CO129-563-19 Sino-Japanese War- fund for relief of distress in China 5-10-1937 - 17-11-1937 — Page 70

COPY CABLE RECEIVED FROM BRITISH CHAMBER OF COMMERCE, SHANGHAI

27th September,

1937.

70

REFUGEES POSITI ON HERE VERY SERIOUS.

CHINESE AND FOREIGN INDIVIDUALS

AND ASSOCIATIONS HAVE RAISED FUNDS FOR THE MAINTENANCE AND REMOVAL OF

REFUGEES.

EXERTING UTMOST TO CONTINUE RELIEF WORK BUT RESOURCES

OWING TO FINANCIAL AND MATERIAL LOSSES ARE QUITE INADEQUATE TO COPE

WITH MAGNITUDE OF THE WORK. ABOUT 250,000 ALREADY REMOVED BY TRAIN AND

BOAT: 100,000 COMPLETELY DESTITUTE ARE MAINTAINED IN CAMPS: ANOTHER

100,000, PRACTICALLY DESTITUTE, BEING ASSISTED. IN TWO OR THREE

MONTH'S TIME, WITH THE APPROACH OF WINTER, ESTIMATE 500,000 DESTITUTE.

FURTHER REMOVAL VERY DIFFICULT. THE RESIDUE OF REFUGEES, FROM WRECKED

INDUSTRIAL DISTRICTS MOSTLY HONGKEW, YANGTZEPOO, CHAPEI,

PERMANENTLY RESIDENT HERE. COMING WINTER GREATLY AGGRAVATES POSITION

NECESSITATING HOUSING LARGE INCREASING NUMBER OF FOREIGN

POPULATION DESTITUTE, OR RAPIDLY APPROACHING DESTITUTION, OWING TO

3XHAUSTED LIMITED RESOURCES BECAUSE THEY ARE UNEMPLOYED THROUGH THE

STOPPAGE OF TRADE AND INDUSTRIES. POSITION OF OTHER CENTRES IS

SIMILAR TO THAT HERE BRITISCOM MARSHALL.

*

RECEIVED FROM BRITISCOM 30.9.37.

TIENTSIN REPORTS WIDESPREAD DISTRESS WHICH APPROACHING WINTER

WILL AGGRAVATE ARE IVIMMEDIATE NEED FUNDS. BRITISCOM.

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