FAMINE IN RUSSIA

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 257, 25 July 1921, Page 5

FAMINE IN RUSSIA

HUNGER-STRICKEN HORDES SEARCHING FOR FOOD TRQOPS CALLED OUT TO PROTECT CITIES INVASION OF WESTERN EUROPE THREATENED By Telegraph—Presa Association—Copyright (Rec. July 24, 5.5 p.m.) London, July 23. The "Daily Express’s" Riga correspondent states that tho famine is increasing. Thirty million people in one zone, after eating cats, dogs, and rats, are now fleeing from their homes in a desperate search for food. There is a general migration in three directions—one to Siberia, another to tho Caucasus, and the third and largest towards Moscow. Stores, cattle, and grain are being raided en route. Hordes of hunger-stricken people are storming passing trains, completely disorganising traffic. The 801-< shevik authorities are growing hysterical, and have called out regiments to protect the cities against the mobs of hungry country folk. Fighting has commenced between the troops and the maddened mobs. Elsewhere tho countryfolk refuse to give up surplus food, which the troops divided. Foraging parties endeavoured forcibly to seize produce for the cities, where there is chronic starvation. The situation is getting beyond Soviet control. Lenin has issued a proclamation to all Russia urging an increase of production, otherwise complete exhaustion will result. The Government is seeking to cancel all foreign orders for coal, naphtha, and other products, and to divert all available funds to the purchase of food. Trotsky threatens that if tho army is deprived of food he will join the exodus and become tho advance guard of an invasion on Western Europe.'—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.