Evening star., 1947-04-02
Plan Of Sanctuary
For " AZ Orphans
EXPLAINED to Club
By. Ruth Dean

i -
"A plan to provide permanent care
for Europe's stateleSs children In
q sanctuary far from the horror and
terror they have known was pre-
sented by bright t-eyed, determined
Englishwoman before the Washing
ton Club yesterday.
Mrs. We're Stuart-Alexander, an
international traveller, Is the woman
with the vision. She pictured the
plight Of homeless, stateless chil-
dren In the British and American
zones still living In old concentra-
tion camps where they saw their
parents and brothers and sisters
murdered, and where they must
continue to make their home for
lack OF better shelter.
Much Of what Mrs. Stuart-Alex-
ander said was illustrated by q
picture entitled "The Seeds OF
Destiny" which she showed through
the courtesy Of the War Depart
ment. The film depicted the fate
Of the wars worst victimS-the
children. Some were manned, some
blinded and others distorted by
mamutritional disease.
Home for so Planned
Mrs. Stuart-Alexander's plan
calls for the establishment Of q
sanctuary for so Of these stateless,
parentless and homeless children,
who would be prepared mentally
and spiritually as world citizens.
The sanctuary, she said, would be
located on Nevis In the British West
Indies, in mild climate where the
temperature varies between 10 and
90 degrees. The children's home
will be an old renovated sugar plan
tation, with space enough to grow
fruit, grain, vegetables and flowers,
and to raise livestock, so that In
time the island will be self-sufn-
cient.
Nevis was selected not only for
its climate but because it is a British
colonial possession, where the i'm
migration laws are sufficiently flex-
ible to permit the entry Of orphans
unable to establish national identi-
ty, the speaker explained. The
staff Of the sanctuary, Of which
Mrs. Stuart-Alexander is executive
vice president and secretary, will be
composed Of not more than IS
members. supplemented by a flow
of visiting instructors thoroughly
versed in the problems of the day.
1--WE aren't going to let these chill
dren grow up to be the narrow
minded, bigoted nationalists that
brought on this war;" Mrs. Stuart
Alexander stressed. "They will be
world citizens in every sense OF the
word" She and her staff have
asked the United Nations Secretary
General for international passports
for the children, she added.
Got Idea From Doctor
Mrs. Stuart-Alexander said she
got the idea for establishing the
sanctuary years ago when she was
with the French Mission here. She
met doctor who had just returned
from Europe and asked him who
he thought needed the most help.
He replied-the stateless children.
Enlisting the support of Miss
Martha Biehle, American resident
representative of the International
Committee on Refugees, she applied
through the London headquarters
to the Bishop OF Chichester who
promised, she said. to present the
request for the children to their
present guardians, the military gov
erners Of the areas in which they
live, A pledge Of 100000 must be
made before the Bishop can lay the
scheme before the Control Com
mission, she added.
Mrs. Stuart empha-
sized the Importance Of making this
project a success In the hope that
similar Projects may be instituted
to absorb more children and thus
reach a solution Of the problem.
Mrs. Cloyd Heck Marvin, presi-
dent of the club, presided and
introduced the speaker.