Dear very dear Jane Addams,
I cannot tell you how thankful I am, that you left Japan before the catastrophe and that the outcome of your operation was I hope now that under home conditions you will find your health rapidly establishing itself satisfactory. If loving wishes could do it you would be the wellest woman in the world.
All my news from Geneva is good so far as it goes. People seem well pleased with the summer school in [Czechoslovakia] and the dear Maison Internationale seems to be doing well.
I thought that the program of the Ex. Com, which met in Dresden just now sounded vital and interesting and I am awaiting eagerly news of what was decided there.
I came home in June after a few days in Rome, at the time of the W.S. Congress, where I saw Yella Hertzka and Mm Ramondt ↑& Madame Palthe & Dr Jacobs↓ and some others of our members, there I was Geneva tying up [page 2] various loose ends, saying goodbye [etc.] then in Paris I saw Mm Jouve, Mm Duchêne & Mlle Pottecher and in England where I saw Mrs Kathleen Courtney (now chairman of the British W.I.L. [vice] Mrs. Swanwick) as well as the International House and some of the London staff. Lady Courtney invited me to a most interesting dinner (Lady Parmoor, E. [F]. Wise, Graham Wallas and the respective husbands & wives) and then I went up to Keswick & had 2 days with Catherine Marshall in her beautiful home there.
I felt of course much more in touch. You have doubtless heard that the idea of getting Miss Sheepshanks to Geneva fell through, partly through [her own through?] us. Amy Woods felt very strongly as regards her being disliked among our American membership. I like her & admire her but I think she would get us into hot water all the time and be most difficult to cooperate with so I was not too sorry but I fear you will think it a bad mistake of judgment and a misfortune. She would not come at the salary offered, wrote a really quite impossible [page 4] letter to say so and I really do think besides that she ought not to attempt a Geneva winter. It is very trying for arthritis or sciatica or bronchitis.
I came home full of a plan to go back and spend the winter in Vienna but after I got home I gave it up. I do not know whether this was well or not. I felt that I had been too long out of the country and needed in a way to [re-Americanize] myself. Also I am not at all sure that internationalism does not need advocating more here than anywhere else. But how? [page 5]
I do not think, then, of carrying out the idea of going to China this year any way; perhaps my writing to inquire gave the idea more [illegible] appearance of seriousness than it should have had -- I had such a nice letter from Miss Kendall about it but she said, as you know, nothing very definite to purpose.
I have thought of trying for the Bok Peace Award but I am rather [embarrassed] by the fact that the "plan" that I should like to advocate is not the very [illegible] plan or system of plans [page 6] that the WILPF is working for and in which I believe I should want to write urging the League of Nations with some modifications plus a world wide unofficial association of men and women to work for an international & broadly human [program] as the WILPF does and as the [Association] of the League of Nations Trustees does.
Of course this is what we already have except for the entry of the US & Germany into the League & some alterations [page 3] in it. But I do believe that the best hopes for peace, things being as they are and considering the stage the world has progressed to [lies] lie here and I hope the award will go to a plan from the L. of N. in some form for the sake of the reaction in American public opinion. If a prize is offered for the best plan and the best plan that Americans can suggest is the League then --
I must not wear you out with too long a letter but the silence has been so long & there is so much to say. I shall hope to get to see you somewhere some [written down left margin] how. Yours with every loving good wish
Emily G Balch [page 7]
Just love and a welcome home and thanks for all your kindness in writing (letters of June 11, 16 & 25 and August sixth).
The enclosed letter is not urgent and many others will be so.
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