Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1941-02-22
By HUGH S. JOHNSON

If1ENE ID oiie hiiu Vi anu W
- Britain short of war" about
which there will be no disagree
ment.
Bundles for Britain" grew
out of the unselfish effort of an
American woman, Mrs. Wales
Latham, to interest few
friends and neighbors in reliev-
ing the terrible sufferings OF
British civilians-women, chill
dren, non-combatants, the aged
and the helpless from the
CHASTITY slaughter of the inno-
cents with which Hitler's air
attacks have attempted to win
this war by breaking the
British home front of patriotism,
courage and fortitude.
He can never do il. That
breed gave us the pioneers who
conquered a bowling American
wilderness of continental extent.
That could have been done only
by people who could not be
daunted and who dared, never
hesitating. never ceasing to adj
vance. in the face of starvation,
savage slaughter. incredible
hardship. to create this nation.
MORSE horrors are now being
w visited on the children of
our forebears. They are being
bombed from their homes to
take nightly shelter like hunted
animals in caves in the ground.
Children and invalids take
such rest as they can on cold
concrete without adequate COW
ering and warmth. They emerge
next morning sometimes to find
their homes charred ruins, their
clothing gone, their relatives
manned or dead.
Mrs. Latham's modest begin
ming in Bundles for Britain"
was to collect such good serv-
iceable clothing as her friends
could spare. such services in
knitting and sewing as they
were willing TO donate. and such
funds as people who had them
would give to relieve this terri
BILE primitive suffering.
Spontaneously, and with no
organized effort, her little
mother chapter of Bundles for
Britain in New York is now
paralleled by 100 chapters in
many parts of our country. In
about a year nearly Sl,700,000
worth of clothing. manufactured
and knitted garments. hospital
and medical supplies have been
sent abroad
IT ISN'T enough. There are
L more than 1900 counties in
the United States. In addition
to counties and including city
population groups Of about 3d.
0O0-as we do in organizing
America for selective service
boards-there are nearly 5000
such areas.
If this kind OF aid to Britain.
In which no true American can
be reluctant. is to be really
effective, there should be be-
tween four and five thousand
chapters of the national organ
ization for Bundles for Britain.
Somebody has TO take the
initiative in every community
and group. Doubtless there are
thousands of able and respected
women and men who could start
this organization in their own
community.
1t is estimated that, through
the present chapters, nearly
100000 Americans are giving
part or all of their time to this
necessary effort. There should
be at least five times that num-
Der of chapters and, presumably,
10000 people engaged or in.
terested in this crusade of
humanity.
THE two things most needed
l. now are cots for afraid
shelters to keep tender limbs
off cold, damp underground
floors and requirements for
blasted hospital equipment. A
ten-dollar donation will provide
a cot completely equipped.
What is needed most in this
period of organization is local
leadership in the creation of
thousands rather than hundreds
of these chapters-to keep this
effort and this pressure con-
stantly alive until the need for
it is past.
That British home front must
hold if the cradle of our race
is to be preserved. 1t will hold
only if the resistance of the
common people OF England
holds-as it has held so mag
nificently until now. Bundles
for Britain is helping to hold it.