weekly meeting of the Refugee Committee of the Shanghai International Red Cross was held, under the chairmanship of Father Jacquinot, on Wednesday evening.
The questions of colonization, repatriation and rehabilitation were further discussed. Following investigations which have been made among the refugee population of the camps it has been ascertained that there is not a large number of refugees who would be either willing or available for transportation to such far distant fields as Kiangsi or Kwangsi for purposes of colonization. Another aspect of the question, which has become emphasized is the inadvisability of transport to a distance skilled labour, either agricultural or industrial which will be very much needed when rehabilitation of the Shanghai devastated areas becomes a possibility. With this further information the Committee whilst in full sympathy with those organizations which are already undertaking this work on a small scale, felt that they could not sponsor such a venture at this time.
Conditions in the country around Shanghai at present are not favourable to a large scale repatriation effort, but the Committee decided that the time was ripe to put the preparatory work for—repatriation and rehabilitation into effect on their programme.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.