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Consideration of these principles was prefaced at the request of the Chairman by a resume by Mr. Gull of the main transactions of the China Association, the British Red Cross Society and the Conference of British Missionary Societies which had preceded the issue of the Appeal.
Discussion resulted in general, but not precisely
formulated, agreement;
(1)that donations intended for any particular group of sufferers
from distress in China might be earmarked for them by the donors thereof.
(2) that no hard and fast racial lines should be laid down as
to the use to be made of the money subscribed to the Fund, which should be employed in general conformity with the terms of the Appeal. In relation to the extract from Mr. Curtis' letter, Dame Rachel Crowdy stressed the importance of medical and hospital supplies and of medical personnel, of all of which, she said, there was a shortage only to be made good by expenditure in Great Britain. There was general agreement with the emphasis which she laid upon these needs, Sir Harold Fawcus stressing the costly nature of any plans for the despatch of complete Red Cross units to China.
(3) that in the expenditure of funds the task of relating
conformity with the terms of the Appeal to local needs should as far as possible be left to the organization which was in process of formation in China.
(4) that close contact should be established with the
organization as soon as possible and with the Anti-Epidemic Commission of the League of Nations in Geneva.
(5) that the organization constituted in China should be as
capable as possible of dealing with all the localities where there was distress of the kind contemplated in the Appeal.
PUBLICITY:
Sir Edward Peacock expressed his disappointment with the degree of publicity which had been given to the Appeal and Sir Harold Fawcus contrasted the poor response which had been made to it with the response which had been evoked on other occasions.
Mr. Gull agreed that publicity had been extremely poor, and explained how this had been occasioned.
It was agreed that a fresh start was essential, and that the constitution of a Committee by the Lord Mayor would provide an opportunity for one. Sir Edward Peacock offered to assist the Committee in the matter, his offer being gladly accepted.
This was all the business of the meeting which terminated shortly after 4.30 p.m.
8.10.37.
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