Jane Addams to Amy Woods, January 8, 1924

REEL0016_0056.jpg
REEL0016_0057.jpg
REEL0016_0058.jpg

January 8, 1924

My dear Miss Woods:

I am very grateful for your long letter which came yesterday, the first day I was out of bed. I will take up the questions raised, if I may, categorically.

1.  In regard to selecting the delegate from Europe, I assumed that that would be done by the Executive Board. Of course the matter is without precedent and I think Mrs. Lewis should sign the letter as representing the hostess organization, saying that we hope very much that the delegates will include all of the members of the Board, i.e. Madam Ramondt would be one of the Holland members, Miss Daugaard one of the Denmark members, etc. Of course in case Miss Marshall or Frau Hertzka did not need help it would be used as the local board saw fit. I should be quite willing to leave the matter to Madam Ramondt excepting that during the Hague Conference one came across occasionally a certain animosity against her because she is, as you know, extremely careful in the use of money and some of the people felt, too careful.

I think it would be better for her perhaps to have someone associated with her.

I have already had $3000 promised and I think I might get $4000 or $5000 together whenever the time comes to send it over or, as Mrs. Lewis suggests, give it to the Wayfarers' Agency.

I am [enclosing] a letter from Madam Ramondt which she evidently wrote before she got my business one. What do you think about the exhibitions she suggests in the letter? We probably would have enormous trouble with the customs. Dorothy North was telling me the other day of their difficulties with the [Cižek] pictures.

It is curious I have had not a word from Catherine Marshall whom I am afraid is ill. Shall we not associate Catherine [page 2] Marshall with Madame Ramondt in making the selection. I had assumed that every section would do that for itself but perhaps that is too difficult. If Mrs. Lewis writes to Madam Ramondt, I will write to Catherine Marshall at once, suggesting some people whom I think would be very acceptable to the U.S.

2. In regard to the Summer School. I am sure we can get up a good school but I am quite unwilling to have it centered in our Camp. I know that many of the European women would resent it and I think from the Chicago point of view it would be a great deal better to tie it up to the U. of C. Perhaps we can arrange to have a [weekend] or even more at the Camp at the end of the School but I am sure we will do better not to advertise that as the main place.

Sir George Paish is coming over, as you may have seen. He would be very good, either for the School or for the Congress. Alice Salomon will come back from California in the early spring and we ought to catch her either for Chicago or Washington. Dame Rachel Crowdy is to speak for the League of Women Voters in Buffalo at the end of April and I think we ought to try to get her. If we have complete charge of the evening meetings this will give us a very good chance to use these speakers and others. Of course we could not use Dame Rachel Crowdy's name until we heard from her. Mr. Shaw, Alice Salomon's manager, thinks it is quite likely we could secure her.

3. I like the title for a new international order very much although I suspect it may sound very radical to people who associate a new economic order as the cry of the Socialists. Perhaps we could tone it down in our [subtitles], such as Economic Relationships, Political Relationships, etc.

4. I would not try to say too much in the new bulletin until we hear a little more specifically. I think it is always a mistake to put people's names in and possibly revise it and take them out. I suppose the American associate mentioned was Miss Winsor or one of the Philadelphia group. Mrs. Lewis has a copy of the letter I wrote to Miss Winsor which very ↑[definitely]↓ expresses my opinion [page 3] on the subject. We must of course avoid making an issue but I think on the whole the radicals would have as much of a chance to get in here as in any of the European countries, save England.

5. It seems to me the campaign you are working on is fine. I think we might call the large day meeting on April 30 a meeting of our American section, perhaps having one business session some time as well. I hope Mrs. Catt will speak at the evening meeting on the Pan-American problems and I hope very much that she will be one of the speakers at the opening meeting of our International Congress. Will you write to her about the Pan-American and I will write to her later, if I may, about the other.

6. I think it would be better for me to use the International [letterhead] as I have always done for my special letters and I will get them but very soon. Meantime, of course I will see benevolent individuals, as the charities say, as I have already done in one or two cases. I have always sent, of course, to our full American list of members. How about this year? I suppose it will not be necessary, will it? I will do just as you decide.

I am quite impressed with the work Bruno Lasker is doing in connection with the Race Relations Committee of the International Conference on the Christian Way of Life. Their address is 129 East 52nd St., New York. Will you write to him for a copy of his syllabus, using my name.

There is also a very fine report gotten out by the Commissioner on International Relations of the same body. You might also write for a copy of this report.

↑I have them both but am using them for the moment.

With affectionate greetings to the Board, I am Hastily yours↓

Jane Addams