The Montgomery advertiser., 1909-07-14

| ICED Indians Of North America, the
| British Empire would have upon its
hands today an alms-house tenanted
by nearly . NTH Of the population Of
the world. or eemetery half as large
| In area as the United States. Famine
| is not only written large across the
pages of midas history, but also
looms darkly In the future as the
| greatest Of her problems. It's specter
| Is present every year. despite elabo-
rate systems OF relief, despite donations
made by rich Indian princes. and de-
spite the liberaiity with which the
world opens its purse strings when the
Indian peasant Is starving.
Native politicians contend that the
great obstacle between their country
and prosperity is an unjust system OF
taxation which places too large q bur-
den upon the people who get their
living from the soil, but FAMINE 10
much older than British dominance.
It must also be admitted that the pres
ence Of q European power with such
conoomitants of European progress as
railway transportation. postal and teie-
graph service. has greatly improved
the situation. Upon the other hand,
the natives are to be credited with
habits OF industry that have prevented
them from becoming demoralized by
relief measures.
The ancient Indian. adage, "the flesh
OF SON 10 worth more than his love-"
comes down from times when famine
meant cannibalism. Later, during the
existence of the Mogui Empire. relief
measures were not systematic. Bull
lock carts or camel trains could not
penetrate sections offering no forage
or water, and famine meant depopula-
ton where II struck. In ITO the
famine In Bengal carried of 100000.
In 1888, according to estimates believed
to be conservative. 100000 Of popu-
lation OF less than 100000. starved
in one province
1t was only after India passed to the
Crown that the organization Of an ex-
tensive relief system was undertaken.
Since then work to improve condi-
tions has been steady and although
famine has by no means been elimin-
ated, the dimensions of disaster result
ing from crop failure have been re-
duced. During the famine OF 1850,
covering an area of $1,000 square miles
with a population OF 100000 there
were issued 100000 rations. or as 1t
IL expressed In India, that many units"
were relieved. Five years later fam
Inc visited the greater part of India
north of Madras, AFFECTING a popular
tion OF approximately 100000. This
time relief work was botched. The
gravity Of the situation was not APP
preciated till too late, and 100000
persons persisted.
Close upon the heels of this appall-
ing sacrifice Of human lives came the
famine of 18eS-70 in West India. Raj
putanas parched hills could not be
traversed by animal-drawn vehicles
and thousands died upon the road with
their faces toward relief camps. Then
came cholera in the wake of famine,
and when the surviving villagers made
a heroic rally upon the land In the
hope of early rains the next spring,
there was no rain and again they died
by thousands. Locusts destroyed the
fall crop raised by the remaining peas
antry, torrential rains came in the la
ter autumn and fever followed the
flood 1t was not until 1870 that the
situation was relieved. While the grim
tragedy of lOrissa and Rajputana was
fresh in memory. Bihar. Bengal and
the United Provinces suffered a par
tial failure of rain. and In the Titanic
struggle that ensued between famine
and relief. 900, OoO,O os daily rations
for an individual were distributed. 1.
Three years later Southern india was
in. the clutch. Of famine. The Govern
ment which had been reckless of ex-
pense in the previous attempt to save
lives, now insisted upon Investigations
to determine where relief should be
rendered. The result was a strike of
relief workers, and while red tape was
gone through with in an honest effort
to befriend the starving without de-
frauding the taxpayers of the whele
country, starvation and resultant fe-
vers killed more than 100000 persons
in British territory, not including the
unnumbered deaths in native States.
With the world standing aghast at
the recurrent defamation of India by
starvation, the first great FAMINE
Commission met in 1878 to formulate
upon a working basis policy Offering
relief to the real sufferers without at
tempting to give general reflex to per-
sons merely poor and not in need OF
actual sustenance. The result was the
Provisional Famine Code, published in
1885, laying down the principle that
the Government, in endeavoring to
save life, is not obliged to maintain the
rural population at normal level or
comfort, and that to do SO would be
unjust to taxpayers and would encour-
age Incidence.
An insufficient monsoon in 1895 caus-
ed famine In areas containing about
10000, 900 population, and in British
territory alone more than S00.O00,0OO
units" were relieved. System in this
famine resulted In great good being
accomplished at reasonable cost. The
next famine, In 1S99-1900, showed the
system to be In still better working
order. Altogether. 1,140,000.O00 ra-
lions for an individual for day were
issued. Notwithstanding this about
1000, 900 persons died OF starvation or
cholera due to the pollution of water,
and of malarial fever resulting from
the unusual number of mosquitoes
bred upon the stagnant water holes.
Survivors whose money was sunk in
cattle before the famine found them
selves impoverished. Recently the re-
lief scheme has been enlarged to deal
with the fodder famine as well as the
scarcity of food for human beings.
While great strides have been made,
and field work has been given sinews
of war from many sources aside from
the United Kingdom and the Indian
Government, the famine problem has
not been eliminated. Gradually, but
very gradually, the caste prejudices
that prevent relief work from reach
ing many Hindus, are being broken
down. The hill country weavers, who
formerly starved rather than eat at
relief camp. lest partaking of "un-
clean food. should destroy their
craftsmanship, have been won over.
shy wild tribesmen are learning that
it is better to live upon unorthodox
food than to be dead Hindus.
Native States are conducting vain
example of Europeans, but not until
irrigation/ extends its benefits to
greater Hortion of a sun-baksd, defor-
IAfA oarnfA