THE RUSSIAN FAMINE

Waikato Times, Volume 94, Issue 14722, 12 August 1921, Page 5

THE RUSSIAN FAMINE

GREAT NEED FOR HELP DISCUSSED BY SUPREME COUNCIL. A HUMANITARIAN QUESTION. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received August 11, 5.5 p.m. PARIS, August 10. Yesterday the Supreme Council debated the Russian famine question. M. Briand suggested that ,as Russia had helped the""Allies, they ought to join America and others in administering relief through the Red Cross. Mr Lloyd George pointed out that such efforts were not comprehensive enough. The Red Cross could not work the loaves and fishes miracle. The question ought to be considered on a large scale. It was not only a question of Russia, but the whole world was involved. He did not admire the Soviet Government, but thought relief impossible without its co-operation, owing to its control of transport and official machinery. It was not a political, but a humanitarian question, and unless the Allies helped typhus and cholera would destrov more lives than the war. LONDON, August 11. Lord Curzon said the operations-had only began with the despatch of relief ships. They must develop a system of organisation, which would divide the famine area into districts and prevent the accumulation of the population in any locality. In addition to food relief work, they must establish hospitals. He believed that the following conditions were essential to the existence of the Soviet Government: The formation of an international relief authority and the enlistment of an expert Commission to report at the earliest possible date. CAMPAIGN IN BRITAIN. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.i LONDON, August 10. The Imperial War Relief Fund has issued an appeal signed by the LordMayor, the Archbishop of Canterbury, and many notables, for help for Russia. The funds collected are to be administered by the Red Cross. The Daily Telegraph's Berlin correspondent says that Lenin, in a disingenuous appeal for help, seeks to make it appear to the Russian proletariat that whatever help comes will be by the efforts of the International Proletariat, not capitalists. WARSAW, August 10Terrible stories come from Saratoff, where the parents are drowning their children to save them from starving. ROME, August 10. The Pope has issued an appeal to the Christians throughout the world to help famine-stricken Russia. SOVIET ADMITS IMPOTENCE. (Australian and N.Z. Cable Assn.) Received August 11, 5.5 p.m. LONDON, August 10. The Daily Telegraph publishes a poignant letter from its Russian correspondent at Moscow, stating: "What a pity you could not have seen Kamenoff, nervous and pale, haltingly admitting to a meeting of the people whom the Bolsheviks tried for three years to destroy; that the Soviet was impotent to deal with the famine. Remember, the Government did not call the meeting. The slaves of yesterday met and demanded it, and such was the Bolsheviks' panic that they had to comply. Hence the creation of a nonpolitical committee, which sent out an international appeal. Although now forced to accept assistance from those whose destruction they have sought hitherto, the Bolsheviks have not changed their essentially malignant nature. Neither has the Soviet power to change the machinery of their monstrous administration. If food is handed over to the Soviet it means that the Reds and drone officials will get everything and the poor people nothing. Whatever is done, outside organisations must control the distribution. The Soviet will oppose this bitterly, but it must not be otherwise. I think the famine has given the Bolsheviks the knock-out. At Lenin's tea-table they are discussing the ways and means of escaping. Comparing notes on foreign places for an asylum, England is much favoured. Lenin is a wily bird, and will take good care that we do not hang him. The real culprits are sure to leave betimes. We, their unwilling slaves, may yet be destroyed by the people's first furious onslaught. The fear of famine has gone too far, and great territories have become empty and overrun by weeds. God's will be done! Forgive my incoherences, but I am always hungry and depressed. Do not believe there is government in Russia. The Soviet tyrants simply control big cities, several railroads, and little food. The rest, is all chaos." PKTROGRAD, August 10. Special trains are removing 70,000 children from the famine areas.