Solution Imperatively Needed: A
Case for the World's Governments From Our Own Correspondent, ernment officials of all countries is often very discouraging to charity able organizations. The Russian refugee question has now been acute in Manchuria for at least six months. There are estimated to be considerably over 20,000 of these refugees destitute and almost entirely dependent upon charity The Chinese Government, the American Red Cross, the Seoul Foreigners' Committee, the Russian Red Cross Society, the International Refugee Relief Commission of. Harbin and other organizations have been doing their best to keen these people alive and prevent epidemic disease.
During all this time, however, the public are unaware of any really practicable permanent solution of the problem having been discussed} by the highest Government officials of the Far East. I do not say that there has not been such consuitation but I do say that it is due to the organizations that have be21 helping to secure time for such consultation to inform them without further delay what is being done. There is a limit to the financial resources and the physicu) strain of administering charity of this extraordinary kind. During a conflagration neighbours lend a hand during the emergency but can hardly be expected to re-build the street:—this is for the Municipal Counci The great Municipal Council of the world is the League of Nations. Months ago the "N. C. Dai News" suggested that the problem be submitted to them. I cannot. but feel that unless the Governments more directly concerned can immediately find a satisfactory solution, this suggestion should be acted on at once. Two plans are being discussed locally. The one nis repatriation of such as are will mfg to be persuaded to go, and the other is employment in Manchuria. Tf, lot us say, the American Red Cross encourages repatriation, a very strong party among -the refugees blames it with being pro-Bolshevik in sending many to insufferable conditions and sometimes death. On the other hand! if help is given to organize employment on a large scale, is it n natural that the Chinese Gove: ment should consider this encowfagement to these many thon-sands to settle down permanesily in Manchuria? Therefore I hold that this question is better dealt with by a higher Court,—the char able organizations maintaining a strict neutrality in the hope that the sphinx will speak. China 1s a member of the League of Nations. I wonder why she has not already:
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.