Position of Spanish seamen (circular)

              Telegraphic Address: TRADUNIC, SOWEST, LONDON.
Telephone: Victoria 9020.
Trades Union Congress
General Secretary
SIR WALTER CITRINE K.B.E.
TO WHOM ALL COMMUNICATIONS SHOULD BE ADDRESSED.
Department  Secretary's.
Our ref. HVT/EK/1110.
Your ref.
TRANSPORT HOUSE, 
SMITH SQUARE, 
LONDON. S.W.1.
Sent to Following Trades Councils:
Newcastle Hull Birkenhead Liverpool West Hartlepool Grimsby
Sunderland Plymouth Belfast Barry Cardiff Penarth Port Talbot.
6th May, 1939.
Dear Mr.
POSITION OF SPANISH SEAMEN.
I wrote to you on the 18th March dealing with the above matter. Now I have to report the new circumstances which have arisen, and ask for the fullest possible cooperation of your Council and your good self.
The position is that we are striving to continue for some time longer our assistance to the Spanish seamen in question. So far we have relied almost entirely on the machinery of the National Union of Seamen for administering the monies paid out from our fund.
When this responsibility was undertaken by the National Union of Seamen it was only for a period of one month in the hope that in that period some solution of the problem would be found, but in view of our difficulties arrangements were made to continue with the work for a further two weeks. This means that the Local Secretary of the National Union of Seamen in your town will be responsible for any payments to sailors up to and including Saturday next. Any arrangements thereafter have to be made through some other channel.
The matter is extremely urgent and we have delayed writing to you previously as we were contemplating the possibility of bringing all the seamen to one centre. This plan has had to be abandoned for the time being and I now desire to ask you to let me know by return as to whether you, with your Council, will accept responsibility for making the necessary payments on our behalf to the Spanish seamen in your locality, commencing on May 20th.
Upon receipt of your reply we will immediately forward to you a list of the men who will be assisted, together with the amounts which have to be paid. In addition, we will forward a cheque covering the amount of the payment. This cheque will be forwarded each week so long as we are able to continue assistance.
The many commitments which we have and to which I referred in my letter of the 18th March are creating great concern, but we shall continue to render support