Richmond times-dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1914-current, 1921-03-07
CIVIL ENGINEER DESCRIBES.
CH|NA's FAMINE SCENE
Method OF Relief and Tells OF
Starving People.
ALL BUSINESS IS. PARALYzED
None But Hungry and Sick Are
Seen I'm Streets When Panic Sets
In--linlf-Demcntcd People Are
Encountered.
Iyy Associated press.l

NEW YORK. March "a graphic
description Of famine scenes in China
an explanation OF their cause and out
line OF methods OF relief is given by
Charles Davis jameson, who mas been
civil engineer in China since 1895 and
nected with the Department o.!
famine Relief and Food Control Of
the Chinese government.
Over nj. nmic SPREADS rapidly
the people realize their danger o.
starvation. says sir. Jameson. All
OF the people. wnen .hunger sets in
and the food Is al, gone are wander
ing not to any definite point, but to
any pace which changes the scene
Of their 1niseiy he aCas business
rs at once ~ a!yZ.d. When l last
passed throus" famine district
tncrc wns hot cart OF any kind in
the roads or streets. Not mule nor
a morse nor a wheelbar:ow was seen
coum,e-cd going 10 or from market
Il vas as II great fear were over
the Wh0ie coum.ry. and the people
we're holding their breath and listen
:hS ana waiting for a horror. None
put the starving or sick are seen in
The streets at such time Famine
ever ana typhus soon break out in
every town and city.
People Are Drmcnted
Outside the walls OF these towns
and on the highways are eulancia;ed
d iI. u en,9n mEn. women and chill
WITH fe* belongings which they
cannot sell. some may carry bowl,
or BLANKETS containing leaves, ,wirs,
STRAW or bark from the trees. Nearly
very ire. ls tripped Of It's bark and
dying The people walk until they
can Walk no more and then sit down
and die.
Not n day goes by but ONE n,ss..
bodies IN the highways or at the road
SIDES :nd the aelds-men women.
children and babies. over the fields
ana along the roads prowi starving
woives-Enunt. hungry. suvaye-de
rourins what lies in their way. In
| some instances men aud women. in
sane. fight with the dogs for food
ne Is at once eaten by man or dog .
The natural causes OF ;r;n;nc in
NINA arc droush,s ana floods Mr.
Jameuon says. South Of the Yanr-tzn
River famines are rare. M the Ta
!aI rs fairly regular. but north OF
me river the country il c!asg.d M
soinisrid and the rainfall is subject
20 great variations. Some time. the
ram is so heavy that the grain lis
beaten fiat on the ground. and large
areas LETT under water. Tho harvest
90 ios'. iahd becomes sodden and no
croi1 are possible until the next
year What is not actually under
water becomes one vast swarm
More than four-flfths OF the trans
VI 'hlud II lcCOnlDli N ph
by hundreds OF thousands Of ,u,"
"nceied carts, pack cameis, mules.
horsGs, donkeys. men. whcclbarrows
ana boats along the great rivers and
Mr. Jameson asserts that the
caiamity that has now fallen upon
mi!iions Of Chinese is due to no lack
~ inGns,rS' Tor they are the most
rcnlarka farmers in the world" al
thouSh their methods and tools are
inuch the same IA those used in Ecypt
IN the time Of Moses. The people i;vc
Il hand- to- mouth existence and 2 fall
u'c ni crons one year means under
iecHihs. Two years or bad crops
brings starvation and worse
Combinations OF men. women and
draft animals pull the piows used in
chttivat.ng the soil The crops are
Teaped ny hand and threshcd on IN.
earth floor IN the open The straw is
rtacKed for use az fuel or food, and
the grain is ground between mill
s,ones moved by men. women or DON
Key pOyyer.