STARVATION IN AMERICA

Hawera Star, Volume L, 18 December 1930, Page 5

STARVATION IN AMERICA

PLIGHT OF RURAL POPULATION MORALE DAILY BREAKING DOWN ARKANSAS BADLY AFFECTED. I L*nilea t'le.fts association —JtJ> iUeciric i'eiegrapii Copyright.) Received 10 a.m. to-dav. WASHINGTON, Dec. 17. Reports received by Senators indicate that actual starvation lias begun in Arkansas, which State is the worst bit by the drought. Senator Caraway received letters, one of which wag, from Arkansas, stating: “My family is on the verge of starvation. I have eight children. If you can do anything for me I am sure it would be apperciated.” An Arkansas lawyer reported: “I i understand from the superintendent of our public school that at least 200 grammar school children are on a slow 'starvation diet." The lawyer also stated: “Thousands of our people will not be able to subsist another 30 days.” A woman wrote: “The morale of our rural population is breaking down daily.’’ The county relief chairman of Forrest City, - Arkansas, wrote: “Onethird of the population is in actual want of food and the other two-thirds are unable to help.’’ Numerous other letters from bankers, business men and prominent citizens continued the stories of a serious situation.

A grocer reported: ‘ ‘Stores are broken into, banks held up and robbed and cattle killed for food by thieves. Fifty per cent of the farmers are without food and clothing.’’ Red Cross statistics indicate, that 1,000,000 persons are destitute in Arkansas alone and thousands in other States also suffering.