The Prince George's enquirer and southern Maryland advertiser., 1921-09-09
SOVIET REVEALS
FAMINE HORRORS
Hunger and PestiIence the Cul-
mination of Seven Years of
National and Civil War.
ARMIES DENUDED THE LAND
Drought and Locusts Completed the
Ruin Begun by Pilaging and Requi-
sitions-AII of Russia's Assets
Offered as Security in Quest.

Moscow-RepOrts from different
provinces in the famine area published
in the Moscow new official famine
paper ''Pomarsh" (Help) give pic
ture of hunger, pestilence, panic and
desolation which proves the accuracy
of accounts Of refugees and from
other sources already cabled from
Riga.
In the most afflicted areas there was
already a shortage last winter, which
became acute by the end of Spring.
The exodus of the panic-stricken pop
ulation began in May and June. BY
the middle of the latter month epi-
denies of cholera, etc, broke out in
the Over-croWded towns. Thus the
death rate reached several hundred
daily in the town Of Samara alone. BY
this period the Soviet authorities, fully
alive to the gravity of the situation
began desperate efforts of mitigation
which finally eliminated in the ap-
peal to America and Western Europe
The causes are fourfOld:
l. The effects of the seven years of
war, national and civil, heightened by
the blockade. This greatly reduced
the area sown, the supply of seed, the
number of the agricultural population,
especially of the most vigorous men,
and agricultural implements.
=. Indiscriminate acquisitions by Red
and White forces, pillaging, etc. In
justice to the Soviet authorities it
must be admitted that this was purely
a war measure and was Immediately
replaced by them when the defeat of
General WTangel removed their last
enemy, by an equitable system of Il
universal tax of food products vary
ing from 3 to IL per cent of the year 5
production collected by the local au-
thoritieS. This instituted in March,
worked smoothly enough and has pro-
duced already per cent above the
estimates in the provinces unaffected
by the famine.
3. Prolonged drought from the mid
die of April till the middle or end of
June completing the ruin of the crops.
f. A plague of locusts and epidemics
due to lack of medicines and general
encouragement of the population
under such elimination of seven
years of continual war and hardship,
and insutficiency of timely relief
measures, owing to the vastness Of the
distances involved, transport break
down, lack of coordination of the
various local authorities, etc.
The following reports published In
the "PomarSh" show the extent of the
disaster. They cannot be taxed with
exaggeration, for it is the official
tendency here rather to minimize than
to magnify.
The first report in the "Pomarsh"
reads:
Samara.-The first signs of unusual
scarcity in November and December
resulted in indiscriminate army reQuf-
sitionS Prices then rose considerably.
In the first three months of the cur
rent year there were further requisi-
tions, which caused widepread disSat-
iSfaction. Bandits appeared in large
groups, pillaging grain stores in the
Pugachey and Novousensky districts
and elsewhere Only a third to half
absence of laborers and lack of i'm
plements.
With the drought from the middle
of April food became very scarce, and
substitutes general, such as bran,
acorns, bark, grass, etc, but meat was
temporarily plentiful owing to the
slaughter of cattle. At the end of
May the peasants began flocking to
the railways. Berries and unripe fruit
were much eaten, followed by an in
crease of cholera, always epidemic in
the Russian Summer. BY June only
bread substitutes were left in the
villages. Cattle and poultry were
killed off. Owing to the drought the
harvest was only good for pasturage
Their was no hay, the grass being only
three inches high.
BY late June the panic was in full
| flood on railroads and steamers. The
iUnctiOnS were crowded with thOuS
andS Of refugees suffering from
| cholera and typhuS The streets were
! choked with people. The square be
! fore the Samara depot was filled
| Cholera cases attained GOO to 10t
| daily in the town of Samara, and the
! death rate was - per cent. The cases
| lay unattended in the streets.
! BY now everything was dried up
| I-,,,, Tho looynS bGI fa1laO from thf
| trees. In July locusts completed the
| ruin The situation IS dreadful anC
! there is general despair