Dear Mrs Jane [Addams]
I want to make an appeal to your kindness, an appeal which will surely affect you as it has me. I know of the many claims upon your time, but I know also that you will gladly spare some for this matter. I know too [how] your country has [endeavored] to relieve the great suffering, the starvation which has now for years been imposed upon our people. You cannot care for all, the need is [too] great.
But you will not be glad to know of the need of one who led the way for her people [till] she almost broke down, because she had devoted to working for mankind the time in which she might have used her intellectual powers for her own advantage. At the age of 79 her active mind still gives to mankind more than many a younger one.
It is Minna Cauer, loved and deeply [honored] by us all, for whom I appeal to you. Her life must be protected from all further hardship. And so I beg you, dear to appeal to all the women you know, and through them to others, to follow the dictates of their own hearts and to contribute to a general fund for Minna Cauer, sending remittances to: --
We will hand over this fund to her on the 1 Nov, her 79th Birthday as a thanks offering from the women of the world to the woman who led the way and fought for womankind.
A book is to be prepared to contain the names of all who [wish] to express their gratitude and all [contributors] are [therefore requested] to send their names to the bank.
You will, I am sure, pardon my troubling you in my earnest desire to [end?] the cares of her [we] love.
I am so happy that now once more the stream of love can flow from nation to nation and from man to man, and I hope that it will soon be permitted to me to shake your hand. Our country will receive you [with] [unmissed?] devotion.
[With] hearty greetings,
We are willing to give part of the money to Mrs. Cauer's birthday, another part only for New-Year as all the money did not yet [arrive] from abroad. I wrote once before to you, but knowing your kindness and not having got any answer, I was afraid it might be lost, otherwise I should have got your [answer]. If you have notwithstanding got the first one, I beg your pardon. I [am] writing again because the fate of the beloved Minna Cauer is of hearty interest to me.
For our League of women for liberty and peace I had proposed to give hospitality to women of abroad and so I beg you to be my dear guest whenever you come to Berlin.
Trusting you are well I am with kindest regards
Yours truly
Margarete Schurgast
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