Forest City press. (Forest City, Potter County, D.T. [S.D.]) 1883-19??, 1914-05-27
FAILURE OF RICE CROP
CAUSE OF DIRE famine
200, 900 Japanese Are in Actual
Want-Conditions Worst
in 100 Years.
From the Baltimore News.

from the baltimore News.
with more than 200, 900 persons il
actual want and more than 10, 900, 90,
leeiifg the touch of famine in tn,
Tohoku mo Hokkaido districts. the
government officials and charitable or
CARNATIONS of Japan are strainint
every measure to meet the situation
The want in these districts is cause,
by the dual failure of the rice crops
and the fisheries, both due to the UNI
s~easonably cold weather of last sum
Ner.
Because of the cold the rice did not
mead and proved the worst failure ir
100 years. This cool Weather was
largely due to the strength of the cold
currents In the ocean, which kept the
hsh from arriving in the fishing
grounds, as they usually do with the
warmer waters from the south. These
Two failures left the thickly populated
sections virtually without anything to
eat, rice and fish being the staple diet.
and with nothing at all to sell. The
FAMINE conditions are declared to be
the most severe any section of Japan
has now for more thar 100 years.
Letters Toll of Starvation.
The earthquake n volcanic disas-
ters that have visited Japan this winter
have made great demands upon the
wealthy classes and the government.
Appeals have been reaching the gov
ernmen at Toxic n the charity Or
CARNATIONS since the first Of the year.
AT first they reported hunger, then ILL
ness: now they tell OF starvation and
death.
1t seems to be the general opinion
among Americans who have taken
their knowledge on hearsay that Japan
rs a country of perpetual cherry bios
SONS. balmy air n pretty almond
eyed maidens in gala-colored kimonos.
On the contrary, much cold and dis
agreeable weather is found there: the
cherry trees only blossom for two or
three weeks in April. In less than 100
miles north OF Toxic, you get into a
country with a winter climate about
like northern Ohio. Continuing north,
increasing cold is found. and In Hok-
kaido there is a large mount of snow
during the winter months, often cutting
or communication on the main line Of
travel and blocking up traffic for days
at a time. Spring oes not begin to
open up in Toxic till April.
Before the general unaffected public
knew there We're even possible famine
conditions In the north. men in Toxic
humanity, were already in the districts
that were beginning to feel the pinch.
gathering young girls to fill the resorts
and factories Of the cities. Girls from
10 to 20 have been arriving in large
numbers at the terminal station in To-
= Act Nv HOI tllcIu IdllIOdu lines. NE
parents often give their consent to the
bale of the girl. They are so reduced
that anything seems better than Just
starving to death. The girls willingly
go with their new masters, because it
70 the duty of a Japanese child to do
anything that may be necessary to sup
port the parents.
Tearing Down Houses for Fuel.
A foreign resident in the famine
district tells how the houses are be-
ting gradually demolished in places in
order to provide fuel. One large house,
covering 500 square feet, was offered
Tor sale at $3.50. and. no one having
enough money to buy 1t, was gradual
" taken apart and used as fire wood.
Many persons are found living on
grass seeds, animal entrails and de-
composed food that dogs would not
touch. A fish's head rescued from the
refuse Of a fish shop. in a pot OF water
With a little grass seed, was found In
One hut. on which the family hoped to
make three meals. A boy who was
eunering severely. after being examined
ny two doctors. was found to have a
great wad Of straw in his stomach,
which he q swallowed in an effort to
appease the gnawing Of hunger.
Children In many places have be-
come too weak to 70 to school. Their
teachers. who receive from $3.50 to
$7.bO a month, belong to the class who
are too proud to receive help. Many Of
these teachers are suffering because
their salaries have not been paid. The
TACT that there are several classes Who
are too proud to tell Of their own suf-
fortngs. make It very difficult to deal
with those in need.