February 20th, 1920
Dear Miss Addams:
I have just been to Mrs. Andrews' meeting and am sending you a report while it is still fresh in my mind.
Mrs. Andrews read the draft convention which had been drawn up; it was a bit difficult to [follow] as no copies were furnished us. But by dint of asking questions and having portions of it [reread], I finally got the general scheme in my mind. It is as follows: All of it is to be submitted to you later in a copy of the draft convention and Mrs. Andrews asks me to say that this is to be considered absolutely confidential.
First there is to be a permanent Convention to consist of a certain number of delegates to be appointed by each country belonging to the League of Nations; the Convention to meet annually. Second there is to be a Woman's International Bureau to be governed by a body of Directors to be consist of twelve members chosen by the different governments and twelve elected by the Convention. The Director General is to be appointed by this governing body.
The delegates to the Convention are to be partly Government representatives and partly selected from a list submitted by the different women's organizations of the country, by the Government. Proportion not decided upon.
The Bureau is to draw up the Agenda of the Convention. Also publish a monthly publication in several languages to deal with the problems of women. Expenses of the Bureau to be borne by the League of Nations. Expenses of delegates to the Convention to be borne by the countries they represent.
The Convention was not voted upon. There were only eight persons present. It was stated that no action could be taken in reference to it until some action had been taken favorably by the U.S. in reference to our entrance into the League. [page 2] No further conferences would be held until that time. However, since the British women have already submitted a Draft Convention, it was decided to leave authorize Mrs. Andrews to submit the Draft Convention which she submitted to us today, to the French women or the British women if she felt it could be treated as an absolutely confidential communication; and in the same way if she felt it desirable to submit it to the Secretariat of the League. But that it must not be in any way considered official or made public so long as the position of the U.S. in reference to the League was what it is at present.
The question of the desirability of a Woman's Bureau and Convention was again raised. Mrs. Andrews said there was a group in Britain (Miss Macmillan belongs to it) that felt it would be a mistake to have such a separate organization. I believe every one present expressed herself as satisfied that such a Bureau was desirable for the present. Of course, I did not feel free to state any view.
In general the plan is very similar to that of the Labor Convention. And the fact that women are included in the Labor Convention to the extent at least that they do not wish to have themselves considered as a separate body, was recognized. ↑They prefer to act through the labor Convention.↓
You will receive a copy of the Draft Convention later as I said. In the meantime, acting according to Mrs. Andrews' instructions, I suggest that all that I have reported be also considered as confidential. She certainly stresses that point.
Very sincerely yours,
Eleanor Daggett Karsten [signed]
↑Present at meeting
Mrs. Andrews
Mrs. Phillip Moore
Dr. Davis ([Katharine])
A representative of the Nat'l Council of Jewish Women
[A representative of the] W.C.T.U.
[A representative of the] Professional & Business Womens Club
Miss Ellis representing President Woolley↓
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