MAY llmr, 1915—THE RUSSIAN FLAG DAY. [To no Eonox or
Tao ..SencriTos.") Ste.,—May I be permitted to announce that arrangements hare now been practically completed both in London and the chief provincial towns for holding a Russian Flag Day on May 11th? In certain centres there is a slight modifi- cation of the date, due to local considerations, a variation which has been made with the entire goodwill of the Com- mittee. This is no ordinary movement, but an act of national recognition carefully planned and organized by those in close touch both with British and Russian sentiment. It has long been felt that an opportunity should be sought of testifying to the Russian people—a people who more than any other, for the Slav is a sentimentalist, appreciate recognition of the kind—that the great British nation is most earnestly imbued with the conviction that the cause of the Allies owes an incalculable debt of gratitude to the loyalty and co- operation of His Majesty the Tsar and the Russian people.
How can this appreciation be best shown P I venture to assert that there is no way so graceful as a really effective effort to assist the Russian wounded, whose number, as the result of the incessant bard fighting for many months, far outstrips the conception of the vast majority of people in this country. I am quite well aware there are heavy claims on the generosity of the community at the present moment, but I directly appeal to every one who realizes the Way in which Russian soldiers have poured out their life-blood on the field of battle to coins forward and help to alleviate in a manner both generous and gracious the sufferings of men who, are fighting in a common cause with our own soldiers in France
We have selected the month of May because it is obvious to every one that Russia's great effort is now becoming appre- ciably felt in the success of the common campaign, and because by then the need for our sympathetio help will be more urgent even than at any time hitherto. For our own part, we are endeavouring in many cities to bring home by lectures and in other ways the efforts of our great ally, but now I would wish earnestly to appeal for subscriptions to this movement for the wounded, which should be sent to the Honorary Treasurer, Sir John Taverner, General Buildings, Aldwych, London, W.C., payable to Russian Flag Day Fund, and crossed "Bank of England."
Every penny will go to the Russian wounded, and even the smallest assistance—so grateful are they for any help—will do much to comfort and alleviate the condition of at least one wounded man. Surely there can be hardly any one who cannot afford to make this little sacrifice. It is only necessary to remember that in the great armies which Russia puts into the field there must in war time be great suffering.—I am,
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