Despite much that has already been done, conditions in central and northern Hopei, which were critical many months ago, seem to have improved very little. A pitiful picture of distress, with about four millions facing starvation, is painted today by Reuter''s Peiping correspondent, and he is able to hold out very little hope for amelioration of the situation in the near future, especially insofar as those attempting to live in the areas still inundated by last year's flood waters are concerned. These must wait until the autumn before they can reap any crops, and the problem is how they are to exist until that time. It is known that large sums have been appropriated by the japanese and the Peiping "Provisional Government" for flood prevention, and the probabilities are that another inundation this year will be prevented. The improvement in the general conditions which will be caused by this scientific conservancy work does not, however, affect the immediate problem, which is the prevention of starvation among the population of the afflicted areas, Those responsible for relief have more than the usual problems to contend with. Relief can usually be either in cash or in kind. In North China the former method of relief is complicated by the confusion of currencies existing and the stringent regulations against the use of national currency enforced by the "Provisional Government," and the fact that the guerillas have made the possession of "Provisional" or Japanese currency a capital offence. The alternative then is relief in kind, This undoubtedly would meet the immediate need, but whether it is practicable is another question. The price of grain has soared unprecedentedly, and the grain can only reach some of the stricken districts after being imported from districts under direct Japanese or "Provisional Government" control. The fact that in the past, grain sent for relief purposes has been commandeered by guerillas for their own purposes is an objection naturally raised by those engaged in fighting these guerillas, and one that is difficult to get round. In addition it is a wasteful method. During the great flood in the Yangtze in 1931 it was found that one per cent. of all grain was lost at each stage of transportation. In this flood, grain had often to be transferred from one means of transport to another no fewer than ten times, which meant a loss of ten per cent. on such relief cargoes, That a similar condition of affairs exists in the less accessible areas now suffering from famine in North China is certain. But anything is better than to permit the dreadful death of so many peasants, whose political ties can be said to be nil and' whose interest in the government of their country is probably confined to the simple desire to be allowed to live.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.