Page:Indian Journal of Economics Volume 2.djvu/170

 A IGNETTE FROM PETER MUNDY E. A. MOLONY, Lc.s. COMMISSIONER AGRA As in so many other matters so also in the matter of famine there always has been and probably always will reanain an ineradicable tendency to mug- and depreciate the present. accentuated by the prevention that it nify' the past oi this tendency is officials responsible for famines naturally think the safe side and in doubtful failure as scarcity than run the risk The result the facl that and relief of is better to cases classify a famine the gravity and scarcity as of underestimating the situation and of starting relief too late. be on crop rather of There is therefore no cause for surprise when we find that the number of scarcities anl famines ofiici- ally recognised does not diminish. The public consci- ence is now more alert conditions that in previous without comment. It will therefore not be out the record of a famine which and would not tolerate years would have passed of place to consider occurred in the time of the Emperor Shahjahan from which we may draw deductions as to whether of late years we have been