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"LOS DIARIOS" - SARMIENTO 1236
BUENOS AIRES HERALD

(Buenos Aires) [[stamp]] 19 Oct 1944 [[/stamp]]

CHINA'S HERCULEAN STRUGGLE
485

Courage and Bare Hands
THE usual rollicking spirit prevailed last night at the Olivos and Vicente López get together in the Northlands School hall where the guest speaker was Miss Lee Ya Ching. 

The community singing with which the programme opened went off in hearty swing and even when the curtain had been rung on leader and pianist the audience kept the ball rolling until charming little Yvonne Savage took the stage to entertain with a classical dance in which she showed both talent and grace which was loudly appreciated.

Mr. Fred R. Limpenny, chairman of the district committee then introduced the guest speaker notifying his audience that they were in for a great disappointment if they expected anything in the way of a "vtlly nicee speechee" from Miss Lee inasmuch as she speaks perfect English without a trace of accent. Mr. Limpenny's appreciation of Miss Lee's expression in English was fully borne out by herself when she addressed her eager listeners with the most cultured accent and extreme fluency, painting a vivid picture of the sufferings, hardships and extreme sacrifice which the Chinese have had to endure for eight long years.

Miss Lee said that it gave her very great pleasure to address those present affording her an opportunity to thank them all and specially Mr. Limpenny for his promise in organizing a special programme to be held for the benefit of the Chinese Red Cross. "You have been helping us for many years," said Miss Lee and I wish to express the gratitude of my people for this kind and valuable hep. With their gratitude I also bring their greetings and the assurance of their appreciation of the services rendered to them. It doesn't matter," said the speaker, "whether the amount is great or small. It is a great comfort to us to know of the sentiment and spirit which is behind it."

Miss Lee then remarked on the jolliness of her audience notwithstanding that their own people were also fighting a strenuous war, saying that this made her proud to say: We are Allies! The difficulties under which China laboured were then touched upon and Miss Lee said she was quoting their leader's words when she said that they had to fight with one hand and build with the other. China had no equipment beyond her spirit, her courage and her bare hands when she was forced to fight back the invaders.

UNBREAKABLE SPIRIT

She has since lost one third of her territory, all of her coastal cities and is entirely cut off from all outer communications except by air over the Himmalayas [[Himalayas]]. Fifty million people have lost their homes and their all. Building has to be recommenced 1,000 miles from the sea coast to provide for the countless refugees in the interior of China. Students have moved their schools and universities on their backs and factories have been shifted in the same way by the workers. In this determined manner China is working steadily towards healing her gaping and painful wounds and is to-day better equipped and better trained than ever before.

As far as development is concerned, said Miss lee, the utmost efforts are being made, and no sacrifice is deemed too great to further this. The help obtained in the United States is very considerable, indeed; not only relief from suffering, but strengthening of the morale of the people, as may be gathered from the fact that orphanages for 20,000 homeless children have been provided. A students' fund has also been formed as in China students are looked upon as a most necessary element which will contribute towards the fulfilment of China's most important programme for mass education. Over 90,000,000 people have been taught to read and to write, using a special basic Chinese system.

Then again help was greatly needed for the missionaries in China who had done such splendid work. At first the missionaries were allowed to remain in occupied territory and their protection of women and children from all sorts of atrocities on the part of the fiendish Japanese invaders had been of incalculable value. These missionaries are now in dire trouble because of their assistance. and they badly need help.

Miss Lee brought her address to a close saying that China had taken upon herself, with full determination to achieve her ends, the gigantic task of rebuilding and shaping a New China out of the ashes of the old. "We are allies, and we all know what we are fighting for."

The conclusion of Miss Lee's address was the signal for a storm of applause which only subsided to allow Mr. Limpenny to step on the platform to congratulate Miss Lee on her "velly nicee speechee," and then broke out anew.

Miss Lee will remain in Buenos Aires until about November 10, when she will leave for Chile to continue her mission of goodwill.

ENTERTAINMENT AND ANNOUNCEMENTS

The entertainment which followed and which consisted in a tap-dance by Mr. C. Courtaux, acrobatic feats by the Y.M.C.A. Chums, Messrs J. Alvarez, M. Curri and G. Thomas and some comic songs was of the very best and thoroughly enjoyed by all present, who were unstinting in their applause.

During one of the intervals, Mr. Spalding read the figures showing a net profit of $1,660.40 made with "Evening At a Music Hall" in the Cine Select, Borges, and also made several announcements regarding the 4th Goodwill Fete to he held at the Belgrano Athletic Club, stating the activities which the Olivos and Vicente López District have been assigned, viz: The Bran Tub, The Children's Hoop-la, The Wheel of Fortune, The Smoker's Stall and Service of Waitresses and Taxi Girls for the Cabaret. A "bridge party" was also announced for November 10 in the Northlands hall.
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