Jane Addams to Emily Greene Balch, December 14, 1922

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A NEW PEACE.
WOMEN'S CONFERENCE [ORGANIZED] BY THE WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM.

Dec 14" 1922

Dearest Emily Balch

We have had a fine Congress and I am quite converted to the idea -- I am sending you all the material and will tell you every thing when I see you which I hope will be on Jan'y 12" 1923.

I meet Mary Smith in Paris Jany 6", we sail from Marseilles Jan'y 12" on a P.&O steamer (S.S. [Kaisar] i'Hind) to Bombay. We touch Port Said Jany 16" and as I understand it for some hours -- I do hope that I can land & see you there. Won't you write me to the Hotel Continental in Paris where I shall be from Jany 5" to 9" or to the P.&O. office in Marseilles as [page 2] to whether you can come or not.

I came over with a letter of credit for the W.I.L.P.F. for $10,000, and $2,000.00 has been put into the Chicago bank since I left. I think that we will have $1000.00 in the N.Y. bank still by Jan'y 1st 1923 with that we ought to be quite safe for two years if the Geneva office can run on about $500 -- a month, and extra sums be raised for summer schools and other undertakings. We have made Frau Palthe treasurer. She will send [2500?] Swiss francs each month to Geneva.

It seemed best to the board ([although] I was not quite sure) that we ought to accept your resignation, keeping your name and place until May 1st [although] they hope you won't come back to Geneva until then at the earliest. Eleanor Karsten of the U.S.A. whom I am sure you remember will take a [illegible] place with Vilma G. for 650 francs a month doing her own typewriting. [page 3] She is engaged elsewhere May 1st for the summer. Miss Sheepshanks is considering the place for May 1st but of course there will be time [illegible] to look about in England [etc.]. Everyone feels that you must stay away a year, [although] I must tell you of the really fine and understanding things that were said about you. They feel that you must not be allowed to have a third breakdown & to get rid of the whole business was the very best thing for your nerves. I hope they are right!

I am a little worried about a certain Miss Holmes who comes from the U.S.A. as housekeeper -- If you are not there, do you think that she would do as well as a European woman or would want to come. [page 4] You would know best if there is still time to head her off -- so to speak. Evidently the housekeeping of the Maison [Internationale] is a difficult proposition but of course you know the whole thing better than any of us.

The Trades Union Congress was very interesting & one felt as if something was at last going to happen in the way of peace.

I am ashamed of this short letter but will write a longer one soon.

Tonight C. Marshall, Mlle. Mélin & I start for Stockholm where we see Branting, then on to Norway, Denmark, England & France. I am always doubtful of the envoy business but here we are at it again. With love to Miss Cheever Always devotedly yours

Jane Addams