I. Circular Letter after the Washington Congress.
To National Sections, Executive and Consultative Members.
Geneva, 9th July, 1924.
Dear Friends,
I hope that all our delegates have got safely back and that they are now so far rested that I may suggest we should begin to carry out the resolutions of our Congress, in the order prescribed by possibility or urgency. It seems to me that we can begin immediately, and that we have to do so, for three purposes: --
1) To get into touch with the delegates that each country is going to send to the Assembly of the League of Nations in September, and to ask for their support
(a) in bringing up at the Assembly the very important question of the relation between the League and international organizations,
(b) in carrying out the resolutions concerning the League of Nations which we passed at Washington, a copy of which you will find enclosed.
2) To prepare for the Anti-War Demonstrations on September 21st, together with the No More War Movement and the Federation of Trade Unions, as decided at Washington. You will find some suggestions for this part of our summer work in the press-note I enclose, which was kindly sent out to Headquarters by Olga Misař, Vienna. The Federation of Trade Unions is ready to send propaganda-stamps, but I am sorry to see that these stamps do not show the [cooperation] of many quite different kinds of [organizations]. Could somebody suggest a very short inscription that would fill in what is lacking on their stamps? We should then order a large quantity at once and send them to all of you for use in August and September.
3) To form an International Committee for the study of chemical warfare and of the means of opposition to it. As you will remember the Congress charged Dr. Naima Sahlbom (Sweden) and Dr. Gertrud Woker (Switzerland) to do this; since then, the German group in [Czechoslovakia] has appointed Prof. Erna Liebaldt as a member of the Committee. I beg to suggest that Dr. Sahlbom should be appointed chairman of this Committee, and that Dr. Gertrud Woker be asked to act as secretary; also that each section should appoint one representative, who shall find out what are the conditions in her respective country in this matter, and what steps can be taken to prevent the abuse of science for destructive purpose.
At the same time, may I call your attention to the fact that it is by no means too late to make press propaganda by the publication of the resolutions and deliberations of the Congress. We have got very satisfactory publicity for our resolutions in Switzerland, even in the official press. The "Schweizer Frauenblatt" published all the articles which Marguerite Gobat was able to send them; the socialist paper of French Switzerland is going to publish an article by a very prominent publicist, Edmond Privat, showing marked appreciation of the reworded Object and Manifesto. [page 2]
Besides the press note, Sections and Executive Members will find enclosed a copy of the resolutions passed by our delegates on S.S. "Andania," concerning which they are very anxious to know the opinion of every section.
The price of the Congress Report will be less than we had expected, and will probably only amount to 50 cents, if sufficient orders come in before August 1st.
You would oblige me very much by answering my letter by return of post, so that suggestions could still be circulated and difficulties perhaps removed.
Wishing you a very successful year of work and progress,
Faithfully yours,
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