Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1921-08-20
Plague and
All Russia
Ghastly Scenes Enact
ed In Greatest Catas-
trophe In History
Nation In Agony

NdJlOu LII agony
Berlin, Aug. 18.-Stories are
reaching Berlin hourly of the
great tragedy which has fallen on
Russia. Some Of these seem toe
ghastly for belief. Yet the many
parts OF the country from which
they come and the same terrible
details Of famine, disease and
death with which they are crowd
ed indicate that Russia is looming
up to the worlds stage in greater
catastrophe than ever before.
The mighty nation of hundred
and forty millions is writhing in
the death agonies of cholera, sour
Wy, hunger and typhus. Plague
has rendered the streets of the
principal cities like London's high
ways during the terrible visitation
Of 1865. Politics. personalities and
creeds are forgotten momentarily
before the scourges. Marxist the
ories are vanishing into thin air
before natures relentless on
slaught. All the efforts of the So
Wet government are directed to-
ward the formation OF committees
OF succor, many members of which
are former bitter political oppon-
ents. History has no parallel to
the disaster now overtaking the
unhappy land.
Great Crack in Earth
The drought is taking its toll of
victims in the north. The earth in
many places shows cracks twenty
feet deep. Trees are devoid of
leaves, and all wells and streams
are dried up. Many villages have
been wiped out by fire. Nearly all
the cattle have been slaughtered
for food, or died for want of water.
The population is feasting on rot
ten, sun-dried carcasses, collapsing
Immediately after from ptomaine
poisoning. Whole towns are emf
grating in thousands. Many of
these unfortunates will never
reach their destination, and hun
dreds have already perished on the
way. Those that are struggling on
their tragic pilgs image are living
on grass hay, tree bark, and plum
dering wherever they can.
Autopsies have revealed that the
stomachs Of the, dead contained
nothing but parched grass. In
many cases the populations of
towns and villages come out into
lanes to meet the refugees and
them for fear that they
will plunder their own precious
food stores. The cry for bread is |
ringing from helpless mouths over
countless thousands of square
miles and there is none to help.
Saratoff is offering In vain ten
horses and five head OF cattle for
each three pounds of flour.
Kneel at Shrines
The peasants are kneeling at
shrines before effigies of
Christ, crying out: There is no
health in us o Lord! Give me
bread, o precious Saviorl Ere we
perishl"
The Derevnskaya Biednota, the
soviet organ, prints today list OF
provinces in which famine and |
other scourges are killing one per-
son In three. These include Mos
COW, Petrograd. Archangel, White
Russia, Smolensk, and the Crimea.
There are reports that the soviet
government is preparing to trans
port 100000 peasants into Chi
na. 1t is estimated that 100000
Will never reach the journeys end.
One person in every 400 sufferers
'an be accommodated in the spe-
'ial hospitals which the soviet gov
arnment has erected at Moscow
md Petrograd. Others fall dead
n the streets, their bodies con-
aminating the air, while birds OF
'rey hover ominously above the
telegraph wires.
The simplest operations cannot
'e performed for lack Of doctors
Those that are there have no in
truments, no anaesthetics, no
'andages, no medicines.
Germany is participating active
y In the international measures
or the assistance of Russia. Max
m Gorky, with the agreement OF
he soviet authorities. is coming to
ierlin to get in touch with lead 4
ng physicians and scientists. The
'ermans are unable to send food
ut are despatching with ali haste ,
umerous Red Cross units, huge
uantities OF surgical Instruments
specially to the volga district
there there are 10000 Germans J