The New York herald., 1921-08-08
SOVIET RULE BLAMED
FOR RUSSIAN FAMINE
Mrs. Harrison Says Eco
nomic Disintegration Is
Worse Than Drought.
PROVINCES OVERRUN
Fields Not Cultivated and
Population Scattered
by Revolutions.
EAT STRAW AND WEEDS
Freed American Writer As
serts 10000. in Volga
Basin Are Starving.
EAT STRAW AND WEEDS
Ru tn Associated Press.

By the Associated Press.
BERLIN. Aug. THE American relief
! workers who are about 10 go into
famine stricken Russia probably will
find 100000 persons in the Nolga
Basin actually starving and two-thirds
of the entire population of Russia on
hunger rations. according 70 Mrs. Mar
guerite L. Harrison. the American
newspaper woman recently released
from prison in Soviet Russia.
This Mss. Harrison attributes to in
ternal economic and political disinte-
grafton under Soviet rule. and also to
the ravages of the internecine wars
against Admiral Kolcha< and Cen
Wrangcl and to the drought. What
the drought failed 10 accomplish, con-
scription of farm hands and the requi-
sitioning OF grain for the Red armies
completed.
The result is that the Ukrainian re-
public, normally the granaTy OF Russia.
barely is able to sustain itself Siberia
virtually Is in the same predicament.
Neither region is willing to surrender
grain to the famine sections, and migra-
tion Of peasants is now proceeding. COM
pleteIy halting the autumn planting
which constitutes a threat against next
years crops. The food situation. Mrs.
Harrison said, also win have swift and
decisive bearing on the public health.
although the Russian sanitary corps mad
the cholera situation In hand when she
left Moscow at the end OF July.
Famine Area Detailed.
The famine area begins between
2 Nizhni-Novgorod and Kazan on the
north and extends southwark in a broad
belt to Tsaritsin. on both sides of the
Volga. embracing the Tartar republic
provinces of Sirnbirsg. Samara. Saratoft.
Penza and Tambov; the TcherlSask re-
public parts of Riazan and Tula, and
large part OF the Province OF Ufa to
the foothills of the Ural Mountains.
Famine conditions have been made
worse by poor transportation and the
ineffciency of local distribution or
ganizations which have been vigorously
attacked by the newspapers during the
past few weeks. For instance. 50 per
cent. OF the milk spoiled in the Mos
COW Government was due TO the defec-
tive organization Of the receiving sta
tions.
Pitiful stories of suffering are told on
all sides. The peasants of Tanbov are
reported to be eating bread made of
straw. potato parings and weeds. 1t Is
called lebedya. In the Novenski prison,
where Mrs Harrison was detained. the
bread was adulterated with Il -four
which appeared to have been made from
COW peas. Kasha the staple cereal of
the peasants. has been replaced by
flageolet beans, which are imported.
Saw Famine Apuraachjnr
Mrs. Harrison visited the Voiga
Basin with the British labor delegation
a year ago. when she observed symp-
toms of the approaching food shortage.
This, she says. is not the result OF the
crop failure but of the economic condi-
tions prevailing since the beginning of
the revolution During ths Kolchak
campaign the volga proviv .es were over
run, with the result ,nat the fields were
not cultiratec and the population scat
tered This was one reason why the Of
fetal figures for 1920 showed that the
number of farm workers In Russia had
increased so per cent. since 1916.
When the Soviet retoox the volga
provinces in 1919 they proceeded vigor-
ousiy and in the main efficiently. 10
carry out the programme of agricul-
tural reconstruction. They succeeded
fairly we'll though lacking in man power
machinery and fertilizer. The Commits
sariat Of Agriculture began campaign
OF education, sending to the provinces
trained propaganda workers and techni-
cal literature experts
Hoped for Good Harvest
In the spring Of last year. Mrs. Har-
rison said. the reserve supplies, which
had been hidden. were nearly exhausted
but the crop prospects We're good. This
was the situation when the Polish cam
-.
acquisitions. In addition to the natural
produce tax. At the close Of 1920 the
Government found the food supplies
greatly Inadequate. and IN February the
revolt hindercd the importation for
time of foodstuffs from Siberia In the
early spring the Soviet instituted free
trade and reorra nized the cooperative
societies in the provinces. but these
measures were not productive Of great
practical results and the people pinned
their hopes on good harvest.
Then the drought set IN. with An Al.
most total loss 70 the crops IN tho volGa
region. resulting In y hopeless situation.
Alarming reports began to pour into
Moscow. not only of famine hut Of the
mass mlgratons from the volga re-
rions, which the Government stnll Is I'M
able to control. Last year tho SovIe,
encouraged emigration. when f3S6Ss
persons we're transferred ~ Siberia.
realizing the threat of famine which
had been growing for several years
The enligrants now often are greeted bv
the natives with clubs and rifles. bat
the Governments efforts - stem tho
tide ~ emigration Is without appreci-
able results
Rain Spoiled Hry Crop.
During July according IL Mrs Ha-ri.
son. the heavy rains spoiled much or the
hay crop. The Government IA mailing
an effort 60 save the livestock by con-
centrating herds on the natural pastur-
age slopes Of the Ural Mountalns Tho
peasants. however. arc opposing fhia
plan. fearing they 4ill never get back
their cattle
The health situation Mrs Harrison
Saws r. distressing While cholera II
under control Incomplete figures showed
there had been $4,000 cases 10 the end
OF July. most Of them In the govern
nent Of Astrakhan. There were only
1e5 cases IN Moscow up to July 25. md
the Health Department. which Mrs Har
rison said was exceedingly efficient. had
done splendid work. II had undertaken
compulsory inoculation throughout the
country and seemed 10 have plenty or
virus. Typhus will be a menace with the
ppnroach of tho cold weathe- 'r,,hor.