Evening star., 1946-08-02

Letters from overseas University
Women'S groups are now pouring
into the headquarters of the Wash
ington Branch of the American
Association of University Women.
Judging from their expressions of
thanks and gratitude. the relief
project undertaken last month by
the Washington club, was a sue
cess.
Early this year, the members of
the Washington Branch felt keen
desire to help their sisters across
the seas, and expressed the hope,
that with their moral and mate
rial support, they might give cour-
age to their European colleagues in
the tremendous task of rebuilding
torn lives and countries.
Response to the project was Spon-
taneous. Under the leadership OF
Judge Fay Bentley and her Com
mittee on Economic and Legal
Status of Women, members of the
branch answered the appeal for
clothing, toilet articles and food
with generous contributions,
Judge Bentley reported that dis
charged WAVES also helped in the
project by contributing a great
many articles of warm and durable
clothing such as uniforms and over
coats.
BY July l, 500 pounds of mate
rial in 11-pound packages were
sent to the heads of university
women groups in ten European
countries. The one-man job of ad-
dressing and mailing all the pack
ages, a gigantic task entailing many
long hours of work, was undertaken
by Miss Anna Blumenfeld, a grad
uate of Munich University, and
member of the Washington Branch.
To France, Holland, Poland, Nor
way, Czechoslovakia, Luxembourg,
Finland and Belgium went the much
needed packages, and from these
countries have poured expressive
thanks for American generosity and
friendship.
First acknowledgement of the
packages from abroad came from
the President of the Belgium Associ-
alton of University Women in Brus-
sells, reporting a distribution center
had been set up where the students
and members could receive the
much-needed gifts.
From Louise Kraus. a member of
the Luxembourg Federation, comes
this message: I'VE appreciate very
much the help given us by your
association. 1t is a token of your
friendship for the sister organiza-
tions in the occupied countries
During five years we have lived
under regime of terrorism. We
felt only hate around us. We saw
ruin and destruction in our towns
and villages during the last German
drive. 1t was a great relief to get
your friendly help, to find out that
there is still kindliness coming to
us from the university women across
the sea. We appreciate this COM
radeship and we see in it a token
of a new life of courage and hope
for U.s."
And from Nine. w. Weschler.
secretary TO the federation, comes
word that members gave the par
GELS to the children who have be-
come orphans through German op-
preston and cruelty
Mrs. Asia Wilhelmsen, of the Nor
way Association writes that it was
a big surprise and help to them and
was The first time they had received
a package from abroad. From Rot
terdam. Nine. H. Meye, a member
OF the Netherlands Association voices
the feeling of her countrywomen in
saying, this gives us a real moral
support"
From France, Mime. Bedier. new
president of the Association Des
FRANCHISES Diplomees Des Univer-
sites, writes, "the parcels will give
joy tc many and bring us more
over, the comfort of American
sympathy in our Unexpectedly diff
cult and burdened year"
A copy of the Italian ,Associa-
tlon's magazine, Pensiero Feminile.
recording their grateful acknowl-
edgement and thanks for the
AAUWs' gift, was received. accom-
panied with a letter from Luigia
Pirovano, of Milan, in which she
revealed the deep interest of the
Italian women in American women's
way OF life.
1T would be very much appre-
ciated if you could and would send
us short articles about the work.
study and life in general of Ameri-
can women for publication in our
paper" she writes. I'VE Italian
women are extremely interested and
wish to know far more than we do
at present of living conditions of
American women in all its varied
phases"
Probably the most revealing and