RUSSIAN FAMINE

Dominion, Volume 14, Issue 281, 22 August 1921, Page 5

RUSSIAN FAMINE

WORST HARVEST ON RECORD AND SMALL AREA UNDER CULTIVATION By Telegraph—Press Association— Copyright London, August 19. The Riga correspondent of "The Times" reports that the latest figures show that the Russian harvest is twice as bad as tho previous worst, and there is also a smaller area under cultivation. The crops in eignt provinces have completely failed. Sixteen million inhabitants are affected, and ths deficit is over thirty-six million poods. The immediate needs of the country are between five and eight million poods, and seed is needed. Tho Ukraine and Siberia are tho only possible sources of relief inside Russia. Ths Soviet of tho Volga has offered a prize of a million and a half roubles for the best hunger-bread containing a maximum of 12 per cent, of cereals, the remainder to be bark, edible wild plants, and other substitutes. —"The Times.'[A pood equals 361 b. avoirdupois.] A MORE HOPEFUL REPORT SATISFACTORY HARVESTS IN SOME PROVINCES. (Rec. August 21, 11.5 p.m.) London, August 20. The Russian trade! delegation in London states that the harvest in the provinces outside tho famine area should .be satisfactory, considering -the difficulties and old-fashioned methods of agriculture in vogue. The White Russian provinces can export to the famine area 43.000 tons of potatoes and 8000 tons of corn. The total number of cholera cases since January has been 71,871. —Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn. CROWDS OF DESERTED CHILDREN PARENTS DROWNING THEIR OFFSPRING. AKec. August 21, 11-5 p.m.) Copenhagen, August 19. A Reval message states that Lunakharsky, the Soviet Commissary of Education, declares that crowds of children deserted by their parents are living on the banks of the Volga, where there have been many deaths due to starvation. Some parents are drowning their cbJldren rather than witness their gradual starvation. Communists in the districts untouched 1 by famine have been a. flight feXT violence fre-m the wandering, starving masses.—Aus.-N.Z. Cable Assn.