ermany's Refugees Sta,—Holiday-makers returning from the Contir.ent this year tend
to dwell on the spectacle of full shop windows and the presence of luxuries inaccessible to us at home. They do not mention, however, the problem of Germany's twelve million refugees—for the simple reason that the refugee, naturally enough, does not parade his tragic plight. Yet in the British zone alone nearly four million such refugees are eking out a miserable existence in camps, bunkers and converted barracks, or are billeted on often already overcrowded families. In the four years since the majority of these refugees were " transferred" to Western Germany, poverty, squalor and unemployment have done their worst. After four years the German refugee in Western Germany is still a stranger in a strange land, unwelcome and unwanted, a burden to the local community as well as to himself. His future today is as uncertain as it was in 1945: and, unlike the non-German displaced persons, he does not qualify for United Nations help through the International Refugee Organisation.
Obviously a small visluntary society like our own cannot solve the problem. But we can at least go on sending them the clothing they so badly need and cannot afford to buy. The public responds as generously as ever to our clothing appeals, and in the past year two million garments and pairs of shoes have been sent to Germany arid elsewhere from our warehouse (c/o Davies Turner and Co., Bourne Street, London, S.W.1). Baling and shipping, however, are likely to cost us L30,000 this year ; and money for this purpose is a primary need. Will your readers please help by sending every penny they can spare to the undersigned at the address below ? Donations should be earmarked "Clothes for Europe," and will be gratefully acknowledged.—Yours
sincerely, PAUL D. STURGE, General Secretary, Friends Service Council, Ft lends House, Euston Road, N.W.z
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