July 1, 1951
Rev. V. J. R. Mills,
Christian Children's Fund,
126 Tapio Road,
Kowloon, Hong Kong.
Dear Mr. Mills:
I am writing this at home which is the reason for the old letterhead.
Your letter of June 27th regarding Miss Powlas is before
me. I am sure that the reply which (eraser marks, unable
to make out wording) was the right reply to send. I appreciate
your looking out for our interest and protecting CCF. She has
to be watched in such matters, I am afraid. Yes, when she has
taken adequate steps to safeguard our interests, then we can send her
the $3,000.
I do not know just what to write about Mrs. Whang's Home. If
we are really going to establish a new orphanage for a thousand children
in Korea we certainly will not need for our adoption plan the almost
800 children in Mrs. Whang's Home. You see, we actually do
not average two new $120.00 adoptions six days a week. Then adoptions
cancel. Mrs. Clarke thinks that we are gradually increasing the
number of our adoptions - that the number of new exceeds the number
of old that cancel. And it is true that we need children as substitutes.
The trouble is that many whom are sending substitute children will cancel.
Many, of course, do not write in and cancel. They just cease to
pay and we carry them a year before we cancel them. That means
that we need more children than we have active sponsors. And to
send substitute children to sponsors we do need a few more children
than we have, now that the mainland of China is not in the picture.
But here again, I went to expand to other countries. I really
think that I am wise in doing this. For instance, many of the
organizations that have got on the band wagon and are now appealing
for Korea, haven't anything there but an old clothes depot. Yet
they ask for cash, etc. Several of our contributors have written
that they have given money to Save the Children Federation for Korea.
S.C.F. uses such funds for shipping charges. Tons of clothing
will be sent to Korea. I believe that the more countries we can
advertise that we have a work in the more money we will get. If
we spend all day in Korea, we shall have nothing to expand to these
other countries. It is true that Korea is the best money getter
at present. Some of the people to whom we have sent Japanese
children as substitutes for the old Chinese children have sent back
the Japanese pictures and asked if they could not have Korean children.
I am wondering if we could comprise with Mrs. Whang and take only 100
children at $2.00 a month each and say we will try and do better later.
Then if we are able to create more interest in Korea, we can do more
for her. What I want to do is to spread to new countries at
the same time avoid getting into a situation where we are worried all
the time for fear we can not meet our obligations. Understand
I am just trying to write as I would talk with you and if you were hear
and we could thrash out our problems together.
I am looking forward with great interest to the Korean budget
and the Alwaye report. It will be fine to have this. But
I am afraid that our best hope for help in a larger program is overseas
through the U. N. and not through any help from the Foreign Mission
cards. Dr. Grant was to see Dr. Poling and did not even write
to him. I am sure that after Dr. Grant thought it over for awhile
he realized that his enthusiasm was greater than his delivery powers.
But we may get some lucky breaks. I shall push to get every cent
that I can.
To go back to Miss Powlas, you are altogether right to tie in with the
National Christian Council. I am very glad that you have done
this.
I am writing to Mr. Rue regarding Miss Beatrice Pope's Home. But
let me know more about it, now many children she wants us to help and
so forth. In a way it is a good thing to be able to say that in
some cases we pay more than ten dollars a month for a child. But
of course we still spend more on our children than our adoptions bring
us.
To go back to Mrs. Wang's Home. You understand that in suggesting
100 children only, I am only making a suggestion and it is not a final
decision. I think you understand our problem. As much as
we may wish that it were otherwise we must submit to the fact that it
is a slow process getting additional sponsors to take out adoptions
in this country. When you consider how much longer other organizations
that do not get any more money than we do have been at it and how most
of them have several offices, we are doing remarkably well. On
the other hand what wouldn't I give if we could double our income.
Your letter of June 28th is before me. I am glad that
Scratch is keeping in touch with you.
Yes, I think Helen and I will come to the Orient without doubt if we
can get some one to run the office for us. I am afraid that Miss
Pearson will not work out. I am sorry but she is another disappointment,
I am afraid. But I shall try and find some one so we can get away.
I note what you write about buying the tickets for us. It will
be fine to have that money.
Do not worry about the Episcopal bishop. He came to see me and
is a fine fellow but he was a prisoner of the Reds and his doctor will
not let him undertake as a hard job as CCF. He hopes to get a
job with the Government at Washington and I think he will. At
any rate he is out of the picture at least for a year as far as CCF
is concerned.
I appreciate the care full and complete work you are doing on the
1000 children Korean project. I have every confidence that we
can handle the orphanage better than any other agency. I shall
see if I can get any help at this end and I am delighted with your plans
to see General Sams.
Regarding Okinawa, I am wondering if the Army would not help with
materials for the building. I don't think we ought to go over
$5,000 for a building and I hope that we won't even have to do
that much. But if war is declared it would help our organization
to have an orphanage in Okinawa from the publicity standpoint.
That island might get front page stuff.
I am glad you are asking Dr. Bott to contract Mr. Rouch regarding Miss
M. A. Dalton, Adoption #5284. I hope in the future she will send
her agency to us and not direct.
It is interesting to know that the Korean Consul and Vice Consul called.
We are getting to be BIG PEOPLE, aren't we.
J. Calvitt Clarke
CCF-117
