, 1923-03-01
.NW REZ72OGRAD Z4AHR0AD NDS
Photo o1z Mz9@-sooT AA74er+oo9

they have suffered so many years. The Ahra' did
this on behalf of the American people. Why did
the 'Ahra' do it-for trade or political advantage?
They have got neither, though they are in Russia
nearly a year. They must have done it then for
pure love of humanity. a wonderful nation, Amer
lea, big. generous, strong, kind, disinterested /!
There is no word quite capable of expressing what
America is. That is how the Russians feel. and
they will remember. How does America feel? If
l were an American l would feel very proud-and
very humble"
America has built up a tremendous amount of
good will for herself among the Russian people
through the relief work in the famine Districts
said Preston Kumler, a Chicago attorney, back
from a years service with A. II. A. Prior to our
coming the Russian masses knew little of Amer
lea. Now the United States is the best advertised
nation in Russia"
The soviet government has shot robbers when
ever 1t captured them. Still there are many BAN
dit gangs which roam at will, living off the coun-
Try. In several Instances a. r.. A. workers were
captured by these bandits and were turned loose
with apologies as soon as their identity was es-
tablished. 1t actually appears TINT these bandits
never interfere with the A. II. A. activities.
Here Is a story that comes from the Bugachof
district of Samara, in which n bandit organEa-
tion of over 1000 men with horses is operating.
The bandits sacked the government warehouse In
Balakova while the A. II. A. storage house. next
door, bullying with cocoa, sugar, canned milk and
other good things to eat. was not touched.
AS an illustration of further consideration by the
buhhiNS VI lt ulHlllt sufferers, III Is related fnat
some of the gang last summer rode up to one of
the A. II. A. village kitchens, merely tasted the
food being prepared for the children: pronounced
1t very good, chucked n few youngsters under the
chins' wishing them good a%ppetltes, and then went
their way-to the home of the village treasurer,
which they looted.
An Interesting feature OF the A. II. A.. work Is
the sprlnglng up of hundreds of new Villages.
American corn built these new villages, which
sprang up practically over night last spring. The
same thing is expected this spring. Edward Fox.
A. II. A. supervisor in the Slmblrsk district. tells
Of 1t thus:
There has been a genuine back-to-the-solI move
ment, an exodus from the cities, where panicky
thousands fled when famine came. Racing against
the brevity Of the summer season. fighting time TO
plant the unfertilized fields, groups of weak and
weary men have dug earth houses TO cover their
heads and those of their families, wasting no time,
merely tossing up a make-shlft home.
Taking Into account the fnmlne situation. the
local powers had quite prepared themselves for
an increase of the refugee movement with the nd.
vent Of spring. With the issue of corn the flight
from the villages diminished, and by the end OF
April had completely ceased. Mny even saw the
return of many of the villagers to their native VII
lnges. Farmers returned to their former occupa-
tion singly and In whole patches and colonies.
As an example, the villnge newly formed In the
Simhlrsk Ouyezd, called 'Pestchnny Ozero,' may
he pointed out, where 100 ndult farmers, having
first assured themselves of n corn ration, settled
on land given them. hurriedly dug themselves
earth huts and seeded their land with all they
could obtain, so forming nm entirely new vilInge."
Just whit Is being done now In the way OF re-
lief and what Will be necessary next spring and
summer is difficult to say. 1t seems probable that
the A. II. A. may be able to close Its work after
the next harvest, except insofar rs tho i,5OOOOO
orphan children and sick In hospitals are con
cerned. Estimates place the number OF Russians
now receiving help Mt S.00O.OO0 from the soviet
government, European relief associations and the
A.. II. A.