The citizen., 1920-10-21
LETTER FROM ARMENIA
American Board Mission,
Tehsien, Shantung, China.

'0so'uihb famine conditions. I
travelled $40 II (1so miles), made
notes Of crop conditions, and talked
with people Of various classes. Our
neid is in the east-central part of the
famine area, which stretches from the
yellow River northward thru north
western Shantung, and southern
Chilli practically all the way to Tent
SIN, and also includes a part of Shan
81 Province. The region affected is
supposed to contain from ten to f,f-
teen millions Of people, and IL Is safe
to estimate that one-half of this num-
Der will be in dire need.
Besides a general upset Of business
conditions, which in itself works hard
snip on many, the crop failure af-
fects the masses chiefly in four ways:
hrst, lack Of food; second, lack of
fuel; third, enforced sale OF animals:
and fourth, inability to support chill
dren in school.
While It is true that many people
viii have money enough with which
TO buy food even at the present in
Hated prices, yet at least half will
have neither money nor food to sus-
tam life unless we help. A good
rain in the southern half Of our field
on August 9th will help very ma
terially with the late crops-corn,
beans, cotton, and some millet-and
will make II possible to sow wheat
for next spring. The northern half
did not share in this rain, and il is
too late TO be Of much help to the
fall crops even II rain should come
now. In the best sections in our field
comprising less than one-tenth Of the
entire area) there will be perhaps
one-half a crop. The other sections
vary from three-fourths Of a crop to
nothing at all. In three-fourths of
the district this years wheat crop
was practically total failure; some
sections had enough wheat to repay
the seed investment, some districts
did not. Moreover. the hardship is
not all due TO this years failure.
In the Chiu Ch'eng region there
were no crops on account Of
flood, and last year a scourge Of
grasshoppers destroyed the crop.
Around Ling Hsien there was half
crop last year, and one-tenth Of a
crop this year; near here a number
Of wells have had their small amount
Of water spoiled by having children
pushed into them by parents who
could no longer provide for them.
Where there is kao-liang or millet,
people are pulling and eating it while
hardly ripe. Those who can get al
falfa to eat are considered fortunate.
Where this is not obtainable, the peo-
pie are picking and eating elm and
apricot leaves. Along with these,
bean-cake and peanut-cake Cleft after
oil extraction) form the staple article
Of diet. This years acute distress
can be understood only in the light
Of these facts: First, partial or total
crop failure in certain sections for
one. two, three or four years past;
second. the extreme poverty of the
masses in over-crowdeh Shantung,
even in a year Of good crops.
The chief source Of fuel for cook
ing and heating is the crop Of kao-
lang stalks. This year, with almost
total failure Of the kao-liang crop,
there will be great distress for lack
Of fuel. Buildings will be torn down
TO get the timbers for fuel. The
problem Of cooking what food they
can get will be difficult Of solution,
and sickness will follow on the use of
improperly cooked food.
While the supply lasts, meat is
cheap-because people cannot afford
TO feed their animals. At a market
where stopped, the place was full Of
animals for sale. In reply TO my
question, "How will you plow your
land for wheat?" the answer was,
"Must we not protect our mouths 7
Well sell these animals and buy
smaller ones" Animals are being
sold at ridiculously low prices and
sent to distant places by the carload
and by the herd. A COW ordinarily
worth $50 to $50 sells for SIS to $50.
The low price of meat and animals
Of all kinds is a sign Of severe fam
inc; IL means that the area affected
is large and the animals must be
taken away before a market can be
found.
A higher primary school in Ling
Hsien ordinarily has 120 boys; now
ii has 20. In one county il is re-
ported that three-tenths Of the
achooIs only xxyiII onan this fall In