i,000 in Ten Weeks for Aberdare rupN weeks -ago the
Spectator, on behalf of - its readers, - " adopted " Aberdare in South Wales, The need there, as everywhere in the district, was sore. It seemed likely that readers, attached to their paper and living comfortably, would contribute money enough• to pay for Christmas cheer and presents for children ; perhaps some- thing might be left over to provide food tickets on the local shops -for a few -weeks into the New Year. _ • To-day with warm thankfulness we are able to look back on the astonishing generosity which has raised a fund of over £11,000, and provided the town of our adoption with means to alleviate its suffering, not only during the two and a-half months past, but at least until Easter, when warmer weather will (we hope !) take the sharpest edge off distress. This is far more than the Editor hOped to be able to do when he was moved by the accounts of the miners' misery to make his appeal. It is far more, I can add with certain knowledge, than Aberdare expected. The way faces light up there when the Spectator is mentioned, the glowing gratitude that is expressed to the hands " open as day for melting charity " which our readers have stretched out, give proof of the enduring tie formed between adopters and adopted. I wish all who have given could see this evidence as I have seen it and be rejoiced, as I have been, by this splendid victory of the Spirit of Love. - It has been a victory not gained without struggle. Many letters .sent with cheques have spoken of the events which led up to the General Strike ; many have blamed the miners for the pitiful plight in which they and their wives and little ones have been landed. Yet every one of these letters has ended in almost identical terms. " All the .same I send you a contribution because I cannot bear to think of families being hungry and cold." Comradeship in every case has triumphed over criticism. The:simple human instinct which makes us reach out to aid any fellow-creature in trouble, sorrow, need, sickness or any other adyersity has scattered all doubts as to -whether " the miners didn't bring it on themselves."
That is in itself, a valuable result of our effort. It liauhelped to dissipate an-error which only _ needed to be exposed. to. the light to crumble away.. It has shown, too, that, .even among those who cherished it, kindliness got the upper hand. Their arguments had no chance against their own natural sympathy and generous impulsion.
It may be asked : " Why, then, if in every way the Fund has been such a success—why close it ? ". Well, there are various answers to that query. One is that a weekly paper with limited space cannot continue any feature. indefinitely. Another is that we could not reasonably expect to go on indefinitely drawing a thousand pounds a week out of our readers' pockets. A third is that we have collected , as much as the Lord Mayor's Fund would be likely to allot to Aberdare. One condition of the " pound for pound " which doubles a large part of our Fund is that discretion shall be left to the central authority to decide whether money earmarked for a certain . area exceeds the general average and, if so, to divert it to other areas.
We are eager, of course, that all areas shall benefit, but, after all, Aberdare was our special anxiety. Having provided for it, we now ask all readers who can still spare aid to send it direct to the Lord Mayor's Fund, so that it can be applied to any district. Our paxticus* job of work has been done.
" But," you may say, " the big problem remain.; still. We are feeding, clothing, putting coal in empty grates, but this cannot go on for ever. What is to be the end of it all ? How are the surplus miners going to be put into a position to support themselves again ? "
Perhaps fortunately, perhaps unfortunately, that is not the Spectator' business. It is the business of the rulers of the country. Into remedies for the disaster which has fallen on one of our greatest industries it is not my province to probe (if it were, I should say " Make a beginning by at once acting upon the Samuel Report "). The relief of immediate needs by you and me, and the solution of the vast difficulty by statesmanship, are two totally different aspects of the matter. .
Thanks to you, the .first of these has been effectively dealt with in Aberdare. All that remains is to say how grateful the Editor and the people. of Aberdare are to you. Words are of little help. Trite phrases would be offensive. Any effort at fine writing would be an insult. The best is the plainest in such a quandary. " For this relief much thanks," and as a last thought " Inasmuch."
YOUR SPECIAL COMMISSIONER.
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