[James, Viscount Bryce, jurist and British Ambassador to the United States.] Typed Draft Signed ('Bryce') of joint letter 'To the Chairman of | The Government Distress Committee', criticising methods for relieving 'the distress caused by the war'.

Author: 
James Bryce, 1st Viscount Bryce (1838-1922), Ulster-born Liberal poltician, academic, British Ambassador to the United States
Publication details: 
No place or date. [London? During the early years of the First World War.]
£180.00
SKU: 22458

3pp, 8vo. On three leaves with hole in one corner where they were attached with stud. In fair condition, lightly aged and worn. The letter is clearly a draft of a public letter to be signed by a number of eminent individuals, and was presumably composed by Bryce himself. No date or place, simply headed: 'To the Chairman of | The Government Distress Committee.' It begins: 'Sir, | We whose names are appended hereto view with concern the methods that seem about to be adopted for the relief of the distress caused by the war. | We recognise the care taken by the Government to avoid demoralising methods of relief; to suggest plans of dealing with the emergency that were less open to objection; and to secure, as far as possible, that charitable funds should be administered on some deliberately concerted plan. | We are glad to infer, moreover, that the distress caused by the war is confined, for the present, only to some exceptionally situated trades or localities, and that owing to the extensive recruiting, the number of unemployed men is seldom large. But we cannot ignore the fact that the number of wage earning women put out of work by the war, or reduced to "half time" is already very great and that the nation must be prepared for things getting worse.' The proposed signatories are alarmed at the 'evident desire and intention of so many of the Local Representative Committees to fall back on a policy of distributing money in driblets to large numbers of applicants whom they are attracting and whose distress may not be caused by the war'. Such a policy would be 'disastrous in its effect on personal character, so little calculated to prevent suffering and physical deterioration, and so endless in its extravagance'. After stating that 'it would be preferable to discourage the giving of doles', the letter proceeds to describe in detail four measures employing the Prince of Wales's Fund, 'so far as civil distress is concerned', involving subsidy, training, 'adequate provision for expectant mothers', education and 'maintenance allowances for boys and girls' under Local Education Authorities. 'By the adoption of such measures the deterioration entailed by an unwise system of distribution will be avoided and the relief given by the Fund initiated by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales at this national crisis will have a definitely beneficial effect on character and health.' The letter ends with an appeal to 'these Committees to be economical and to delay their action'. During the First World War Bryce produced the Bryce Report on German war atrocities in Belgium, and after the War he served at the International Court at The Hague, and supported the establishment of the League of Nations. it is unclear whether the letter was published in any form. Note the interesting use of the word "dole", "the dole" originating at least in 1919.