The morning Astorian. [volume] (Astoria, Oregon) 1899-1930, 1907-04-12

Ocean" she has become tho Lady
Rountiful of the world Tnrough II,
open handed generosity the United
States has taken unique position
among the nations. There In not a
/ country stricken by war; by famine
or by cataelysms Of nature that does
appeal to this country for aid. and
very rarely 10 such sufferers appeal
/ In vain. AS a result the name OF tho
/ United States IN far Off countries n
SYNONYMOUS with kindly generosity,
The State Department this week re-
ceived from Consul General Rodgers
At Shanghai eablcgram declaring
that toe food supplies sent and those
now ON their way TO relieve the chin.
ese famine sufferers are sufficient to
meet the needs Of the poplc The
sutrcrlngs that tnls food relieved were
pltiful. the Chinese in some sections
actually having been driven to can
inlbailsm before the United Statns
STEPPED In with its aid, Consul Gen
eral Rodgers, however. says that a
small amount Of money will be neces-
sary TO complete tac work OF rescue.
Now that the relief OF tho Chinese
IL completed. the American people are
turning their eyes to the fearful SUI
fcring being borne by the Russian
peasants. President Roosevelt aas
subscribed to the fund, accompanied
man OF the lately organized Russian
famine relief committee which has its
headquarters at 1856 East 18th street,
New York city. In this letter the
President urged upon the American
people the necessity Of cooperating
with the committee In this humanl-
tartan cause. Largely az result Of
this letter the committee has already
collected about s25 900. many OF the
contributions being small ones from
scattered sources.
More than 100000 stlll Is needed TO
save a large portion OF Russia's pea
SAINT population. There are thirty mil
lions OF Russians men, women and
!children In the most object cond-
ton. and disease is threatening the
lives Of those who already have not
succumblcd to starvation. The COM
mlttee announced that $500 sent to i'll
at this time will be sufficient to save
a human life until the next harvest.
When this fact rs thoroughly under
stood 1t is expected that sympathetic
Americans viii pour their contribu-
tions into the fund. The money thus
subscribed will be the committees own
agents, and care viii be taken that
none Of It passes over the itching
palms Of Russian ohicials.
The latest advice from the famine
territory depicts the suffering az cx-
|tremc, a letter this week form
village near Moscow saying:
AT present the temperature in this
village Is In the neignborhood Of twen-
ty degrees below zero Fahrenheit
Many Of the peascnts are living in
holes dug underground. They are
almost naked and they are without
fuqL Their food is sort Of bread
made Of ground acorns or other un-
eatabes to which have been added Il
little rye meal Typhus, scurvy and
Hilnfness, resulting from starvation
one and all sides striking down grown
up people and children. This is not
n single village; there are thousands
like it, and these thousands Of vii
lagos have 70 hope unless help can
come to them from the outside. Sev-
enty-five cents will keep an adult
alive for a month. 1t Is bitter to ask
for aims; but 1t Is still more bitter to
look upon these agonles with empty
hands"
DR.. Samuel j. Barrows, who Is sec
rotary Of tie Russian Famine Re
ief Committee, would not be surprls-
ID IL the famine situation in Russia
we're made a strong argument for un-
versal peace at the next conference
1t the Hague. The famine beyond
doubt Is direct result of the war
with Japan, and the work Of relievingI
he present suffering directly taxes
civilized countries foi the effects Of
struggle in which they were not in
,olved.
eel ffi,cdpa s4aoer ecs cy