Foreign News: Pearls & Sables

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Back in the U. S. from a tour of Chinese famine areas, Grover Clark, prominent in the U. S. colony for more than a decade, former editor of the Peking Leader reported last week that in the past year 5,000,000 Chinese have starved to death. He predicted that 2,000,000 more will die of starvation during the Summer.

With the Red Cross refusing aid, with the U. S. China Famine Relief Fund $1,400,000 short of its $2,000,000 quota, Chinese themselves are contributing 75% of what is being spent on Chinese famine relief. Major Chinese contributor last week was a lean young man whose eyes used to be weak, and who was only a small boy when the Revolution of 1911 forced him to abdicate as Emperor of China.

His heart wrung by reports of starvation and suffering, "Emperor" Hsuan Tung who now modestly calls himself Mr. Henry P'u-yi searched for a famine relief gift among the remnants of the Manchu Treasure which now comprise his small fortune. Rummaging, he found some antique Ch'ien Lung sables, perfectly preserved, fabulously prized in China. Turning his jewel box upside down, generous Henry counted out 800 pearls from the dwindling hoard. By a trusty messenger the Imperial pearls and Imperial sables were despatched "with Mr. Henry P'u-yi's compliments" to the chief Peking agency of native famine relief, the great vernacular newspaper He Ta Kung Pao.