The Washington herald., 1920-12-17
FIFTEEN SUICIDES
RECORD EACH DAY
IN HUNGARIAN CITY
Lack of Fuel and Epi'
demic Brings Budapest
To Harsh Straits.

LONDON, Dec. 16.-Despite fifteen
suicides daily in Budapest among
the starving population and despite
the closing of all schools because
Of scarlet fever epidemic and lack
of fuel, the American Relief Ad-
ministration has been forced to close
it's kitchens to Hungarian children
because of lack of funds from the
United States. according to a tele-
gram received today at the relief
administration headquarters from a
special representative in the Hun
garian capital.
Due to an epidemic of scarlet
fever and lack Of fuel for heat
ing. all Budapest schools have been
closed since October Is. and there
is no prospect Of their being opened
in the near future" the telegram
reads. "Due to overcrowding, all
| hospitals are obliged to send chill
dren away before they are cured.
Urgent requests continually are be-
ing sent to the relief administra-
tion to issue foodstuffs to these
children who are. returning to their
| homes without Nod. fuel or sum-
cient bedclothes.
Suicide Rate High.
| There are an average of fifteen
suicides daily in Budapest due to
hunger and misery. 1t Is estimated
that not 10 per cent of the popu-
Iation of Budapest is supplied with
fuel. A great majority have not
even fuel for cooking their scanty
rations.
THE most serious consequence Of
the misery in Hungary is a weak
ening Of moral fiber due to the great
number of thefts. especially Of food
and fuel. The government has de-
cided that lit Is impossible to i'm
prison all culprits and has restored
the whipping penalty, which was
abandoned a century ago. The Amer
ican Relief Administration has been
forced to. close it's child-feeding
kitchens in Hungary due TO lack OF
funds. but deputations OF ragged
children. formerly fed by us, con-
tinue to come to our ONCE to in
quire when the kitchens VIII DC
reopened.
Artists Widow SUFFERS.
Nine. Lotz, So years of age
widow of Charles Lotz, Hungary
greatest fresco painter. WHOSE
paintings decorate the Hungarian
parliament. the opera. and royaI
castles and whose paintings no"
are on exhibition in the Palace oi
Fine Arts in San Francisco, is ir
the greatest poverty. She is living
in a small hotel with a monthly
pension equivalent to seventy Amer
ican pennies. She has sold every
thing she possessed and finally ap'
, pealed to the mayor of Budapest fol
free room rent.
AN extraordinary incident oc'
CURED during performance o
, 'Othello' at the National Theatel
in which the famous Hungarian
tragedian. Emily Markus. is playin,
tDesdemona. While the audience
awaited spellbound for Othello'
soIiloquy before strangling Desde
mona they were amazed to see tn
Moor proceed to the stranglinl
without delivering the soliloquy
Asked later why he omitted this
, the actor replied that when he wa
leaning oveS Desdemona prelimi
, nary to the soliloquy she whispere
= to him to cut it short or she woul
miss the last train to her suburbal
home. The gallant Moor compile
with her request, showing that
is serious matter TO miss trai
in Budapest. where. due to the Goa
shortage, only one-third of th
pre-war trains are running, al
though the number of travellers
SO per cent greater.
} Because her salary in the depre
ciated Hungarian money amounts I
$50 a month the actress has starte
e a soap factory to make a living"
Copyright, 1870, Public Ledger CO..