-3-
21
Gull, Mrs Paterson (wife of Dr Paterson, Superintendent of the Lester Chinese Hospital), Lady Hosie, Mrs Byrne M.B.E.,J.P. and Mrs Dixon: and a Finance Sub-Committee sonsisting of D.G.M.Bernard, Major A.C. Abrahams and S.H.Dixon. For the time being I am acting se Honorary Secretary of the organisation.
The great help which the Lord Mayor has given the Fund was, in the first instance, going to be confined to the City. On October 6th the following letter from him appeared in "The Times".
"I have been asked to organise an Appeal to the City of London
in order to render prompt and efficient help for the people of China, who are enduring untold suffering as the result of the hostilities now in progress in their country, and for the large number of British subjects affected.
"There is an acute shortage of medical and sanitary supplies of
all kinds. The intensity of the hostility has caused an enormous number of casualities among the general population in the area s attacked from sea, land and air, and also among the multitudes of refugees who have been evacuated to seek safety and shelter.
"The need is already most serious and is increasing at an alarming
rate, as air raids daily spread death and destruction, while interference with sea traffic renders it most difficult to obtain the indispensable supplies.
"The entire City is deeply stirred by the terrible picture of this
tragedy, and all are anxious and ready be devouething to do something to relieve this desperate situation.
"I am immediately forming, in cooperation with the Governor of the Bank of England, a Collecting Committee representing all depart- ments of financial and commercial life, for the purpose of arrang- ing an appeal to the City of London.
Yours truly, George Broadbridge, Lord Mayor."
A similar letter appeared in the Daily Telegraph of the 6th. On the 14th October, after seeing the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, the Lord Mayor decided to extend his appeal to the whole country. This was announced in a broadcast by the Lord Mayor (which I drafted) on October 20th. and on the following day a Press luncheon was held at the Mansion House at which I arranged for speeches to be made by Dr Harold Balme, Dame Rachel Crowdy and Mr William Teeling. Reports of the lun→ cheon appeared in the Press on the following morning.
The conversion of the appeal originally made by the China Association the British Red Cross Society and the Conference of British Missionary Societies into a Lord Mayor's Fund is now being followed by the insti- tution of a central office which while working under the direction of of the Executive Committee will be presided over by someopệ unconnect- ed with any of the three bodies. Who this is to be had not yet been determined.*
A copy of this letter is being sent to you via Suez and copies of my letter to Mr Calder-Marshall have been sent to Mr Kay Hon.Secretary of the China Association, Hongkong, and to the Foreign office and Colonial Office.
Yours sincerely,
R.G.Howe Esq.C.M.G.
Sgd. E.M.Gull, Hon.Sec. pro tem. the Fund for the Relief of Distress in China.
C/o H.B.M.Consulate-General, SHANGHAI
POSTSCRIPT
No comments yet.
Private notes are available after approval.