Fighting the Famine – Strenuous Experiences in Russia

May 1923

Mexborough & Swinton Times, May

Fighting the Famine

Strenuous Experiences in Russia

Mr. J. H. Brocklesby´s Return to Conisborough

Last Friday, Mr. J. H. Brocklesby returned to Conisboro´ from Russia, where he has spent the last sixteen months.

Mr. Brocklesby left England on Jan 5th, 1922. He spent eleven months in Buzuluk, about 100 miles east of the Volga, and 50 miles from the boundary of Asia. He spent three and a half months in Asiatic Russia, and except for a fortnight´s leave in Moscow the rest of the time was taken up in travelling.

He has been working under the auspices of the Society of Friends, practically without fee. Not until May 1921 were the resources of the Friends equal to the demand, partly because it was so difficult to get to the public correct information. Afterwards the difficulties of transport delayed the relief.

In May of last year the violent snowstorms and shortage of locomotives were a hindrance; at one period twelve trains loaded with supplies were held up between Moscow and Buzuluk, this being equal to about two months supplies. When the thaw came, the warehouses were full, but the roads were impassable. During this thaw people could not get in to collect food, and at this time the death toll reached its maximum. Then, when the roads became passable, the famine could be coped with, and since that time there has been adequate relief.

The people are dependent on foreign relief until the next harvest, and if this is normal the relief may safely be withdrawn. After May last the finds made it possible to tackle an area over the Urals in Asia, where famine was not quite so bad, but where there was some evidence of cannibalism..

Regarding Buzuluk, about fifty cases of cannibalism were discovered there by the authorities. Mr. Brocklesby was one of three deputed to go into Asiatic Russia. The last harvest was not adequate, chiefly on account of the shortage of animals for tillage, the lack of seed corn, and a bad drought. It was therefore necessary to continue the relief work another year.

The Relief Society is hoping to liquidate the business in August, and as one of the oldest members of the expedition Mr. Brocklesby was released to come home. His brother Harold, who is staying on until the final liquidation, is in the best of health and enjoys the work. There is still need of support, but the English societies will make no further appeal, unless they find unexpected difficulties.

On the question of Russia exporting corn, Mr. Brocklesby explained that there had been a certain amount of “Cacanny”. The Soviet Government had been obliged to stop confiscation, as it kept down the amount of corn production, and it had been found necessary to permit a man to trade away his surplus. As these growers would naturally sell in the highest market, and the famine stricken areas were in the direst poverty, the food went out of the country. This last year the Relief Society had been buying corn in Russia to relieve the famine, and in this way very little corn had left Russia since.

Mr. Brocklesby gives a graphic account of the dreadful scenes he encountered at the height of the famine. In the town of Buzauluk, a place of about 24,000 inhabitants, people were falling down dead daily in such numbers that the sledges which transported the deceased could not clear the streets. He had knowledge of corpses lying in the streets for over a week before removal.

In the cemetery great trenches were prepared, and the bodies were tightly packed, eight at a time, with three feet of earth covering them. The burial attendants could not keep pace with the corpse laden sledges, and at this time there was constantly to be seen a pile of between 200 and 300 bodies awaiting interment. Many of these bodies were of nameless refugees, who had come to the town from the surrounding district in the hope of finding food. They had fallen exhausted from weakness, and thus succumbed. Some of these poor people had been brought to this town for burial, because relatives could not afford to pay for it in their own villages. It was a very sad spectacle to see a father and mother bringing the body of a little child, for instance, on a hand sledge and deposit on the pile awaiting removal. With one sad look they had to leave it.

It was very hard to have to refuse aid to persons who were known to be suffering keenly from hunger. He and his fellow workers had not sufficient food at that time to meet the great requirements of the population. Probably it was through the British Press intimation of the death of Violet Tillard- from typhus – that the people in our land realised the situation, for about this time financial aid became more generous, and the prospect of adequately meeting the situation was better.

Many persons in Russia who are anything but anxious for a Communistic Government give willing support to the present system, because it is becoming increasingly similar to the political methods adopted in other countries. Mr. Brocklesby believes the present Russian form of government will last indefinitely. So anxious are the rulers to retain power that they will be willing to more and more introduce modifications of government.

Our representatives was shown many photographs Mr. Brocklesby had taken in the famine area-a number were ghastly in character, others distinctly humorous. One of the latter, for instance, was a group photograph of English workers dressed from the contents of a recent hamper of clothes sent from the mother country; the garments included a Scotch Highlander´s costume, clerical garb and pierot fancy attire. Of the gruesome class of photographs, one shown to us was that of a mother actually in the act of eating her own dead child, to assuage the pangs of hunger. She was subsequently shot.

There were also photos of sledges piled up with the corpses of the starved population.

Mr Brocklesby has not yet made up his mind as to whether he will return to Russia. As a result of his visit he has learned the language, and this may stand him in good stead for the future.

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