File No. 893.811/166.
Minister Reinsch to
the Secretary of State.
No. 424.]
American Legation,
Peking,
October 28, 1914
Sir: I have the honor to transmit the
translation of a letter dated the 18th instant, directed to the American
Minister by his excellency Mr. Chang Chien, Minister of Agriculture and
Commerce, and Mr. Hsu Tung-lin, in which they set forth the extent of
the calamity brought upon the Provinces of Kiangsu and Anhui through the
unusual floods of this autumn, and request that an advance be made on
the Huai River loan account so that the conservancy work may be begun
find employment given to the starving people. I also enclose a copy of
my answer to the above.
In my answer to Mr. Chang and Mr. Hsu I endeavored to make clear to them
the difficulties which, under present general conditions, stand in the
way of affording immediate relief in this matter. The terrible calamity
which has again come over the Huai River region, however, emphasizes the
necessity of carrying through the engineering work, which will not only
afford permanent relief but will turn a region now so desolate into one
of the richest garden spots in China. The report of the Engineers’
Commission upon this work is so favorable that all doubts with regard to
the undertaking, both as to its economic soundness and as to the lasting
benefits to be secured, have been dispelled. Should it be possible for
the Red Cross Society to prevail upon the bankers in the United States
to undertake the furnishing of this loan immediately, so that the work
could be commenced, a vast additional benefit would be gained by
affording work and relief to the million or more of people who would
otherwise be exposed to suffering and death. In thus combining in one
enterprise immediate and permanent relief, the purposes of the American
Red Cross Society would be achieved in a most striking manner.
I therefore have the honor to request that this matter be communicated to
the American Red Cross Society, in order that if possible means may be
devised for beginning the work of the Huai River improvement at this
time when such enormous benefits would be gained by prompt action. As
the work itself has now been shown to be both practicable and beneficial
and its ultimate execution would seem to be assured, it would be a
matter highly to be regretted if the opportunity to save these people
from untold sufferings through a prompt beginning of the work would have
to be passed by. Both as a sound business venture and as philanthropy in
the best sense of the
[Page 112]
word,
this enterprise is sure to appeal to American men of means and to the
American public in general. I have [etc.]
[Inclosure 1—Translation.]
Messrs. Chang Chien and Hsu
Tung-lin to Minister Reinsch.
[Undated; received October
18, 1914]
Sir: In the spring and summer of this year
northern Kiangsu and Anhui suffered from drought and the people were
reduced to extremities. In the autumn the rain fell continuously day
and night for ten days so that water stood over the level ground to
a depth of twenty feet. Houses were washed away and innumerable
people were drowned. Such a calamity has not occurred for several
decades. Husbands and wives have hanged themselves. Nine members of
one family hanged themselves. Parents, knowing that they themselves
had to die, have tied their children on to wooden doors and let them
float off in hope that they might be rescued by someone, and the
children have starved to death after floating so for many days. Many
such incidents reported wound one’s heart.
Formerly benevolent men of your honorable country helped the people
in the stricken regions of Kiangsu and Anhui, and now the American
Red Cross Society is contemplating a loan for the conservancy of the
Huai River in order to prevent floods. The Chinese people are very
grateful for their earnest efforts. But the mere confining of the
waters of the Huai River to a deepened channel without improving the
channels of the branch streams entering the Huai will not of itself
prevent floods. We have already asked you to explain to the American
Government the gravity of the present flood in Kiangsu and Anhui,
and to ask it to consult with the managers of the Red Cross Society,
in view of the extraordinary sufferings of the people, with
reference to an advance on the Huai River loan account of $5,000,000
gold to be used in deepening at once the channels of the tributaries
of the Huai and I rivers. In this way wages would take the place of
alms, the wages paid to one supporting two, so that the afflicted
people to the number of over a million might be kept alive. We shall
be deeply grateful if this request can be granted. We now enclose a
list of the districts affected and a chart of the streams to be
deepened, which we ask you to forward to the American Government, so
that negotiations may be carried on at once with the directors of
the Red Cross Society and the starving people may be saved by giving
them work. The merit so acquired would be boundless.
With compliments.
-
Chang Chien.
-
Hsu Tung-lin.
[Inclosure 2.]
Minister Reinsch
to Messrs. Chang Chien and Hsu
Tung-lin.
American Legation,
Peking,
October 28, 1914.
Sirs: I desire to acknowledge the receipt
of your letter of the 18th instant, in which you describe the flood
and famine conditions in the Provinces of Kiangsu and Anhui. You
also ask me to explain to the American Government the gravity of the
present situation and to request it to consult with the managers of
the Red Cross Society with reference to an advance on the Huai River
loan account.
The condition which you describe is indeed so serious and threatens
such terrible calamity that I should only consider it my duty to
make the utmost efforts in aiding you to devise means for relief.
The past interest of the American people and of the American Red
Cross Society in the region which is again visited by so severe a
misfortune makes it certain that great sympathy will be felt for the
sufferers in my country, and that its people will be predisposed to
lend their assistance as far as possible.
[Page 113]
As you know the American Red Cross Society aims to relieve suffering
in all parts of the world. The terrible war which is now devastating
Europe has engaged the energies of the Red Cross Society in an
effort to relieve the suffering incident thereto; this is a
difficult undertaking which is taxing the energies and resources of
the American Red Cross Society, and the financial disturbances which
accompany the war make it more difficult than ever to get funds even
for the most important and worthy objects. All this renders the work
of the Society especially difficult at the present time.
I feel every assurance that the American Red Cross Society is
continuing to feel a deep interest in the conditions of northern
Kiangsu and Anhui. As I have often expressed to you, however, the
Society in acting in the matter of the Huai River loan is only
exercising its good offices to bring the Chinese Government in touch
with the bankers and contractors, whose cooperation is necessary to
carry out the great work of the Huai River Conservancy. The American
Red Cross Society itself can not raise any money for loans; it can
only extend its good offices.
I shall be glad to submit this matter to the American Department of
State, asking that the Red Cross Society be informed. However,
whether it will be possible to get a large advance on the loan at
this time, upon this I can not give you any assurance. The report of
the engineers is indeed favorable, and we have every reason to hope
for the ultimate success of this great enterprise. But it is almost
impossible to get large sums of money for any purpose at the present
time; and the bankers may not desire to take up any part of this
loan before the entire contract has been definitely settled so that
they may be assured that the work will be completely carried out so
that the object of this undertaking may be achieved and permanent
relief afforded to the entire region.
I have felt it necessary to call your attention to the above
difficulties. I shall, however, report the whole situation to my
Government and I may assure you that every consideration will be
given to this matter both by the American Government and by the
American Red Cross Society, so that, if at all possible, a certain
amount of relief at least may be afforded in so far as is possible
in view of the distress in other parts of the world and of the
abnormal financial conditions now prevailing. I have [etc.]
