Letters and News

♦ We announce with deepest sorrow to our readers the death of our great colleague Mr. Gebran Tueni, owner of the distinguished newspaper "An-Nahar" and Lebanon's Minister Plenipotentiary in Argentina. Death overtook him in the wake of the tremendous exertion imposed upon him by his devotion in the service of Lebanon — a service whose happy results raised Lebanon's name high in those far lands.

To his honorable family go the most heartfelt condolences of the family of "The Woman's Voice."

♦ Miss Hafida al-Dabbagh (Palestine) has donated 25 Lebanese lira to the Arab Orphan Committee in Jerusalem — the value of the first prize in the competition of "The Woman's Voice," whose subject was: My frank opinion of the magazine The Woman's Voice. We have forwarded the sum to Mr. Ahmad Samih al-Khalidi, president of the committee in Jerusalem.

As for the brilliant woman of letters Mrs. Jihan Aony, she chose to present the value of her prize in the same competition to the magazine "The Woman's Voice," out of a desire to show her esteem and her support for this magazine, which labors on at its mission despite the difficulties that beset its path.

The Woman's Voice thanks our woman of letters for her gracious gift, and accepts it from her as a pledge of mutual devotion.

♦ The first issue has appeared of the newspaper "'Asa al-Janna," published every week by the League of Newspaper Editors in Damascus in agreement with Mr. Nash'at al-Taghlibi. And behold, this paper strides broadly along the road of the new Arab journalism. We wish it success, and congratulate those in charge of it on their splendid efforts.

♦ There has returned from Italy to Bethlehem one of its rising young women, Miss Gloria Antoine Abu al-Arraj, who had been studying at Queen Victoria College for the doctorate in chemistry.

♦ The Orthodox Shelter Society for the Sick and the Crippled in Jerusalem has issued its annual budget, which shows that the number of patients in the shelter is 33, and that the number of those placed in hospitals and given surgical operations at the society's expense is 160. The amount set aside in the bank for the building of a new shelter is 3,360 pounds. And this vast and exacting work woman carries out on her own.

♦ The Orthodox Women's Committee called an important meeting at the offices of the Union and Women's Solidarity societies: five first-aid squads were formed and attached to five physicians to receive lessons in first aid. The committee then invited the city's health officer, who kindly delivered a lecture entitled "Cholera and Diphtheria, and How to Guard Against Them."

♦ The Women's Union in Jerusalem held a contest for the children under its care; the judging committee chose the four children of strongest constitution, who received valuable prizes. The rest received lengths of good cloth.

♦ The ladies of Bethlehem have founded a shelter for destitute girls, which they have named the Institute of the Holy Cross. Today it houses 35 girls who find in it refuge, tenderness, and learning. The sons of Bethlehem in the Mahjar have generously given the sum of 1,221 pounds to this shelter.

♦ There will shortly appear, by Professor Musa Sulayman, professor of Arabic literature at the American University of Beirut and a member of this magazine's family, a book entitled "It Is Told of the Arabs" — a collection of old Arabic tales chosen by the author from various sources. There is no doubt that these stories will be of great benefit in the world of study.

♦ Mr. Fuad al-Sa'id and his gracious wife, Salwa Dimashqiyah al-Sa'id, have been blessed with a baby girl, whom they have named "Hala." May God make her one of the daughters of well-being in the shade of her father and her generous grandfathers.

♦ The article which "The Woman's Voice" published by the woman of letters Miss Rose Ghorayeb in one of its past issues has had a far-reaching echo in literary and intellectual circles, and some writers' pens have taken it up with criticism. We who take pride in the authentic Arab virtues are not turned by that pride from speaking the truth, though it wound — and this in the service of that truth which certain zealots attempt to veil,

driven by several motives, chief among them, perhaps, this one: a blind national fanaticism which is the furthest thing there is from constructive work.

◆ The marriage contract of Mr. Fuad Halim Salman to the noble Miss Aida Amin Taqi al-Din has been concluded. The Woman's Voice congratulates the noble bride and groom and wishes them ease of life and the bliss of parenthood.

◆ The Women's Union association in Gaza staged a women's demonstration headed by the Arab flag. The demonstration marched down the main street to the Omari Mosque, the demonstrators chanting national anthems and crying for the downfall of Zionism. It then left the mosque for the church, where Miss Sadiqa al-Sayigh prayed, beseeching God to grant us and the Arab nation success in whatever is good and right for the rescue of the homeland and its independence. Speeches were also given by the Misses Safa al-Husayn and Odette al-Tawil, who called for solidarity and union to drive the colonialist danger from the country.

◆ The first-aid committee attached to the Women's Union in Gaza distributed cloth to the poor on the occasion of the blessed Eid al-Adha. We have received several letters praising this Union's efforts in the cause of charity and reform.

◆ The Lebanese Women's League held, at the home of its president Mrs. Heneni Tarcha, a cocktail party to which it invited some sixty guests — ladies and gentlemen of praiseworthy endeavor in the national and social field. Among them were three of our great Lebanese emigrants in Brazil and Venezuela: the notables Messrs. Georges Maalouf, Karam al-Rassi, and Najib al-Haddad. We are pleased to record here that Mr. Karam al-Rassi has donated to the Lebanese Women's League the sum of one thousand lira, and that Mr. Najib al-Haddad, after visiting its kindergarten in Ras Beirut, donated the sum of one hundred and fifty dollars for the purchase of gifts for the children at the coming New Year.

On this occasion we recall as well that the generous Mr. Amin Habib al-Khoury, one of the pillars of our colony in Argentina, has likewise donated to the League the sum of two hundred Lebanese lira.

The League thanks these generous gentlemen for supporting its social projects, and prays God to grant them success in whatever is for the good of the dear homeland.

◆ Mr. Fuad Fakhouri, husband of the Lebanese actress known in the Egyptian cinema by the name Suad Fakhri, has arrived from Egypt. Mr. Fakhouri intends to retire from the Egyptian cinema and to move with his family shortly to Lebanon. Welcome!