Oct. 26.
Tue letter received to-day from Mr. S. Y. Yeh, honorary Secretary to the Famine Relief Committee, in answer to certain criticisms from one of our readers last week, is welcome, so far as it goes. But without in any way wishing to underrate the Committee's efforts or the thought that it has given and is giving to the work it has undertaken, the whole method of famine relief raises questions in the mind of the ordinary newspaper reader which may militate against the money coming in as fast as it would otherwise. For one thing, it might be said that almost too much is being written about the terribly urgent needs of the afflicted districts. In in different districts of the same province, famine relief committees are formed, to issue their appeals to the public, all emphasizing, as well they may, the urgency of their work, Meanwhile, although the famine has been well before the public since the end of August, no very clear-cut idea of how the money is being laid out has been given to the public. The result in a place like Shanghai, imperfectly acquainted with the geography of North China, is confusion, We are asked and are willing enough to give, but there is a not unreal sonable desire to know week by week where the money goes and how it is expended.
There can unfortunately be no question but that the supine behaviour of the Peking Government has been an obstacle both to the collection and the most practical application of funds. The news on this point is quite unsatisfactory, often contradictor For example, on September we were told that hsun and Hsiung Hsi-ling and Wang Tah-hsieh were appointed president and vice-presidents of the Famine Relief Association Last week we heard of two other gentlemen being appointed _dir-actor-general and assistant direc-for. Is this a substitution or duplication of officials or what? Again we are told by Reuter that [the Ministry of Communications has decided to build the Chefoo-Weihsien railway. (Has Japan consented one wonders, for Germany never would), Chefoo merchants, however, are reported to have telegraphed their delighted congratulations to the' Ministry, which thereupon replies that looks to the Chefoo merchants to assist it in obtaining the necessary land. A cold shower indeed on Chefoo's enthusiasm. We hear also of other railways projected and roads designed, but not word of a single coolie being actually put to work on one of them, although there should be a more than ample supply of labour actually living on the site of the intended works and sufficiently provided with farm implements of their own, to have made a beginning by pow. Perhaps they have done so. In which case let the public be informed. The knowledge that a few thousand coolies were now at work on, let us say, the Niumutun Cutting—, a most vital part of - the Chihli River Conservancy scheme, designed fo regulate the waters of
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.