Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1920-12-01
DESPAIR Of SAVING
I STARVING CHINESE
Relief Workers Admit Task Of
Feeding 1000, 900 Is Too
Much for Them
Y..M. C. A. ENFORCING ORDER

Special Cable Dispatch. copyrioht. 1920
Tientsin, Dec. 1.-Relief workers
are alarmed at the increasing gravity
cf the situation at the famine refugee
camp on the outskirts Of this city, and
are taking steps to counteract the
spread of disease and to introduce san
itation. which is now utterly lacking.
The camp sprang up on the race
track west Of the japanese concession.
Each family there constructed a rude
hut made of mud without regard to
uniformity. The task Of trying to
establish order has been assigned to the
Y. NJ. G. A.. with II. 3. Hall. of Wor
cester, Mass. in charge. He will be
aided by a number of native Christians.
Mr.. Halls force is tearing down
huts. making streets through the camp,
stalking an alignment for new huts,
building latrincs and compelling the use
thereof. He is also forbidding the use
of canal water for drinking and cooking
purposes. City water is now being
piped, but the supply is sufficient only
to All boiler tanks, whereat an endless
line of women and girls stand with pots
waiting their turn for little supply.
It is impossible to stop the influx
Of refugees. many having tramprd from
places q hundred miles away. Most of
these having small funds nome down
the river on boats. but this will soon
cease, as ice is already forming.
OF a population of $4,000, 900 in the
famine area, no less than 10000, 900
are destitute. Missionaries send reports
that q total Of IL. 24S 900 are actually
starving, with many counties unre-
ported, owing to insufficient workers to
make q census.
Even where there are missionaries
all admit it will be possible to save only
q very few. Ten relief organizations.
whose operations cover eighteen coun-
ties in the province of Chilli. are pro.
viding for 40 900 until the next har-
vest out Of grants totaling 20j 900
Mexican dollars
Bishop W. r. Lambeth of the Meth
odist Episcopal Church South. left
Tientsin for Shanghai on Friday after
a tour of Chilli and Shantung. He is
hurrying home to make appeals 10 the
American people for funds.
Mr.. Hall. aided by other Americans
and some Europeans. is now canvass
ing. classifying and isolating the COM
municable diseases. which include every
known kind. 1t takes rare courage to
volunteer for this dangerous work, yet
the colony of Americans and Europeans
here is not shirking. The women are
busily preparing garments for the need
lest of the sufferers They are also
removing and caring for confinement
cases.
Arrangements are being made to open
soup kitchens but thus far funds to
provide for only 1000 portions daily
have been provided. In the meantime.
refugees begging throughout the city are
roughly handled by the unsympathetic
police.
Toxic. Dec. 1.-Considerable sur
prise was expressed by the japanese war
and foreign Offices yesterday when off
Cials were asked how many troops
Japan intended to send into the Chinese
famine districts. Then followed cm.
phatic denial that Japan intends or has
considered sending, any troops
Collection Of a famine relief fund in
Japan has been proceeding steadily, it
was learned, but as yet it has not been
decided when it will be distributed.
In view of the ''unsavory peculating
record Of Chinese officials" it was
stated those in charge of the fund have
no idea of handing it to the Chinese
direct, knowing il that we're done only
a few yen. II any, ever would reach the
famine victims