SPAIN'S AGONY

Evening Post, Volume CXXVI, Issue 6, 7 July 1938, Page 11

SPAIN'S AGONY

THE PLIGHT OF THE INNOCENT

A recent cable from Paris headquarters of the International Red Cross tells of the imperative need that exists in Spain for imMk. To those who accept the daily arrival of the milkman in the same way as they accept sunrise and sunset, it may seem strange that thousands lack such a commonplace item of diet—and that hundreds of children are dying for want of milk. But it is actually far from strange, so rent and ruined and devastated by war is Spain today. ' Typical of conditions in Spain is a report from one of the workers of the Society of Friends (which is doing splendid relief work in that country) that he .found a family of four sharing the 'family meal, which was completely contained in a child's porridge plate. The same family's ration of bread amounted to a lib loaf each week. That is one of a series of such pictures; of children with fathers dead, in prison, or missing, living simply by begging; of villages where destruction has been so great that people must move into the streets when it rains fbr fear of the crumbling of what badly-shattered walls are still standing; of refugee shelters where no soap has been seen for months. There is only one bright spot, the work that societies such as the Red Cross and the Society of Friends is able to do, and tb« help that various Governments have afforded. The New Zealand Government has placed at the dispbsal of the New Zealand High Commissioner the sum of £2000 to be used for the relief of Spanish children, and a Dominion-wide appeal has been launched for a fund devoted to the same purpose. These destitute Spanish orphan children are the real victims of the Spanish tragedy, and it is to help them all, irrespective of the political belief of their parents, that this campaign for funds has been launched. The Citizens' Committee for the Relief of Spanish Refugee Children solicits the help of everyone in this worthy appeal, and advises that contributions can be forwarded to the City Treasurer. The appeal has already met with a ready response 4 and if all who can help will help Wellington's contribution to this fund should be a worth-while one.

The Mayor acknowledges the following donations to the fund:—• £ s. d. Previously acknowledged 183 10 10 Mr. E. H. Anderson 3 3 0 Staff, Duthie Steel Cement Co., Ltd 1 13 6 "Sympathiser" 1 10 0 Staff, J. Inglis Wright, Ltd 1 "8 0 Mr. William'Page 1 1 0 Stamp Duties Dept., Head Office 0 11 6 Staff, Te Aro Book Depot, Ltd >. 0 10 0 "EX." 0 10 0 "Inasmuch" 0 10 0 Botany Division S. and I. R. Dept 0 8 6 Anonymous, per'2ZB 0 7 6 Head Office, S. and I.R. Dept 0 5 0 Stamp Duties Dept., District Office 0 5 0 Total £195 13 10