THE FAMINE IN RUSSIA.

New Zealand Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 18080, 3 May 1922, Page 10

THE FAMINE IN RUSSIA.

PROPOSED BRITISH GRANT, GOVERNMENT'S REFUSAL. ■ Labour members of the House of Commons have been urging the Government to make financial provision for the relief of v the famine districts in Russia. A statement was recently made by Mr. Austen Chamberlain, leader of the House, that. in view of the large sums the House had already voted fox the relief of Europe, and" the very heavy burdens resting on our own people, and the great distress 'and suffering .existing among them, the Government was unable to propose a grant from public funds. Every effort, however, would be made to add to the supply of medical stores already placed at the disposal of' the Red Cross Society. Sir. Barnes: Is the right hon. gentleman aware that the American Government has given 12,000,000 dollars, and are feeding about 7,000,000 women and children? Mr. Chamberlain: I am aware that the American Government has devoted even a larger sum than that mentioned to the purpose of . famine relief. I believe that the horrors of the situation in Russia can hardly be exaggerated, but we must have regard to what we have already done, the burdens we have put upon our own people, and the possibility and even probability that we shall shortly be asked. by the League, of Nations to vote another sum for combating the spread of typhus out of Russia into Europe. I cannot altogether overlook the fact that the Russian Government has resources of its own i—-which are being applied to much less urgent purposes^ —(cries of " Shame ") — it" may be a matter of shame, but not for this countrypurposes much less urgent and vital than the relief of famine amenj? its own people. After several other questions. Lord Robert Cecil asked Mr. Chamberlain whether the opposition to advancing money comes solely from the richer ckss? (Cries of "Oh!" and "Shame!") Mr. Chamberlain: I am certainly not aware that the opposition to spending our resources at this time when there is more distress than we can meet among our own people comes from the rich. I am sorry that the noble lord should have made a statement of that kind. I do not think the extent of the famine can be exaggerated, and I believe it is the utter disorganisation of all transport and the ordinary means of commerce and trade in Russia that has immensely aggravated the famine, and taken it out of the category of anything we have had! to deal with before, even in the worst times in. India, but I think there have been many calamities in the world on as largo a. scale where it has not been proposed that we should vote money from the public funds. -Colonel Archer-Shee: Are there not cargoes of grain in the Black Sea which cannot be transported to the famine area? That being so, what is the ure of asking for any more?