The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1921-08-20
SIGN
RUSS FAMINE
RELIEF PACT
Stricken Country Made Bene-
ficiary of Far Reaching Pro-
gram-Includes Food and
Combating Of Epidemics.
BEGIN WORK AT ONCE
tBy Associated Press)

ttSN ASSOCIATED PreSSD
RIGA, Letvia, Aug. 2o.-The agree
ment between the United States and
Russia providing for American relief
for the famine stricken districts of
Russia was signed at 1880 o'clock
this morning by Walter Lyman Brown,
European representative of the Ameri-
can relief administration, and Maxim
Litvinoff. representative OF the Rus
sian famine committee.
Hope that the signing of the agree
ment would lead to further relations
between Russia and America was ex-
pressed in speeches made by M. Lit
vinoff and M. Meirovitz. the Letvian
premier.
Mr. Brown confined his remarks to
formal words of thanks and the ex-
preston of the hope that the agree
ment would result in the saving Of
lives.
Russia is by the terms of the con-
tract made the beneficiary of far
reaching program which includes not
only providing food for the people of
the famine stricken Volga rasion. but
the combating of epidemics The task
ious diseases among the fugitive
homes is considered great.
Cholera has appeared in various dis
tricts, and there is in many places
danger of epidemics such as have in
the past swept away myriad victims
and reached distant parts of the cod
tinent
Begin Work at Once.
1t is understood orders already have
gone to Hamburg. Danzig AID New
! York, directing that relief ships be
loaded with food and medicines for
Russia. Actual work in Russia possibly
may commence in a little more than
week
Political and commercial activities
will be outside the realm of the work
ers' duties, and any violation of this
clause of the agreement may be cause
for expulsion from Russia upon proofs
being submitted to the directors of the
relief work All Americans engaged
in feeding and caring for the famine
sufferers will enjoy diplomatic rights.
All relief shipments will be trans
ported free of charge to points Sc
| lected by the Americans. who will
have absolute control of distribution.
1t is the plan to restrict relief meas
| ures to those people who are in &C
tual distress and to prevent govern
ment employees and men in the army
and navy from coming into posses
sion of their supplies.
Committees Cooperate
The Russian famine committee will
cooperate with the American relief
administration and the Americans will
not operate in districts where the
| Russians are able to provide rations.
Race, creed and political status will
be forgotten, and reports of the work
| being done will be given the world
without interference by the soviet
government. Observers here have de-
clared the agreement confers upon
the American relief administration ia
cilities never before granted any for
eign organization by a Russian gov
| ernment
ROME, Aug 20-A commission TO
consider means for relieving the Rus
sian famine sufferers soon will leave
for Russia. It's members include SEN
ators Ciraolo and Di Cesaro and Dep
uties Turati and Baranzini.
| COPENHAGEN, Aug. 2o.-It has
been decided by the government to
appropriate for Russian relief work
the funds voted for aiding war devas-
tated countries. With these funds it
is proposed to establish a food depot
for children at Petrograd and the hope
is expressed that the work will be
begun early next month.
| LONDON, Aug. 20.--It is reported
that an English financial group has
secured long lease on the port of
Petrograd from the Russian soviet
government
Dispatches from Russia last June
stated that negotiations for the estab-
lishment of a company to take over
the administrative power of the port
of Petrograd were going on, and that
a number of London bankers we're in.
terested in the project
At that time it was said that the
company would take over control of
all factories and workshops in Petro-
. grad. and that the British might ex-
tend their operations to other Russian
/