Welsh Journals

it would be a fatal mistake to launch the appeal before the "psychological moment" could be provided by news of the exploits of the first contingent'. It was decided to defer a decision on this issue though it was agreed that preliminary arrangements should be made before a public appeal was launched. The following day another meeting took place which was also attended by Pierre Cot, the French economist Pierre Denis and a Chinese businessman Li Yu-Ying. The relationship between the proposed corps and the Chinese command was discussed and it was agreed that members of the force would wear distinctive uniforms and not become part of the Chinese forces. It was considered that in the event of any member of the force falling into the hands of the Japanese in all probability the treatment accorded to him would be less severe than would be the case with a Chinese national.' Hindsight suggests that this was a most naive assumption. A Memorandum of Agreement was also drawn up. This stipulated that the Provisional Committee would organise an International Committee composed of approximately fifty influential personalities. It was considered imperative that this committee should be entirely independent of any political attachments and should be constituted on all-party lines. Meanwhile the Provisional Committee would press on with the arrangements. Possible officers and trustees were also named. Among those mentioned were Howard Hughes as Treasurer, Lords Cecil and Lytton as British trustees, Sir Arthur Salter as a joint-secretary, along with Jules Romains as the French joint-secretary and either Admiral Byrd or General O'Ryan as the U.S. joint-secretary. Colonel de Marmier of the French Air Reserve was named as the likely commander of the Corps which it was hoped would leave for its objective not later than 30th September 1938. Lord Davies's responsibility now lay in crossing the Atlantic to solicit the support of Howard Hughes. Lord Davies's interest in Hughes had stemmed from his admiration of Hughes's celebrated film 'Hell's Angels', which gave a graphic and meticulous account of aerial warfare during the First World War.21 In fact, Lord Davies had arranged private showings of the film at Gregynog, a family home in Montgomeryshire. July 1938 had also seen Hughes's record round-the-world flight and the remarkable ticker-tape welcome he received on his return to New York.22 Consequently Hughes was much in the limelight when Lord Davies left for the United States on 27 July. As far as was possible, this visit was kept a secret. Even the New Commonwealth Society's representative in New York, J. Colton Hand was not informed, much to his chagrin.23 Lord Davies arrived in New York on 2 August. He was met by General John O'Ryan,24 a First World War veteran, who was 'favourably disposed' towards the project. However, he criticised the plan on the grounds that the contemplated force was too small. He considered that at least a hundred planes were required for a period of six months and that the force should be prepared to seek out and