Edition Bobbett1. Texts by Elizabeth F. Bobbett: 1.1.3. Correspondence, Letters to newspapers

1946 Elizabeth Bobbett: Letter to the Wicklow People, 26.01.1946

Correspondence. Red Cross Society’s Appeal to Farmers

I see an advertisement in your paper from the County Wicklow Committee of the Irish Red Cross Society (IRCS) issuing an urgent appeal to the farmers of County Wicklow to send in supplies of potatoes to feed the Polish children when they come to Glencree, Enniskerry. Mr. J. A. Toner, honorary secretary, IRCS, Wicklow branch, has very kindly offered to supply sacks and take in deliveries from Wicklow district at Messrs. Coleborn and Hopkins Garage, Wicklow. Now, as I am a member of the Red Cross Society, and also a farmer, I mentioned the matter to some farmers whom I met a few days ago, and one of them said to me, “I gave a ton of potatoes last year, at the time I sent them to the Irish Red Cross Society they were worth £15 a ton in my county (he was not a County Wicklow farmer) by all means I would try and help to supply food to the Irish Red Cross Society for relief of starving people, but I think the least the Society should do in appreciation of what the farmers send them is to publish the list of farmers’ name and the amount they send, just the same as they can publish every monetary subscription as low as 5s.”

Several other farmers had the same complaint, and as I am a person who will not say a thing behind backs, I said I would bring the matter to the notice of the Society and the public if possible.

Now, why ask the farmers to make all the gifts, why not ask the Transport Company to carry the gifts free from a collecting centre in each district to the Red Cross Depot, or even let the Society pay the Transport Company half the usual freight. I believe that with proper co-operation and organisation, hundreds of tons of food could be get every month for the Irish Red Cross Society, but every section of the community should be willing to share in the work, those who cannot grow food could perhaps send a subscription to purchase it. To publish the names of farmers who sent in potatoes would also help to stir up their neighbours to charitable action and grow some potatoes this year for the Society.

While it seems the usual thing to ask the farmers for contributions of food, why not ask the seed merchants to supply so many cwt of seed potatoes to farmers, free, to be grown for the Society. Ask the manure merchants to supply some free manure, even ask the leisured class for subscriptions to buy seed to give the farmers to grow for the Society. All have a right to share in the good work. Lastly ask the newspapers to give free advertisements to encourage the work or to announce days for collecting food for the Society. Elizabeth F. Bobbett, Springfield, Wicklow.