The Cordele dispatch. (Cordele, Ga.) 19??-1971, 1919-04-11
DEATH RATE HIGH
in new REPUBLIC

Paris. March 1S.-Correspondence
of The Associated Press. Utter
misery, starvation and despair pre-
vailed in the new republic of Czecho-
Slovakia before the Allied govern
ments began to ship food supplies to
that country in the latter part of
February.
1t is not known here whether this
situation has been relieved to any
large extent but large shipments of
flour, milk and other supplies have
since been forwarded to Prague and
additional foodstuffs were in Triest
awaiting transportation to the Cze-
cho-Slovaks.
An appeal by DR.. Alice G. Masaryk,
daughter of President Masaryk, and
head Of the Czechc-Slovak Red Cross.
written on February 90, pictures the
conditions in her country as terrible
one. American, British and French
authorities arc endeaving to respond,
1t is stated that, unless help arriv-
ed quickly, a million children under
six years old were doomed to die;
that 100000 children up to IA years
were weak from undertaking and
that the mortality among the old and
feeble was appalling.
Separated from the allied territor-
les on three sides by Germany and
Austria, the Czecho-Slov&k republic
was even before it's BIRTH ruthlessly
and Systematically denuded by the
Austrains of all foodstuffs and sup
plies. When hostilities were suspend
ed, there was in Czecho-Slovakia nc
corn, meat, clothing or medicines
The scanty weekly ration Of pound
of flour to each person in Prague,
the capital ceased on February 20.
Two-thirds of the cattle and pigs Of
the country already have been slaugh
tered and the lack of fat is extreme
The supply of milk was only one
thirtieth Of normal More than so per
cent Of the babies of Prague were
rachitic, anaemic or consumptive
More than half the patients in the
children's hospital died of consump-
ton.
In the mining districts the position
as reported here, is still worse At
Kladno. 116 of the 1875 babies born in
in 1918 died of consumption. Births
throughout the country have decreas-
ed one-half and deaths have increas-
ed Sc percent
Almshouses, maternity hospitals
and other charitable institutions can
no longer feed their inmates. Ninteen
percent of the infants under one year
in Pilsen, the formerly flourishing
city of breweries and arsenal workers
died last year from lack of nutrition.
Prices of household commodities have
risen 700 to 500 percent while wages
have increased 200 to 800 percent
Clothing costs ten times more than
formerly and sewing cotton is 100
times dearer than before the war.
These reports show that Professor
Thomas G. Masaryk, the first presid
end of the new Czecho-Slovak re-
public, who went from New York last
winter to assume his duties, faces
herculean task. Writing to Lady
Muriel Paget on February 10, the pre-
sidents daughter told her, father
said he hoped you would come. Do
cine and help us"
Lady Paget has obtained from the
French government. 10 trucks which
the American Red Cross has filled
with medical supplies for the Czecho-
Slovaks, and plans to take to Bohemia
20 tons of rice Recent information,
however, states that freight traffic to
Bohemia is disorganized and the fear
is expresser that the Austrian threat,
"if we are to- lose Bohemia. we shall
lose her as a corpse" may become a
terrible reality.