The state herald., 1921-01-14
Central Europeans
Starving by Millions
BY Lloyd Allen.


rope is in the midst of its blacklist
winter of history Famine. cold and
disease are declmating once happy
populations at the rate OF hundreds,
sometimes thousands per day.
Millions are starving slowly. Their
appearance is horrible to behold
They are not drying up into skele-
tons, like the famine victims of India
and Armenia. These Polish, Russian
and Austrian sufferers have 'starva.
tion dropsy." II is brought about by
almost complete absence of albumin
Gus elements and fats In food and
the eating of unusual quantities of
vegetales-grass even-after which
these hordes, marked for death.
drink enormous quantities of water.
\ terrible hloat results
In these trrrorstricken lands ba-
bies are born to parents who have
not a single rag OF garment with
which TO clothe them; they are wrap.
ped in pieces OF paper and perish
from cold.
To travel through Central Europe
is nauseating experience especially
to an American. The memory OF fam
Inc districts can never be eradicated.
It's a series OF startling visits to
orphanages and refugees where scores
OF babies-many of whom will never
walk because OF aggravated ricketts,
that twist little legs into corkscrews
drag themselves about filthy cor
ridors like striker animals.
There are two astounding features
OF this hcartrending picture: First. is
the outward cheerfulness of suffering
nations where there is still hope that
next month will see an Improvement
In 6heir pitiable situation. Secondly,
the reverence with which millions
speak OF America. where all dream OF
going and all regard as the only
Land OF Promise" left In the world
Because from America come food and
funds for feeding nearly 1000 900
children in the worst stricken lands
OF Poland. Austria and Czecho.Slo.
vakia.
Two years ago statesmen OF France
and England feared general Bolshe-
Wiki revolutions In the hunger lands.
Today this fear is practically van
ished. The object lesson OF starving
Russia under Red rule holds forth no
hope 10 the hungry Of Poland and
Austria.
Danger may exist In the form OF n
Red invasion engineered by the Red
Rulers at Moscow: but this threat Is
generally considered quite remote.
Poland. were the Americans are
feeding 100000 children daily. has
seen further unheard OF increases In
the cost OF living. Prices have gcner.
ally increased 1000 per cent. Wheat
noIr alone has advanced 10000 per
cent according TO official reports
Central Lithuania is almost wholly
without food.
Vienna. however. II by long odds
the sorcst pressed capital OF Cen
trail Europe Once tho proudos,. most
luxurious city OF the continent. Il is
today In state OF miserable papuer.
ism. dying rapidly. Its fate, accord
ing To general prediction. Is that OF
becoming an Entente Colony.
Today 100000 vicnncse are cut
on from their traditional sources Of
food. With worthless Austrian kro.
men tho vicnnosc cannot buy from
the plentiful food stocks Of Serbia
and the provinces Of Juso. o.Slavia.
from where. for centuries. the Vienna
people secured fats and grain. In
1914 the kronen was worth twenty
cents In American money. To-day one
kroncn IL worth y quarter Of = cent.
Strange diseases have made their
appeArunce In this once gay capital
Of the Hapsburss. Hundreds suffer
from brittle bones. which break at
tho slightest Jar. Thousands have
irritatcd liberated st0mAchs from cat
Ing vcgctabics--cspccially cabbage
and can digest only tsc most nutri.
tlous foods such nv milg and whoa,
bread. both commodities beyond the
reach Of any except the ul,faricb
Strangely enough IN this chnrnel
house OF Vienna: wncre tho ashes OF
beethoven. Mozart. Schubert Johan.
ncs brahms and johannca Strauss
are buried. the musical tradition has