CHINA: Sure to Die

Most people suppose that the American Red Cross never turns a deaf ear to the appeals of famished, stricken sufferers. When reports were first current (TIME, Feb. 6 et seq.) that 12,000,000 Chinese seem likely to die of famine before next Spring, most citizens of the U. S. confidently left the whole ghastly and appalling problem to the Red Cross. If they thought about it at all, they saw in their minds' eye long lines of Chinafolk, gratefully receiving huge bowls of steaming soup from white clad, starry-eyed young Red Cross nurses. Rude therefore was the shock received by many contributors to the American Red Cross last week, when that organization's executive head, Judge John Barton Payne, made clear that the American Red Cross had withdrawn from relief work in China.

No starry eyes, starch, soup—but millions of empty, pangful Chinese stomachs.

In 1920-21 the American Red Cross spent $1,214,000 on relief in China. Since then civil wars have been incessant—until the recent proclamation of the Chinese Nationalist State—and, in the opinion of

Judge Payne, the various revolutionary commanders have seized for their own military use entirely too much of the food and money sent to China by the Red Cross and other charities. Therefore it has seemed best to let the thousands of culpable Chinese revolutionary soldiers—and incidentally the millions of innocent Chinese citizens—starve.

Few will deny that the policy of the Red Cross was justified, up to the end of the Civil War. But now that all China except Manchuria is nominally at peace and consolidated under the Nationalist State (TIME, Oct. 29) it is news that the Red Cross is still holding aloof. Correspondents received from Judge Payne, last week, the strong impression that he is acting upon advice from the State Department. The Chinese Nationalist Government has been formally recognized by the State Department (TIME, Aug. 6).

The China Famine Relief Fund Inc. of Manhattan is now the only major U. S. organization collecting and distributing funds to fill 12,000,000 Chinese tummies which grow daily emptier. Originally the C. F. R. F. appealed—and is still appealing — for $10,000,000 — less than $1 for each hungry Chinese. Some months ago General James G. Harbord, President of the Radio Corporation of America, resigned as Chairman of the Fund—which has now collected a scant $300,000. Last week General Harbord's successor, the Rev. Dr. S. Parkes Cadman, President of the Federal Council of Churches was laboring with but indifferent success to recognize the China Famine Relief Fund Inc. and collect the still lacking $9,700,000. Thousands and almost certainly millions of the Chinafolk now starving in Shantung will die before anything can be done.