The Cyples Family
Letters from the New World
12th April 1947

Fred:Yours recd 2 days ago.

 

You say I change my mind too often! A business man may say "yes" to-day and 30 or 90 days hence may say "No" if conditions change for the worse in the mean time.

 

Your country has been devastated by bombing with the result that for perhaps a generation there will be work for every one.On the other hand this country has no such losses to make good with the result that we shall have a surplus of labor and especially unskilled. Even now there is some unemployment.

 

????? there would be no sense in your coming here to work in a mine regardless of wages paid (there are no mines close ?????) and you would not be happy or contented working at pick and shovel work for low wages. And unsteady work. Employers for steady work can get, and prefer younger men for steady work Now there in the mines you have the 5 day week and you are getting (I see by the papers extra rations.) under the circumstances as things appear now you would be happier to remain where you are until you acquire the skill as per my previous letters.

 

A part of this dissatisfaction is due to your not ANSWERING my letter. You read them then after 1, 2, or 3 weeks you write me a letter but not ANSWER any questions I may have asked. Once I wrote: Look at it this way; suppose you had a passport to some other part of the new world since you have no boys whose future you might be concerned in, would you think it worth while to go at your age in life? In reply you never mentioned the matter. That is not ANSWERING a letter.

 

Regarding the plastering it was a reasonable request. and one worth working at and if it could not be done after an earnest effort you could have written me accordingly. However you would rather remain in England than to seriously try. There are many many people in England who would be only too glad to have a passport and who wish to come so badly that they would be satisfied here under any reasonable condition. Only those persons should come.

 

For some months I have considered the idea as to how I could aid my brothers married children and it seems the most efficient and practicable way would be to aid them to a newer part of the world. If they are happy and content where they are then no assistance is necessary.

However I don't know their names nor address (I'd suggest that you send them to me including your sisters)

 

If they had or were to acquire some building skill and had average business capacity I'd be willing to finance them in house construction.

 

You said in your letter you were going to remain in England. In your case at your age UNLESS YOU ACQUIRE PLASTERING SKILL it is a wise decision. In your photo you look older than I had imagined you would. Hence my urging you to acquire some plastering skill there as here it would be hard to live down.

 

Leonard