Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1912-04-09
- CHINA IN DISTRESS -
BY LIEUT.. CHARLES z. CANNON
Cwho Has Spent Seventeen Years In That Land

We know so little Of China and the
Chinese. yet have grown so unconsci-
ously familiar with the stupendous
calamities which from time TO time
ahlict that great country that only
the Intermittent alarm" Of frequent
famine stories brings 10 us a real sense
of the horrors-tbe suffering and
death--in the great hood-stricken area
OF China; horrors not alone Of mere
starvation. but of that stalking, ghast-
ly famine fever" we call typhus and
the raging smallpox which has already
laid It's black hand upon many of the
impoverished, starving multitudes.
In a period Of 900 years China has
had over eight hundred famines, yet
practically all OF these have been un-
known 70 the world at large The great
famine Of 1873, taking its terrible toll
OF nine to thirteen million lives,
aroused the attention and sympathy
of the whole world and the generous
response which followed the appeal of
a famine committee at that time did
much to break down the barriers of
anti-foreign feeling which up 70 then
had been insurmountable.
The present famine, unlike the
drought famine Of 1873, has been due
10 excessive rains, followed by ty-
phoons and floods, affecting an area
Of over $4,000 square miles and a
population of over 1900, 900 people.
Past experience has rendered poss-
ible the distribution Of famine relief
on a most systematic and economical
basis. The pauperizing effect result
ing 70 some extent from relief opera
tons in other famines. due 20 afford
ing support TO thousands during pro
longed periods OF enforced idleness,
has been practically eliminated in
this ......
The famine fund is being largely
used in employing the famine suffer
ers TO reconstruct their own dykes
and roads restroyed by the foods.
Thus the idle and despairing people
are enabled 10 earn a living while
waiting for another harvest, and are
al the same time helping 70 restore
normal conditions and to prevent fu.
ture occurrences Of this nature. Wages
are paid in food only. and this reward
Is necessarily so limited as to offer
inducements only 10 those truly de
serving. To save and sustain life is
the object of famine relief and since
the means never equals the need, the
rauons must be carefully distributed
and those who are suffering least, ig
nored for those whose necessities are
vital These extreme cases make nc
demonstrations-they have gotten be
yOnd that They do not even beg, but
are mute and motionless, the spark Of
life hardly struggling to retain its hold
upon their emaciated forms. Some
times when they understand that the
ticket given then means food and life
tears roll down their cheeks. Tick
cts for food are given only in the home
except In exchange for labor, the ne
cesgities OF each family being judged
not by the home, but by the faces o.
its inmates man NAV be hungry
Ind suffering for food, but unless hi
face Is swollen from anemia he mus
be passed by Tor those more terribl!
needy. Were il not that through cen
turtles Of poverty and extreme hardship
only the strong have survived, half tn,
three million now suffering would hav
died IN the first months of the famine
II is difficult for US to realize tn
real horror Of these extensive famines
confined almost wholly TO China, Indii
and Russia. Under the best condition
the Chinese live but a sordid life, de
void Of many things we would regar
as necessary 70 existence and wit
every form Of luxury unknown-fo
what the Chinese know as prosperity
we should regard as the severest hare
ship. as 1t means a course and meage
living. a cramped and cherries hul
and the most trying toll from the ris
ing OF the sun until the fall of darl
ness Mix and butter are PRACTICAL
unknown, meat is rarely tasted otter
er than once a week, and then onl
under prosperous conditions, and 4