Jan, 31, Yesterday the Salvation Army inaugurated its annual campaign for funds, and it is sincerely hoped that, despite the many calls. which have been made upon charitable Shanghai in recent months, the response will be equally as great now as it has been in the past. If figures. alone can tell the story. of the activities of the Salvation Army the half-page of statistics contained in the annual report bears striking witness to the work which this world-wide institution is! doing here in Shanghai. To quote them all' would be superfluous, but a few may be: mentioned {o give some idea of the great! activity of the Salvation Army in doing good amongst the poor. Foreign families cared for each month number 177; single men and women assisted 250. In the foreign men's' hostel meals and beds supplied total 25,510 and 12,376 respectively. In the foreign men's shelter in Muirhead Road over 28,000 beds and 63,000 meals were supplied. "More than 1,800,000 cups of tea were distributed to the rickshaw coolies during the summer months of last year, 13,520 clinical treatments were given them. Rice was distributed on 78 winter nights fo the amount of 295,500 bags, with 90,000 loaves and 32,437 Ib. of salted vegetables.
But this does not exhaust by any means the list of the activities of the Salvation Army, who care for discharged prisoners in the whole foreign area, assisting them to their homes, providing them with clothing and food when necessary. Yet some further figures may be quoted as showing the splendid record of the Army in dealing with Chinese refugees. The totals given cover
when the Army managed the camps_with funds supplied by the International' Relief Commitice, and the Shanghai Refugee Relief Association. The refugees cared for number-fed 68,100, who received 37,106,000 meals, 85,000 garments and 20,000 units of bedding. No fewer than 447,500 received treatment in the free clinics, while 151,400 was treated in wards and given special food.
Figures alone, however, cannot tell the whole story. Yet a moment's thought should reveal the intense activity and continual application of those in the Salvation Army responsible for carrying on the good work, It fs axiomatic that any charity administered by the Army is administered well, and it is impossible for anyone acquainted with their work to deny them that meed of praise. In this connection an extract from the report, showing how splendidly the Army can rise the occasion is not without interest:
In one night during the hilter cold spell ast winter 500 people perished on the streets of Shanghai—one of the world's richest cities. When this fact was made known the people Shanghai responded. in a wonderful way fand made it possible for relict work on a large scale to be carried out 2 Hot rice was taken nightly by motor to the fortunates on the cold sive cts and there Is no doubt that many were saved from death by starvation euch night the "bus" made its rounds, Eventually it was found best to make the distribution at one contee—North 'Thibet Road Bridge, The people were, marshalled each night into a cul-de-sao. The "bus" formed a barrier and as the people fled. past they Gach received a pound of seaming' hot rice fud two ounces of salted vegetable. These People were a most pathetic sight: many. them came a. distance of two malles for" the portion of rice, It is in order that the work of men such as those responsible for actions like the above shall not be'allowed to fail far lack of funds that the appeal which the Salvation Army making is commended to the attention of readers of this journal. There is so much misery in the world, so much of it at present man created, that it is a blessed thought that there are individuals and organizations who: tone errand is that of merey for the unfortunate. Here'in Shanghai there fs " great demand upon the charitable, donors as well as workers, and it is unthinkable despite all the appeals which Shanghai has to meet that any of them should be allowed to fail, Equally unthinkable is it that the Salvation Army should be hampered in their devoted work through Jack of funds, for in the words of the report "Your gift plus the Salvation Army inay save a life, save a soul, mend broken spirit, feed the starving, salvage human derelicts, straighten twisted minds, build, ders from the-rejected; restore-hope and kith ana courage to weary hearts, bless little children.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.