Willmar tribune. [volume] (Willmar, Minn.) 1895-1931, 1920-11-03
TERRIBLE FAMINE
STALKS IN CHINA
Willmar Boy Writes About Appal-
ling Situation in Central
China

Editor W7illmar Tribune:
Take a map of China. Find Kaif-
eng. the capitol OF Honan province in
Central China. From there north
ward far into Chilli, eastward into
large part Of Shantung and westward
almost turnout all OF Shensi, cover
ing an area OF about 100000 square
miles, is the stricken country. The
population is very Dense In some
places it averages 1000 people to the
square mile. (Belgium, the most den
seiy populated country in Europe, has
an average OF 600 people to the 50.
mlle.) The number OF people in the
famine district is estimated at 40
0GC, OOU or more than one-third OF the
population OF the United States. 1t
is said to be the greatest in the mem
DRY OF living Chinese
The cause OF the famine is an ex-
tenued drought During the months
OF May, June, July, August and first
nalf OF September, there was little or
40 rain, and at the same time the
heat was unusually intense The ear
~ crops, wheat and other cereals,
which are harvested in June, were
burnt up The late crops, vege-
tables, such as: various roots, pea
nuts, sweet potatoes, beans and mil
let, also corn stalk that is the chief
luel, failed to start even. "A total
crop failure. Both food and fuel sun
ply failing.
Already in the early summer months
the poorer people began to flee from
the country, some westward to Shan
81; others southwark as far as to HUI
pen. Soon these provinces forbade
entrance to the poor refugees and 1ur-
tner forbade general export of food
stuTfs to the stricken provinces. This
is said to be because they would saIe-
guard themselves against SHORTAGE
Still the refugees keep on coming.
They know not where they are going
or how far they will be permitted to
go. They know not what help there
may be, whether they can find work
and food, still their need drives them
on. Pitiful sights they are with their
scanty clothing, showing their lean,
starved bodies covered with filth
they are allowed, to some extent, to
ride free on the freight trains OF the
Government railway, but they never
them to get off. Later they are prob
ably refused permission to stay at
| that place. Many lose heart and die
by the wayside. Their clothing is
taken by fellow refugees who still
have strength to move on and the
bodies are devoured by dogs and 9TH
er beasts.
Such are the conditions outside the
20 q
1t can easily be guessed that they are
| much worse there. l will mention a
few things about those conditions.
Parents sell their children, espe-
| cially girls, for few cents, that they
| may be relieved of their care and at
| the same time get some money for
| food. Infants are left outside to die
or thrown into wells and rivers. Dom.
estic animals, cattle, mules and hor.
ses have, practically. all been slaugh.
! tered and eaten. This caused sick
ness among the people. for some OF
the meat was diseased The trees are
| stripped of leaves and bark in order
to make food for human beings Cruel
is made from chaff and bark meal
| Many sell the clothes off their backs
to get money for food. This only puts
off the inevitable, for without sutf
cient clothing they cannot survive the
winter cold. Even the rich, in some
places, starve. for money cannot buy
food or fuel where there is neither
Whole villages are deserted, and ir
the most badly stricken places ever
the crows and jack DAVIS have left
because there is nothing for them tt
eat. Can anything be more appalling
! Where shall the people turn? They
are helpless and it will be difficult tt
save even a small number of those
that are face to face with starvation
They need food and fuel and cloth
ing. Other more fortunate parts o
China can help, but outside help il
necessary. The difficulties met will
are: poor means Of transportation
and the long distances to be covered
1t is task larger and more Difficult
than feeding Belgium and other Eu
ropean countries before and after tn
war. Recently an abundance of rail
has fallen. making it possible to SOY
the winter wheat and other cereals
but there is no seed and even if Their
, were, there are no animals to do tn
work. In some more fortunate dis
tricts where they have seed, men an
women harness themselves to tn
farm implements to get their crop
in for the next year. But there is
wait of nine months till the next hal
vest. 1t will cost about a dollar
month to save one person-that
enough to keep body and soul togetl
er. Should all get what they neet
it is easy figuring to know how niue
money it will take
I would urge all readers of this t
give all they possibly can, when tn
occasion is given. Relief committee