General scheme for the creation of a number of homes in France and/or Spain for orphans of Spanish miners: provisional report

              GENERAL SCHEME FOR THE CREATION OF A NUMBER OF HOMES IN FRANCE AND/OR SPAIN FOR ORPHANS OF SPANISH MINERS.
Provisional Report by Schevenels.
Preliminary Remarks.
Immediately after the London meeting of the 5th July, investigations were made on three essential points on which the realisation of the whole scheme depends, i.e.
(1) approval of the Spanish Miners' Federation,
(2) necessary approval of the French authorities for the planned permanent settlement of a considerable number of orphans in France,
(3) investigation regarding the material, technical and financial aspects of the scheme.
I am now in a position to give a first provisional statement on these three points, in order to facilitate a first decision for the British Miners' Federation.
(1) POINT OF VIEW OF THE SPANISH AUTHORITIES AND THE SPANISH MINERS.
The Miners' Federation of Spain and the Spanish authorities, both in Spain and in Paris, fully approve the British plan to establish homes in Spain and in France for the orphans of Spanish miners, and they are prepared to assist us in any direction. As far as the homes in Spain are concerned, it is pretty sure that we will get the necessary buildings from the Spanish Government without payment. It may even be expected that we will get considerable help in the transformation of the buildings in order to adapt them to their purpose of orphans' homes. Of course considerable expense will have to be envisaged for the equipment of these homes, since none of such necessary things as beds, furniture, kitchen equipment, crockery and cutlery, linen, clothing, etc. is available in Spain. A rough estimate shows that £ 3. 13.0d. per child is to be considered as a minimum expense for first installation. Then it will be necessary to send regular consignments of food. A prudent estimate shows that about 12/- a month per child will be necessary to make up for the missing commodities and food stuffs.
As far as the personnel is concerned, our Spanish comrades assure us that they are prepared to put at our disposal the Spanish teachers and nurses necessary for both the Spanish and the French homes. The Spanish homes will of course be run entirely by Spanish staff, whilst the French will be run by staffs composed half of French and half of Spanish persons. In the Spanish homes, the International Solidarity Fund will not be charged for any salaries of the Spanish staff. In France, salaries must of course be provided, as you will see from the budget of the third section of this report.
(2) POLITICAL SITUATION IN FRANCE.
The French comrades and the Spanish representatives in Paris of the Spanish Department for Infant Care are entirely and enthusiastically in agreement with the British scheme and have promised