The Washington times., 1935-04-17
BY HARRY LANG

We WNAN SA4eNNNA4 Ny OAAS 0NSAASS
of famine in the Kharkov zone
Of Russia where we saw the vii
lage Of the dead, it's residents
starved. But the Ukraine has a
population of over 30,000,0 900.
What were conditions in the
other sections?
We proceeded upon one trip of
investigation, and went to Kiev.
the ancient capital of Russia,
now capital of the Ukraine.
The main street of the city,
the famous Krestchatik, told a
narrowing tale of famine at first
glance. It was early in the morn
ing, The sidewalks were crowded
with thousands marching to work
carrying their ration of coarse
black bread. 1t was their break
fast-at which they nibbled on
their way. Hunger was the stand
ard of living in Soviet Russia.
Stopped From Aiding
Suddenly, I saw a woman, still
young, drop to the ground. She
had an empty basket in her hands,
and the basket rolled down the
sidewalk. Her arms were con-
vulsed for a moment; then they
stretched out.
Her eyes opened wide once or
twice; then they closed. Her head
shook fitfully; then it hit the
stone pavement and relaxed into
stiffness.
The passersby kept marching.
Not one of them turned around.
My first thought was that the
woman had slipped and fallen by
accident. I made move to help
her rise. With me was a man
from my hotel. He quickly
stopped me.
Don't! Under no circum-
stances should you go! 1t is
not fitting for you, a visitor, .
foreigner, to interfere"
It appeared that this tragedy
was common occurrence. Peo-
pie, enfeebled by starvation, just
collapsed in the streets and died.
But why did it not attract atten-
ton?
Were all those passersby heart
less? Far from it. But everybody
knew they were helpless; that the
dead were better off than the dv-
ing.
I was haunted for long time
by the vision of those outstretched,
still hands: that convulsed head,
that empty basket rolling on the
sidewalk. :
Visits the Synagogue
7 became a. prey to conflicting
moods. Now I felt crushed, almost
paralyzed. Now I felt the impulse
to run and to shout from the
housetops.
It was the season of the Jewish
New Year. I visited the central
synagogue. 1t was crowded with
thousands of worshipers, despite
the threats of persecution by che
Communist Goddess society.
There is a special Jewish
prayer which enumerates all the
known forms of death. It's text
contains a reference to death
from famine. While I was in the
synagogue, the man officiating
at the services recited that prayer.
When he came to the words, land
he that dies from hunger" he
repeated the last word three times
with burning anguish. Thousands
of Jews Sobbed and cried after
him.
Hunger, Hunger, Hunger"
I went down to Basin Street,
the Bowery of Kiev. In the
United States I had heard many
stories of the excellent care taken
by the SovietS of homeless chI-
dren. All over Russia I heard
references to the bandits the
homeless children of the civil
war period that had now reached
maturity. Their number was
legion in Kiev. Many of these
street wolves were already in their
twentieS.
Basin Street was the headquar-
tiers of these bandits" It was
also the stamping ground of vet
Grams of the Red army, a CHASTITY
collection of cripples and invalids
pursuing unsavory affairs. The
two parties were in alliance. The
cripples acted as spoilers, the
street wolves carried out the open
robberies.
I saw a woman carrying away
food from the "open market" in
Basin Street. The street wolves
prefer to attack women. One
of them swooped down upon the
victim and bit her arm. She
dropped her food, and Shrieked.
The bandit" snatched his loot
and fled. A crowd formed quickly,
but no one even tried to catch
the thief. The policeman who
came up ito comfort the woman,
remarked:
"It's hunger that's driving
them on"
And hunger was the immediate
subject of conversation in the
crowd. The woman WAS holdings