New-York tribune., 1918-08-17
Russian Millions
May Succurnb to
Famine or Disease
r. Martens Thinks 1t Is
Too Late to Render
Winter Aid

AS result Of delays in formulating
an Allied programme for the economic
rehabilitation Of Russia the lives oil
100000 men, women and children in
the distressed Slavic country may be
lost during the next winter. in the
opinion Of r. Martens, Of r. Martens &
Co., who has recently returned from
Russia
1T is now too late" Mr.. Martens told
representative of The Tribune yester.
day afternoon, "to use the three north.
ern trade routes to Russia and Vladi.
vostok remains the only entrance fol-
the shipment of goods in time for the
winter. Until the Archangel, Oh and
Yenisei routes are opened again next
spring the stream Of the prime neces.
sites Of life, without which Russia
may perish, can probably flow no fur
ther west than Lake Baikal, and the
overwhelming bulk Of the population
lives west Of the lake.
Famine, pestilence and disease are
certain to come and cut off thousands
upon thousands Of those Russians least
able to resist the terrible conditions
The Russians lack food, and therefore
their constitutions are weakened. Thew
have virtually no medicaments and pre-
ventive serums of all kinds are lacking
Before the war Germany supplied Rus
sia with medicine; until Russia with
drew from the war the Allies did so
but since that time none has reached
the country.
Industrial Production Stagnant
Moreover, inasmuch as industrial
production has fallen to less than 10
per cent Of normal and because prac-
tically no goods have been shipped into
Russia from foreign countries, the
people will have to wear old and in
adequate clothing. 1t will in many
cases not only fail to protect them
from the yigors Of the Russian winter
but will also be filled with microbes
against which preventive measures
cannot be taken because Of the dearth
of medical supplies. Even soap is lack
ing, and sanitary conditions are likely
to be deplorable.
"Northern Russian until recently de-
pended to large extent on Siberia for
its food supply, but now the transpor-
tation system has broken down COM
pletely and political conditions are SO
uncertain that that source of edibles
~ oE 10
normally produces 47,000,000 tons of
grain, and l am informed that this
years crop is excellent. In Russia,
however, data that 1 have received in
dicates that the grain now under cul-
tivation is only % per cent of normal.
Russia Needs Many Tools
Russia, IS per cent Of whose people
live on the soil, is, as we seem to for
get, still exceedingly primitive In her
methods of agriculture and is depend
ent almost wholly on small tools which
wear out every three or four years.
Before the war Germany supplied these
to large extent, and during the war
Russia received relatively few of them,
and now the old tools are worn out.
Unless Russia is to stagnate she must
have new elementary tools. When she
gets the tools people can begin to
work again and the process Of recov-
cry will be set in motion.
RUSSIA needs at once blacksmith
tools, iron bars. knives and joiners'
tools. She requires many other things,
but these simple needs are paramount.
People who talk about reconstructing
Russia's industries forget that she is
essentially agricultural, and overlook
the fact that something must be done
at once to prevent the people from
starving and dying Of pestilcnce. When
the peasants are enabled to resume
production the folks in the town will
In turn benefit, and the industries can
be taken care Of later, especially after
the avenues to the coal fields are again
unhampered.
"The time to have acted to help Rus
sia in large way was in the spring.
Now the best that can be done will be
inadequate and insufficient. We are
now powerless to help millions and
millions from untold distress, misery
and, in many cases, death. 1t is not
too late. however, to make a start.
"People have talked much about
goods shipped to Russia reaching the
Germans. Do you~think that If the
Russian gets his hand on the things
without which he cannot live he is
going to surrender them to the en-
emy?"
Mr.. Martens declined to discuss what
progress has been made In Washington
toward formulating Russian eco
nomic policy.