Basing their plea on reports from investigators and relief workers in the famine " districts, three of the relief organizations have petitioned the government to effect a speedy consummation of the Customs sur-
-tax loan and stop, so far as possible, the death rate which is increasing at an alarming rate- The petition, which was addressed to their excellencies: President Hsu Shih-chang, Premier Chin Yun-peng and Minister of the Interior Chang Shih-tang, declares the funds in hand sufficient only for one-fifth of the work that already confronts the various committees.
The draft of the petition follows:
"On behalf of the Chinese and Foreign Famine Relief Committee of Shanghai, the North China Society for Famine Relief of Tientsin, and the United International Famine Relief Committee of Peking, we respectfully beg to submit to you the following considera. tion and position, "Our representatives together with thy representatives of affiliated societies have the closest touch with famine conditions gotten by months of work in investigation and relief in all areas. We are deeply concerned to learn from thei ports that early fears are being justified by present facts. At least 15,000,000 people are facing death by starvation and cold, thousands have already died. whyle hundreds of thousands have fled from their homes and are secking refuge in other parts. At the same time, there is almost certainty of an epidemic typhus and other diseases which in the weakened condition of the people will work terrible havoc in the loss of human life, We have no hesitancy saying that the present is the greatest calamity of decades which the people of China have faced, "At the same iyme the relief funds are entirely inadequate to the meeting of the situation. The most liberal estimate sees funds in hand to save only three million people. It is therefore with the greatest pleasure we learn that the Chinese Government is about to complete negotiations for a loan of $4,000,000 with the Customs surtax as security and that the entire superv}sion of the administration and audit of this fund is to be under a body representa) ye of the Government and the affiliated international relief societies. We believe that th*s method of use of the funds not only insures the best use thereof but also meets popular approval in China and abroad. Furthermore. each day's delay means the loss of very many lives and is creating popular discontent and disturbance throughout the country which may result in serious consequences. We therefore to urge that this loan be speedily consummated."
The petition was signed by, Lo Pa-none, Y. Yeu, for the Shanghai Chinese-Foreign Relief Committee.
J. B. Taytor, for the North China International Society for Famine Relief. for the United International D. W. Epwarps.
Famine Relief Committee at Peking.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.