Indiana daily times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1914-1922, 1921-12-19
American Girl Tells of
Russian Famine Relief
University Student Finds y. S. Cares for
Nearly Million Children.

world. But during the past seven years
production has decreased because Of the
war with Germany, because of the revolu-
ton, because Of the armies Of Kolchak,
Denkin and Wrangle who sought to win
the territory from Soviet Russia and be-
cause Of heavy acquisitions from the cen,
trail government from the peasants to pay
workers in factories
DROUGHT DISCOUNTS
OTHERS OF REGION.
However, conditions last summer were
nearer to normal than they had been for
years past Came the drought. This
region has suffered from droughts be-
FORE but never anything like the one
this sumner Only onc-twentleth Of the
average of the rainfall Of the past seven
teen years fell upon the region, with the
result, the rich earth cracked open In
dryness under the blazing sun, burning
up 10 per cent Of the crops to a frazzle.
OF the 30 per cent that matured at all.
the yield per acre was only a fraction OF
what the peasants were accustomed to
harvest
According to Miss Branham. there are
10000 600 people in the famine districts.
about 100000 Of whom can be counted
on to pull through one way or another
That leaves 10000 900 facing death by
starvation, unless some OF the surplus
from America is sent over Immediately.
Miss Branham declares the need Is i'm
mediate because large part Of the spring
crop is planted. or course there have
been rains this autumn; the ground Is
all right now and the soviet government
has somehow managed TO obtain a limited
amount OF seed grain from what they
had on hand to pay the factory workers,
and by purchase from foreign countries.
This was sent to the Volga regions and
planted. Miss Branham, looking from
the train window, saw little sprouts
springing up from the ground.
AMERICANS FEED
A MILLION CHILDREN.
OF the 100000 facing starvation in
a winter that goes 40 degrees below zero.
the American relief administration is
feeding nearly a million children, the
Quakers 100000. For the rest the soviet
government IS turning every resource TO
aid. but very little can be done without
outside aid on a colossal scale, meaning
an appropriation by Congress to buy the
surplus corn and wheat piled high on
American farms.
As for the soviet government, Miss
Branham declares 1t appears TO be In the
saddle. The famine has helped It, as
the peasants feel the government has
done all in their power to aid them. more
than was done Tor them in previous
famlnes under the czarist regime.
Interesting sidelights In answer to my
questions were:
Mr.. Martens was paid $1,000 rubles per
months salary but Miss Branham paid 30,-
900 rubIes for one lunch in Moscow. She
went to the former cars opera house
where a magnificent ballad was given
every night. All the dancers were In the
class with PavlOwa. The Mosca Uni
versity has classes for adult workers.
Factories have classes for their workers
who are given credit and may attend
evening classes at the university. There
are more than 100000 Quakers in
Russia, many in volga famine districts
who came into possession of the doc
trine three hundred years ago from
English trades people.
In this million are those believing In
the Tolstoian theories OF non -mtlitar1sm.
She went to a children's school supported
by thirteen villages where the children
were taught under the dewey system.
Representatives In the Soviets (local and
nationaD are based not on district but
on occupation. That is to say, instead OF
having so large a percentage of lawyers
as we have in Legislatures and Congress
here, teachers. factory hands, peasants,
doctors and all have representatives in
proportion to their number.
In Miss Branhams opinion COM
munisil is q dead letter in Russia today
and the soviet authorities are so anxious
to win recognition of their government
from other governments, particularly
from the United States, they are willing
to make almost any concessions de-
manded in order to gain this end.-Copy
right, 1921, by Public Ledger Company.