THE WRITERS OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA
[To the Editor of THE SPECTATOR]
SIR,—The writers of Czechoslovakia have appealed to us,
the English P.E.N., for help, and although many English writers have already given money to general Funds, we believe they will wish to make this second, urgent effort. We appeal not only to writers, but to every person who cherishes the ideals of that European culture for which frontiers did not exist. When these ideals are threatened or destroyed in any country the body of European civilisation itself is threatened. The Czechoslovak authors collected, even from their poorest members, the funds they have spent during the past weeks. They are now facing with empty hands a situation of extreme difficulty. They write to us : " It is our absolute duty to take care of the pcore ones in our midst. As we lack funds we are quite unable to fulfil this duty. We are therefore begging you to help us. We have need of, for the next few months, at least £400. Your help will be able to save us, if it comes in time, that is as soon as possible."
Four hundred pounds is not a great sum of money, and if we can collect more we can use more. The life and freedom of the Czech writers is our life, and it should be our eager concern to preserve it. Contributions should be sent at once to the Secretary ( the P.E.N. Club, Albion House, 59-61 New Oxford Street, London, W.C. I.—Yours faithfully, Signed on behalf of the P.E.N.,
STORM jAMESON (President, English P.E.N.), HENRY . NEVINSON, J. B. PRIESTLEY, H. G. WELLS (former Pre.- dents), HERMON Om) (General Secretary). Albion House, 59-61 New Oxford Street, London, W.C. r.
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