Albuquerque morning journal. [volume] (Albuquerque, N.M.) 1903-1926, 1922-10-09
AME R|CAN HELP
HASH 7 BEEN IN
VAIN IN RUSSIA
Relief Administrations
Work for the First Year
is Reviewed; Some of Re-
suits Are Outlined


years work in Russia on a scale
vastly greater than was originally
planned those who supported the
work may we'll ask whether Ameri-
cas- gift actually produced the re-
suits anticipated, whether mortal
ity tables reflect the aid that has
been extended in a falling death
curve.
That Americas giving has not
been in vain is shown in the fol-
lowing report from Mr.. Edward
Fox, a district supervisor for the
American relief administration,
which, while it covers only one dis
trict along the Nolga, is typical of
the entire A. r. A. operation:
In the spring of 1922, March
and April" Nh. Fox writes, the
famine had attained its culminat
ing point. Everything eatable had
been eaten, cattle, chaff, even
weeds, had become a rarity. The
more wealthy peasants were TAX
ing desperate steps to keep their
starving horses alive for the COM
ing spring field work. The only
food remaining was the bark of
lime, oak and yew trees, or rotten
straw milled into flour.
Death From Starvation.
death from starvation among
the adult population rose to terri
BILE heights; persons between the
age of 80 and 40 mostly fell vic
tins; while those who escaped
were swollen and hardly able to
move about from weakness. There
we're villages, formerly flourish
ing, where only q few persons were
able to walk about, and they were
usually chosen to go on all errands
TO the A. r. A. local headquarters
to beg for help--a last hope. Even
those on arriving in town at the
A. f. A. offices with urgent appeals
for help could hardly stand, so
completely were they exhausted.
And these persons represented the
strongest people of the village
The April and May corn issue
certainly saved whole villages from
starvation and death The peas
ants themselves stated that the
corn not only saved their lives, but
gave them strength to carry out
the spring field work.
Death Rate Decreased.
THE death rate in April was as
high as that of March, cases were
noted of death caused by over
feeding of corn. In May the death
rate fell very notably.
Taking into account the fam
inc situation, the local powers had
quite prepared themselves for an
increase of the refugee movement
with the advent of spring, and fear
ing an overflow into the towns had
taken steps to cope with this. With
tho issue of corn the flight from
the villages diminished. and Inv the
end Of April had completely ceased
May even saw the return of many
of tho villagers to their native vii
lage. Farmers returned ia their
former occupation singIy and in
batches-colonies In the latter
case a representative had usually
been to the A. K. A. to beg for helm
and had received a definite num-
Der of rations.
IF their words are to be relied
upon, only the corn made their re-
turn possible. AS a vivid example
OF the above, the village newly
formed in the Simbirsk Owed
called Pestchany Ozero NAV be
pointed out, where 1870 adult farm
ers-having first assured them
selves of a corn Tation-settled on
iahd given them in April, hurried
y aug themselves earth huts and
seeueu lhelr land with all they
t 1uoiu opldlh, thus forming an en-
lew Vl.iage'
"rbo a. .oru haGon.
sides savine- ~ , Guln fatlon, be.
tbousa,,d.. .te lives OF tens OF
brisk district aIone :, .ne oiil-
panic and flight from tbo st, r1,ins
villages. putting on their foot 49,
pie exhausted by the long wiptor
struggle, and returning to the viii
lages many who already fled, had
Two other extremely important re-
suils' namely; the saving of por-
I'm VI the cattle ana the saving of
~ Pr ms SEED gram. Had there
slig,,tost ~, mere is not the
cattle ar tho 80 'llat nelther the
saved All ,,,o,,14, moulu nave peen
by the pensants ~ zen eater
selves Acknowledge os ''S eieni-
last resource for goining n' ,ne
strength to enable them IN corr,,
out the spring planting.
Sale of Cattle Ceased
ChSc INC corn was issued we
mad no more news of seed grain
being used for food. The sale of
cattle also ceased and the low
prices prevailing through the win
ter rapidly increased. as the meas
ant, once he had corn to fall back
on, instinctiyeIy ssrove to keen
tho cattle.
AS soon as the news of Amer
iea's gift reached the villages
there were continual demands
from all sides as to how far If
was to be relied upon. Those COM
ing in from the villages said that
the peasants were weakening nm
der the pressure of hunger that
fathers of families could no longer
see the sufferings of those dear to
l.