misery that you do, We do oct bit.
not from the authorities, but begging
The collection Of contributions for
the relief work Is being carried on in
this country by the Russian Famine
Relief Committee, 1876 East 18TH Street
New York City, Of which Samuel Bar.