The public ledger. [volume] (Maysville, Ky.) 1913-1968, 1921-05-19
PLAGUE IS PERIL TO
CH|NA'S GRANAR|ES
Bubonic Sweeps Southwark In
Manchuria; Dead Donkey
Brings 81 as Food
"spEED UP FUNDS" IS PLEA

In a recent report from Charles r.
Crane, U. s. Minister to China, to the
American Committee Of the China
Famine Fund, 1t Is stated, that Blu.
bonic plague which few months ago
appeared in Northern Manchuria, has
crept southwark until 1t now threat
ems the main grain supply Of China,
which increases the burdens Of this
woe-beset nation.
As far back as 1917, China's trou-
bles began to multiply when the Vel.
low River, always known as 'China's
Sorrow" overfowed Its banks and
swept the great provinces Of Shantung
end Shansi. The crops were Destroy
ed and millions Of persons made home
less. Floods are not unusual in north
China, but then came the great drouth
and not until last summer did the rain
clouds come between the dry brown
earth and its tormenter-the sun.
Faced Peril In Silence.
But during these days, months and
even years, when the food was gone,
China did not raise her voice for be'p.
The world did not know of the great
tragedy in the Far East enacted on a
parched stage with 45,OOO,0O0 famish-
ed people as the actors.
1t seemed that at last their troubles
had ended when the green things be-
gan to peep above the ground last sum
mer. Then came that old enemy OF
nankind-locusts in droves, in clouds
so thick they obscured the light Of sun
descended as from nowhere, and al
most over night the earth was stripped
Of every living growing thing The
stage once more was parched, brown
dry desert; but many Of the actor.
had passed into the land Of their an
cestors.
In some recent information received
an instance Is recited describing tn,
terrible restitution Of the famin,
stricken land-a donkey had died in |
distant province from lack Of food. 1T
owner carted It into the interior o
the famine area where eager bidder
finally ran the price up to 81 to use 1t
carcass for food.
Plague Threatens Granarles.
And now the plague threatens Chi
mas granaries. Unless the plague ca
be checked. Mr.. Crane asserts, tn
granary relied on for the relief Of mi
lions of famine victims in North Chin
will be cut of:
"The situation is rendered more 81
rious," writes Mr.. Crane, "by the fat
that Manchuria is literally crowde
with foreign exiles." There are n
fewer than 100000 Russians who fle
before the Bolshevik executioner
100000 Koreans, and thousands Of Oh
nese who formerly lived in Siberia, br
who have been driven into Manchurl
by the Red Armies.
| Concerted efforts are being mad
in cities and towns along the Chimes
Eastern Railway to combat the plagu
hospitals being established and IL
victims isolated. Efforts also are Vi
der way to fight the source Of the dl
ease-the rats that carry the gerr
Thousands Of persons already ha,
died, and have been given hasty buris
SPELLS Doom For Millions.
IF the grain supply of Manchur
is cut off, the famine victims In Sha
tung, Chill, Honan, Shansi and Shen
will be doomed, Manchurla represe
tatlves Of the American Red Cross, Il
Chinese Red Cross and the Y. NJ. c.
have informed the Picking authoriti
of the danger and urged that gra
buying and shipments be FASTENED"
In the famine area there are appro
imately 100000 persons subsisti
on dry leaves, bark and roots, and on
through the speed Of funds to obta
this grain before It Is cut of by I
plague can these people be saved fro
death by starvation.
The raising Of funds now, at t
time when all efforts must be speed
put behind the work, is possible OF
through organizations In local CONN
mites. The Rev. DR.. E. Y. Multi
Chairman In Kentucky for the Chi
Famine Fund, issued q call to perso
in each community In Kentucky to {
together at once and form local
ganizatlon for the solicitation Of fun
for these starving people before 1t
too late to save them. Through I
China Famine Fund money collected
Il.