Qe heart is made to ache as he these Russian refugees travelling'along the road thinly clad, camping in the snow-covered _ficlds at night, or riding in cold freight ears, The little clothing and bedding which they have left is now in rags, At Anta hundreds who got off were half starved, some had died on the Way, and children and old people Were at the point of death. Children were crying from cold and hunger, old "people and women were almost too _weak to walk against the cold wind that was blowing a gale, Some falling on the ground had to be carried. These people are in the direst poverty and in rags. They have travelled for many weeks and without anything, Some had cattle, horses and wagons, and other belongings, but these were taken from them by robbers along, the way. It is said that a thousand who were coming from Yakishi with their cattle and stock were robbed of nearly everything while crossing the Hingans, and had to take to the trains, for their horses and wagon were driven away by these robber} soldiers. Others who had to leave their homes to save their lives when the Reds swooped down upon them in September killing men, women and children, left everything. behind, We saw refugees fleeing in France during the war, but never beheld anything so pathetic as this. These people have nothing to fall back upon, they are without a cou try and have had to live among people of another race, but a people who have been hospitable to them, except for the looting of miserable soldiers, who do not truly represent the Chinese people, 'These immigrants have now been run out of their adopted homes and are—~rolutely penniless and helpless, There are, too, many thousands of; them; yet each' is suffering in mind, body' and spirit, One old wom when she was led into the yard of humble but comfortable quarters rented at Anta, sat down and wept, as did many, We assured hor that) she was now wher shelter, warmth, tea and bread could be had.
She replied "I cannot believe it," hes!
to go in and continued to weet It, was a joy to seo them settled after weeks and months of suffering privation. But these are only of those who are waiting for;—¥eip while others are on the road. As we white five hundred are at the Harbin railway station waiting for merciful people to provide food clothing and shelter." 'Phere are now thousands in Harbin for whom the relict committees have already vented quarters and are furnishing food, but funds axe suficiont only' for immediate us The Appeal to AIL
We do not know from where tenance may be had unless from abroad. "A drive will be launched here next Sunday to raise mone} but many of the Russians of Harbin who constitute almost entirely the foreign population of the city, are having to support relatives who have fled here and are themselves suffering financial loss in business on account of serious' depression brought on by the war. 88 among the Chinese is not so great, They are among their own people, most of them up this way are merchants whose families are other parts of China, and these men. are able to borrow money from their friends if without funds. It is not so with the Russian immigrants. Many Chinese ave leaving for thei old homes until the present con-j flict is settled.
White Russians know what they! may expect if they fall into the hands of the Reds. Two hundred and fitty White Russians who were at Manchuli and Chalainor when the Soviets took those towns were this week sent to Chita, Those Prisoners who cannot be ineriminated directly, the report says, will be Wespatched to Solovki and other places of exile. Among them, we fear, is a young pastor and his wife. They were married here a weeks ago. We helped to ordain him to the ministry. Then the young man, he and his wife, left immediately to join the flock at Manehi They arrived there just] M two days before the city was taken, 'A few days before he came to Har-din for his bride he invited a young: man to the services. This man, a Red, replied: "yes, T'will come with sword and take the life of you and every member of your flock." Soviet citizens in Harbin are known to teach their children to be ready and willing to kill when the time comes. If the old Tsarist government was cruel to its prisoners, the Soviet government is many time more, if we are to believe the many stories of cruelty which come to us; through the back doors of Russia.
The March through the Winter Between five and six thousand Russian refugees are now travelling over the Great Hingan mountains from the north end of Heilungkiang Province toward the capital, Hei-sungkiang city. They have their cattle with them, and, it is hoped, ill be able to got through without being robbed, looted or freezing to death, The old people and children in such groups are dying from cold; also many while travelling on th refugee trains, There are not enough passenger cars to. carry them all, A heavy fall of snow along the railway is making travel hard for those who are coming on foot. Provision is being made for these people to come on to Harbin and other towns but clothing, food and shelter must be provided for them. It is earnestly hoped that the American Red Cross will find it possible to make urgent need of these people whose suffering is in no way a fault of theirs,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.