Evening star., 1946-07-22
Letters to The Star
Tells About Paradisial Sanctuary
for Stateless Children

for Stateless Children
To the Editor The Star:
Since December of last year have
kept scrapbook for all the newspapers
clippings concerning the child situation
In war-devastated countries. Judging
by the number of times that Star articles
appear on the scrapbook pages, your
readers must be particularly interested
in the subject so perhaps you will allow
me to draw their attention to move
ment in Washington of which few people
thus far are aware but in which many,
I believe, will wish to participate.
small group of men and women,
Is in all, plan to bring so stateless chill
dren (bereft of parents and country of
birth and found abandoned in German
concentration camps from suffering
Europe to paradise -on -earth-a little
island in the Leeward group of the
British West Indies
Lord Halifax was interested enough
personally to advise the Governor of the
Leeward Islands of our intentions and
to enlist the sympathy of Sir Brian
Preston in our search for suitable To-
cality for the sanctuary we plan to es-
tablish. AS group secretary, was COM
missioned to fly down to Antigua in
March and, thanks to the advice and
assistance of the agricultural expert
and the colonial medical officer, as well
as the help of the Governor, 1 was
successful in my mission
We have decided on 2O0-acre estate
on the lower slopes of the mountain
which comprises the island of Nevis,
which Columbus called "Nieves," mean
ing The Shows" because of the white
clouds that forever billow around and
hide the summit of the extinct volcano.
The 18th century plantation house is
on the property still intact, but lot
has to be done to renovate and extend
the structure to make it fit to shelter
some 65 souls
We have asked for children between
the ages of 3 and 9 years; we will dedi-
cate Is years to their upbringing and
education. There are writers, painters.
musicians, scientists and school teach
ers among us. But most important
there will be the great healer, Nature.
IN all her untrammeled and unspoiled
oeauty-the superb panorama of the
isle-dotted Caribbean, the tropical color
ing and prodigal vegetation, and the
peace that pervades the little island
Inc place once was famous spa, and
the hot springs still bubble up for those
VINO seek relief from skin, stomach and
muscular ills Undoubtedly, our orphans
Will find the waters beneficial for al
though they have spent a year in the
good care of UNRRA camp officials,
they have had terrible years of malnu-
triton, disease and dirt behind them
that are not yet effaced from their
little bodies and minds.
OF great importance to our eroun
since we have to raise all the money to
finance the children's sanctuary. is the
exceptionally low cost of living in the
Island. We consider that we can easilv
maintain four children In Nevis for the
cost OF maintaining one In the United
states. After two or three years the
estate will bring In all the fruit, veee-
tables and dairy produce that we shall
require. The minimum of clothing ts
needed-for decency, not for warmth
One blanket at night suf1ices all wear
round. Simplicity is the keynote of
existence there.
Creating such a sanctuary for but
80 children is so pitifully small a ees-
ture IN relation to the magnitude of
suffering of homeless millions, but the
effort is destined to grow or doomed to
die according to the assistance that is
forthcoming. The Lord Bishop of Chi
chester is only waiting assurance from
us with regard to the financial working
OF our plan to submit it to the Control
Commission. A total of $1OO. 900 has vet
10 be guaranteed However, one can
not assess in terms Of money the poten-
tlal value OF so young men and women
trained and equipped to serve their
generation. who will be, we hone the
fruits OF the stateless children,s
sanctuary.
WE'RE STUART-ALExANDER
Secretary, S. G. S. G.