New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-08-21
LOCUST ARMIES
BESIEGE HUNGRY
MISSIONS In EAST
Law Waste Entire Beirut
District of Palestine as
Far as Damascus.
GERMAN SOCIETIES
AIDED BY AMERICANS
Upset in Worlds Finances Grip
plies Relief-Foreign Catholic
Workers Face Crisis.

Missionary societies received WORD
yesterday that locusts have visited Pal-
estine and devoured every green thing.
Parts known 10 be devastated extend
from Tripoli on the north to Sidon on
the south, covering the entire Beirut
district east TO Damascus.
IL is not known whether the calamity
extends further south. So strict were
military regulations that the man who
brought the information from Beirut
was not allowed 10 carry so much as
letter or even a financial report OF the
mission station. IL was said that Jews
who went TO Palestine in connection
with the Zionist movement are being
compelled to quit because Of the To-
Gusts, and that almost all progress
made in horticulture and industrial
plans has gone for nothing.
Fluctuations of the English pound
sterling, something new to trouble
missionary finance, have tremendous
effects upon mission funds. In times
past as much as $50 has been paid for
an English sovereign. Now only S4.65
need be paid. There are l2,OOOOOo
givers of foreign mission money in the
ties find il difficult 70 make them un-
derstand the situation.
Five American missionary societies
have combined to help out German
missionaries in many parts of the
world. These found their sources OF
support from Germany wholly cut off.
A few of these Germans were in India,
but the greater numbers were in South
China and Persia Up to the present
time it is estimated that S250,00O in
American money has gone TO keep Ger
man missionaries outside of Germany
from starving. The societies in the
combination are the Presbyterian, Epis-
copal and Methodist, of this city, and
the Baptist and Congregational, Of
Boston. Others have helped, among
them some Canadian organizations.
In Persia conditions were desperate
and for time five thousand tons Of
food a day were distributed at the ex-
pense of the American missionary So
cieties. This vast amount did not all
go TO Germans, but in part to natives
at German mission stations. Much
went to natives attached TO other sta
tions, and the relief was kept up until
the Russian armies came and helped.
Missionaries from Belgian societies
have been assisted, also.
Prediction is made that unless fnan-
cial affairs mend, the end of the war
will see the entire missionary financial
exchange drawn on New York, save only
that destined for countries over which
England has control.
Missionary conditions in Turkey and
regions controlled by the Turks are
said to be bad. Turks are told that the
reason why the war does not end, and
their side win, is because dumdum bull
lets from America are supplied in great
quantities. The Turks then take yen-
geance on American supported mis-
sions.
Roman Catholic foreign missions are
alarmed over the outlook. The great
Catholic society has its headquarters
in Lyons, and Austrian and German
Catholics have refused to send money
to a French society. German Profess
tants could send none. and it is prob
ale German Catholics could not.
France has been the main support Of
Catholic foreign missions, and America
next. Nw Catholics in America are
urged to come to the socety's relief.