Article by John Barclay at the founding of IHC.
It was printed in a newspaper in but unfortunately the date and identity of the newspaper have not been preserved. In our busy world to-day
I cannot imagine there would be much response and as for giving hospitality to a child for 3 months - it would seem inconceivable to today's parents.
It is a fascinating reflection of a world we can barely imagine.
Since
1918 I have suffered from insomnia. For many years my mind was
overwhelmed by agonising repetitions of war, horrors seen or
experienced
on
the slopes of Passchendaele or in the half-trenches of Lens. Rats, the
stench of decaying bodies and the cloying taste of chloride of lime
formed
the back-ground of a perpetual Grand Guignol. To sweep it away
required both an effort of will and an occupation which demanded all
the strength of mind and body. Six years after the war the
thought of an army of rats moving in their thousands across the Somme
battlefields no longer prevented me from dealing with the problem of
ONE rat in a slum room in West London. The nightmare of numbers had
been removed by the practical application to a personal problem within
my powers, and for which I felt a responsibility as a citizen.
Thirty
years have passed, and it is the haunting knowledge that 30,000,000
children need our help that obsesses our minds today. The thought
of these unimaginable numbers has compelled some of us to attempt the
task of rehabilitation of small groups of children whom it lies within
our power to help. There are only a handful of us at the centre,
and we are limiting ourselves to 1,000 during 1948. We believe
that British children are as much our responsibility as French, Greek
or German, so we are planning to send 5OO war-affected children from
British homes to Belgium, where they will be given lavish
hospitality and a royal welcome next summer. The Belgian organisation
"Souvenir" is working in close contact with us, and we can guarantee
the suitability of all the homes.
At Eastertide we shall be
receiving a party of 100 French children of former prisoners-of-war,
who will stay for a month as guests of the
families who invite
them. Later in the iyear we hope to arrange the transport of 50 Greek
children for a three-months' rehabilitation holiday
in Britain and
in anticipation, we are already receiving offers of hospitality for
German children, if and when we can obtain permission and
provide
the means of transport. This programme of work needs the
most careful planning and the help of many devoted individuals and
groups besides ourselves. During the 10 years that I
spent travelling continuously to all parts of the British Isles in the
service of the PPU, I often discussed just such a work that now faces
us. It was an academic discussion in those far-off days, but I think we
always knew at the back of our minds that one day it would be a
practical job waiting our full or part-time service. That day has
come, and I am writing this short
article to remind you of the silent pledge we made together then.
You
will want to know how to help The first step is to get together three
or four reliable and practical people and form a branch of
International Help for Children. Let us have the nam« of the Secretary,
and if possible that of the Hon. Treasurer. If you live in
one of the bombed towns you will perhaps be able to help us in choosing
a party of British children for a holiday in Belgium next summer.
Ench party of 25 boys and girls must be between the ages of 8 and 14
and will have to be accompanied by an adult leader who can speak French
and is a person of resource and imagination, as well as young, active
and conscientious. We will let you have full information about this
side of our work if you want to help with it. If on the other
hand, you live in a small town near open country, then perhaps you
could prepare to receive children from abroad. Let us know, how
many you might be able to find homes for on a three months
rehabilitation basis. The minimum size of the in-coming
party is ten to a district, although we prefer parties on
15-20. Each group has a leader who will also need
hospitality. You will have realised from this short account that
we desire to make personal contact and individual responsibility an
inherent part of our scheme. The problem of 30,000,000
children remains insoluble until an attempt is made to
bring the individual child in touch with the love and care of
individual men and women. I am quite sure that all who read this only
need to be assured that their help can be creative. Let us
hear from you, and then you must judge for yourselves.
John Barclay - Organizing Secretary:
International Help for Children
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