Capital journal. (Salem, Or.) 1919-1980, 1922-03-06
The Russian Famine

That deserving organization, the American Friends
Quakers has issued appeal for the relief of fifteen mil
lion starving Russians of the Voga basin No drive is be-
ing attempted there systematic commerciazaon of
relief work characerze the perpetual drive for Armenia
and effort to flood the pulpit and press with propaganda
yet worthy humanitarian appeal has been
made in behalf of afflicted humanity.
Contributions of wheat corn, flour other prducts
asked cash to purchase them and the Friends will
that they reach their destination without waste paying all
costs of transportation The minimum cost of food to keep
person alive with meal day is four cents dollar
month 1t will take $5O000 900 month to feed the starving
Russians for at least five probably six months until their
ground yield food The American government has given
$2OOO0O0O which will keep the famine sufferers for little
monhso there is need of urgent haste if relief is
to be too e and should be glad to assist
in saving life
Other parts of Russia are suffering from msgovernmen
food shortage and hardship but nowhere does starvation
stalk through the land in the valley of the Voga
suit of drought that bghted and the hot winds that
scared the fields Seventy percent of the land produced
nothing year. the balance only twentieth of the
usual crop The affected is 500 by 300 miles with
population of thirty Millions half of whom face starva
tion.
The Volga drains interior Russia emptying into the Cas-
plan It's immense valley has been populated for
centuries has always been gathering and breeding
place for humanity from which great hOrdes migrated at
intervals being driven thence to invade Asia Europe by
similar droughts and famnes The Nordic or northern
European probably originated here at least it was
cradle of the race Climatic changes and pressure of
aon forced the nvasons of adjacent and distant lands by
the various Aryan tribes of prehistoric and of historic
times From here the white invaders of nda OF Persia
of Greece and northern and western Europe Early in the
Christian era the last the Nordic nomads had left the
Voga valley and the Scyhians, also of Aryan extraction
occupied the land For centuries following the region was
overrun by Tatars Mongo oriental driven west
by the drying up of their own lands.
So famines thing in the fertile Volga basin
They have depopuaed and repopuad the region again and
again. but present depoabe situation the worst disaster
on record the chaos existing in Russia and the col
lapse of In the famine of 1891 the government
spent 70 millions in relief work in addition to that contr
bued by the outside world but the existing Soviet
ment can do but little to relieve the situation.
While millions in Russia dying from hunger and eX
posre and hopeessy wandering seeking food In Valn IN
the United States such surplus of food products that
hev are selling below cost of production and farmers are
burning fuel instead of coal wood because there
is no market for their products Miles of empty freight
cars line the railroad sdngs for want of something to haul
our harbors are filled with ships idle from lack OF cargoe
and cities are congesed with jobess who can IND no
employment. :.
What an indictment upon civilization, that surplus
food should rottng accessible part OF the world ana
millions be dying of hunger from lack OF this very 1000 III
another part the railroads and steamers which might
he utilized to transport this food rustng IN emptiness
and the men who could be employed in loading and shipping
are idle And we, in snug and compasant setsu1-
ency refuse to give of abundance and talk hard
times because desire to buy all the superuXures OIL
sik-shrt initiation has been curtalled!