When the donations [war relief for europe after WWII] were being sorted and packaged, Elder Harold B. Lee and Elder Marion G. Romney took president George Albert Smith to Welfare Square. They observed the generous response of the membership of the Church to the clothing drive and the preparations for sending the goods overseas. Brother Stewart Eccles, who was with the Bretheren, reported that tears ran down President Smith's face as he watched the workers package this great volume of donated clothes, shoes, and other goods. After a few moments he removed a new overcoat that he had on and said, "Please ship this." The Bretheren said to him, "No, President, don't send that; it's cold and you need your coat." But President Smith would not take it back. Brother Eccles went into an office and had a secretary type a note to put in the pocket of the overcoat so that the person eventually receiving it would know that it came from the President of the Church. President Smith insisted that he didn't need his coat to go back to the Church Office Building. The bretheren helped him get into the warm car and returned him to his office.
Glen L. Rudd, Pure Religion: The Story of Church Welfare Since 1930 by Glen L. Rudd. 1995. P.248.
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