August 21, 1993
Mrs. Helen Foster Snow
148 Mungertown Road
Madison, CT. 06443
U.S.A.
Dear Mrs. Helen Foster Snow:
On the occasion of the successful convening of the first International Symposium on Gung Ho, we wish to extend to you our highest salutations.
At a crucial time when the Chinese nation was in peril 55 years ago, you first initiated the Gung Ho idea, worked together with other international friends and patriotic Chinese and eventually got the Industrial Cooperative Movement started in China.
You spent the prime of your youth in generating interest in and raising funds in China, Hong Kong, the Philippines and the U.S. to support Gung Ho. You were one of the prime movers who write the well-known petition to President Roosevelt to earmark $50 million for the Chinese Indusco.
You wrote China Builds for Democracy, the first book of its kind about the story of the Chinese Industrial Cooperative Movement, which was used as a textbook in many parts of the world, particularly in the developing countries for developing their own industry.
You continued to work under very difficult conditions on the American Committee in Aid of the Chinese Indusco after returning to the United States.
At the last Vice President of the American Committee, you revived the American Committee for Industrial Cooperatives in the United States in the 1980’s.
Your ideas on cooperatives are recognized and accepted by more and more people not only in developing their industry, but also in dealing with political issues locally and externally.
At present the modernization program of political and economic reforms and further opening to the outside world are in full swing all over China. Baoji, which became known to the outside world as early as in 1930’s because of your book, is making rapid progress both materially and spiritually. With the gradual establishment of the market economy, ACIC is becoming ever more active in the area of the national economic construction. In your advanced age of 86, you are still concerned about and show your continuous support to the Chinese Indusco, which we greatly appreciate. The people of Baoji, as they did in the past, will always keep in mind the great contribution you made to Indusco.
It is our firm belief that the Gung Ho co-ops will surly accomplish still more brilliant achievements in the new historical period.
We wish you good health and long life from the bottom of our hearts.
Baoji Industrial Cooperative Association
Baoji People’s Friendship Association
Shaanxi Indusco Cooperative Association
Edgar and Helen Snow Studies Center
(Drafted by An-Wei)
Helen Foster Snow
C/O G. L. Bischoff
Executor- Helen Snow Trust Fund
Dear Mrs. Helen Foster Snow:
To mark the golden anniversary of your trip to Yanan and celebrate your 80th birthday, the exhibition honoring Helen Snow in China opens to public today in Xi’an.
You are a noted journalist, writer and social activist whom we know pretty well.
Your 10-year stay in China is closely connected with the just but arduous struggle of the Chinese people.
You personally participated and covered the1935 Student Movement.
You interviewed General Zhang Xueliang at a critical moment in history and predicted the Xi’an Incident 70 days ahead of time.
You come to Xi’an at the risk of your life, fled to Yanan and completed your unique and historically significant trip to the Northwest.
You initiated the idea of Gung Ho, organized refugees to provide for and help themselves by engaging in production and supported the people’s resistance against Fascist aggression.
Despite all difficulties and poverty, you have been assiduously working for decades to promote the mutual understanding and friendship between the Chinese and American peoples.
Yours is a life of a dedicated quest for truth, goodness and beauty, a life of promoting human progress and world peace. Your belief and action commands deep reverence among the people, and becomes a shining example for the younger Chinese to follow.
The value of your books and ideas is being understood by more and more people.
Your name, along with Edgar Snow’s, has become a symbol of Sino-American friendship. Your contribution to human progress will be engraved on our mind.
Wish you good health and a long life!
By the Opening Ceremony of the Exhibition
Honoring Helen Snow in China
July 10, 1987, Xi’an, China
(Drafted by An-Wei)