The Detroit times., 1911-02-13
BY CAPT. WALTER kiRToN.
editor OF the China National Re

BY CAPT. WALTER kiRToN.
Editor OF the China National Re-
SHANGHAI. China. Feb. 13-To
the Editor OF The Times:
May address plea TO the read
ers OF your newspaper for the starv-
Ing people Of the province OF Kianx-
pei, China?
have just returned from this IA
mine-cursed country and as q result
Of careful inquiry with oficials ana
missionaries, I estimate the number
OF people who are dependent on out
side relief at 100000. There are i've
months before they can begin to OBJ
tain selfsupport from corps, and un-
less the good people OF the civillsed
world give literally many thousands
must die OF hunger and cold.
There have already been many
deaths. I saw whole families, scores
OF them, on the very threshold of the
grave from lack OF food, emaciated.
weak, mere skin and bone people.
The poorest, who have children,
have tried to sell them, not altogether
for the piffance they brought. but to
save the lives OF their little ones.
The famine In Kiangpei has been
caused by foods. The low-lying
plains, standing but q few feet above
sea level, are peculiarly liable to
devastation, owing to the inroads OF
the Yellow river C'China's Sorrow. }.
the annual rise. Of the Yangtze which.
coupled with the periodically abnor-
nal rainy seasons. banks back the
water In its tributaries and their sub
salaries traversing the flooded area:
the sitting up of such, waterways ~
the Grand canal (Which forms. Or
should form, the main drain Of the
plateau; and the absence Of outfalls,
dikes, and modern facilities for drain
age and conservation generally.
The inhabitants are almost solely
agriculturists. They are industrious,
law-abiding and peace-loving folks
and. taking into consideration these
periodical Affections. their homes and
standard OF living will compare favor
ably with those OF the peasantry OF
similar countries. The land IL very
fertile, but these inundations and Ia
mines keep the people In such ab5ect
poverty that they cannot purchase
proper agricultural Implements.
During the famine OF 1907 this part
of the country was stripped OF ami
mails, which went to feed their own
ers and those dependent upon them.
Even the dogs were devoured. In one
large district, the writer, then acting
as commissioner of the central China
famine relief committee. was COM
PEELED for the purpose OF his journey
of Investigation to obtain oflcial help
in securing the use of the only pony
TO be found therein, and for days did
not set eyes on any other animal
either hirsute, feathered or furred.
with mo-. animals to draw their
necessarily archaic farming imple-
ments the humans must pull the piow
themselyes and thus only the sur
face of the soil is scratched, and deep
tillaQe--the secret OF agricultural
wealth I'm such a region-is unknown.
Even SO the crops, during normsiiy
favorable season. are abundant out
the population Is SO poverty-str1cken
that no accumulation OF reserves OF
food Is possible and when an tnunda-
ton covers practically so per cent OF
the land for the major portion OF the
farming season, as appears to have
happened in this instance, starvation
confronts similar percentage Of the
population.
am writing this letter In hope
that the good people OF your city VIII
add their mite to the relief OF these
suffering humans. II there Is no com
mittee in Detroit. I'm sure the editor
of The Times will tell those who wish
10 give how their charity may be for'
warded. Sincerely yours,
WALTER 8. KfRT0N.