THE NURSING UNIT FOR SPAIN

Otago Daily Times, Issue 23200, 26 May 1937, Page 15

THE NURSING UNIT FOR SPAIN

TO THE EDITOR

Sir,—Your editorial about the three New Zealand nurses who have left for Spain conveys various impressions which we wish to discuss. The movement for sending medical aid to Spain was established in Dunedin, and later throughout New Zealand, in recognition of the fact that the Spanish Government and the majority of the Spanish people were being savagely attacked by the Fascist rebels under the leadership of Franco, aided by the mercenary troops of Hitler and Mussolini and the Moorish LegionThe suffering caused by the indiscriminate bombing of defenceless women and children cries out to the high heaven for relief, and all humanitarians and people of goodwill recognise a duty to alleviate.in some small measure the suffering of their fellows. . . . The suffering in Spain was not caused by the Spanish Government but by its enemies. Therefore the promoters of the Spanish medical aid in New Zealand and throughout the world are sending their medical, units to the legally-constituted authority in Spain, recognised as such by every Government in the British Commonwealth of Nations. The only alternative is to send the medical unit to the Fascist rebels. This would be contrary to international law. Furthermore, it would be contrary to the wishes of all democratic peoples. Therefore, it is difficult to understand your attitude towards the Medical Aid Unit. Your attempt to discredit the Spanish medical aid campaign by alleging that most of those prominent in these meetings have been avowed Communists or persons with a distinct leaning towards Communism completely distorts the truth. There have been three public meetings in Dunedin this year, addressed by the Mayor (the Rev. E. T. Cox), Dr M'Millan, Councillors Silverstone, Neilson, and Munro, and the Rev. Mr Harbour. Do these come under your category of Communists? At each of these meetings only one Communist has spoken. The committee has invited speakers from all progressive organisations, and appreciates the assistance given by people of different politics and religions. In every country in the world people of every religion and of no religion, of every political party and no party, are working together to assist the Spanish people in the fight against foreign domination. ~.,.. , ... In England the Spanish Medical Aid Committee is supported by members of the Conservative, Liberal,. Labour, Socialist, and Communist Parties. The committee includes such people as Viscount Churchill, Lady Hastings, Miss Eleanor -Rathbone, MP., Mr D. N. Pritt, K.C., Professor Julian Huxley, and is warmly approved by the Archbishop of York and many other wellknown public persons. We feel that the police interrogation of the nurses after the passports had been issued by the Department of Internal Affairs, was certainly unwarranted, and can only be described as an attempt to intimidate the nurses. The nurses are away from New Zealand, however, bound for Spain on a mission of mercy. They are gding first to London, where they will be attached to a British medical unit. It should be stated again that when in action they will render aid to all sick and wounded encountered in the course of their duty.—We are. etc., Spanish Relief Committee. May 25.

[We are indebted to the Spanish Relief Committee for the information that only one Communist has spoken at each of the meetings held under its auspices in Dunedin. We should have judged from the names of the sneakers that there was more than one.-Ed O.D.T.]

TO THE EDITOR Sir,—ln connection with the appeal for funtis that is being made by a local committee for the purpose of sending a medical unit to Spain, may I ask why the committee is going to the unnecessary expense of sending a unit direct from New Zealand? As I understand, there is an organisation in existence in England for the same purpose, it seems to me that the money raised in New Zealand would be more wisely expended if it were sent to assist the British organisation. It is obvious that the cost of transport to Spain must be considerably greater from New Zealand than from England, and for this reason alone it seems that the local committee would be rendering greater assistance to the cause of relieving the sufferings of the victims of the Spanish conflict by adopting the course sugAlready three nurses have left New Zealand for Spain, and it is proposed, if sufficient financial support be forthcoming, that a further contingent, including a doctor and an ambulance, will be sent also. I would respectfully suggest that any further money i-aised by the committee, apart from what is needed to maintain the present unit, would be used more advantageously to those whom it is intended to assist if it were despatched to the organisation in England, or else to the medical authorities in S-pain.—l am, etc., Dunedin, May 25. Democrat.