Bulletin. No.9, Spanish relief

              SPANISH RELIEF
Bulletin of the National Joint Committee
OFFICERS:
Chairman: The Duchess of Atholl, M.P.; Vice-Chairman: The Earl of Listowell, Miss Eleanor Rathbone, M.P.; Hon Treasurer: Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, P.C., K.C.; Hon. Secretaries: Mr. D.R. Grenfell, M.P., Capt. J.R.J. Macnamara, M.P., Mr. Wilfred Roberts, M.P.; Organising Secretaries: Mrs. Mary M. Miller, Miss Betty Arne, 
53 Marsham Street, S.W.1.   Tel. Victoria 2168.
ORGANISATIONS:
Christian Foodship Committee, Save the Children Fund, Service Council of Society of Friends, Spanish Youth Foodship Committee, Southern Spanish Relief Committee, Spanish Medical Aid Committee, Spanish Women's Committee For Help To Spain.
BULLETIN No. 9.   OCTOBER, 1937.   PRICE 1d. 
AUTUMN PROSPECTS
After Santander — New Needs and Old — Conference on Ways and Means — International Action
WHAT IS TO BE the perspective of Spanish relief work during the coming autumn months? It has been a striking fact that during July and August, although there has been a natural decrease in activity, meetings and so on, there is no sign of any flagging in support and enthusiasm for Spanish relief. The problem is less that of keeping up support than that of spreading to wider circles for a great increase of help.
There can be no doubt that this autumn and winter the need for large scale relief is going to grow much greater. The situation following the fall of Santander has brought urgent problems.   Already supporting some fifty thousand refugees, the French Government is unable to accept any more for settlement in France.
Some thousands, fleeing from Santander, are at present camped near Bordeaux waiting to pass through to Catalonia. Unfortunately, difficulties of supply and shelter render it almost impossible for Catalonia, where there are already nearly a million refugees, to make proper arrangements tor their reception. Thus we are probably to find, in addition to the maintenance of the already existent work, many new needs facing us in the provision of food, clothing, shelter and medical supplies.
Commander Pursey, late R.N., who was in Santander till just before its fall, has been investigating the situation in Bordeaux in order to report to the National Joint Committee on the scope of the problem.
In order to discuss the whole question of the best means of maintaining and organising existing work, and the best means of meeting these new needs that are becoming apparent, there is to be an important conference of all bodies affiliated to the National Joint Committee, and of all wardens of Basque Childrens' Centres in London on 2nd and 3rd October, in the Millicent Fawcett Hall, Westminster.
This conference will discuss the work undertaken in all fields and specially with regard to the Basque Children's Hostels.   Officers and members of the committee will report on the work in this country and in Spain. On the Sunday there will be two sessions devoted to discussion of the work of the Basque children.
In Spain there remain many problems for the conference to face. A definite food shortage, lack of accommodation and equipment and medical supplies is felt in many areas. These are chiefly: Madrid, where there are semi-siege conditions, such areas as Murcia, where refugees have collected in great numbers, the children's colonies, behind the lines in certain war areas, and in Catalonia.
In this country there is still plenty of room for expansion in relief work. There exists in the National Joint Committee's office a map of Great Britain on which are marked all centres in which there are Spanish aid or relief committees. Some areas are unexpectedly bare. Wales and Scotland seem to come off the worst. Here are some of the places that seem to have no committees up to the present time:
Scotland
Aberdeen,  Aloa,  Arbroath, Ayr,  Dingwall, Dumfries, Dunfermline, Falkirk, Fort William, Inverary, Inverness, Kirkcudbright, Lanark, Montrose, Motherwell, Selkirk, Sterling.
Wales
Brecon, Cardigan, Carmarthen, Denbigh, Fishguard, Haverfordwest.
England
Appleby, Blackburn, Brighton, Chester-le-Street, Crewe, Darlington, Dorchester, Folkestone, Gravesend, Grimsby, Kidderminster, Lancaster, Leamington, Lincoln, Lowestoft, Northampton, Norwich, Penrith, Rotherham, Salisbury, Stoke-on-Trent, Taunton, Thirsk, Wadebridge, Warrington, Weymouth, Wigan, Yarmouth.
This is only a random selection of the better known places.   Shall we be hearing something of them?
There is some possibility of the formation of an international relief scheme organised through the League of Nations, to undertake humanitarian work in Spain during