June 14, 1924
Dear Emily Balch:
As I understand it, the United States section invited the International Congress to come to the United States and undertook all the arrangements of it. It seems a little difficult to allocate the fund on the basis suggested by you and Miss Surles, especially as there [was] no committee representing the International to pass on the spending of the funds.
As you see, we spent absolutely no money in salaries for the Summer School versus the first item of disbursements "Salaries of extra workers engaged for preparation and conduct of Congress, $4100.62." It may have been necessary but certainly I am sure I should never have voted these $50.00 a week salaries beginning January 1. All of that was done by the national body.
The Summer School has allocated $500.00 for the printing of the report and I hoped the general fund would give another $500.00 which would be $1000.00 paid down and then we would try to collect the other $700 or $800. I do not press the matter but it seems to me only fair when the decision of the spending of the money was really in the hands of the national office and the national was really the hostess. However, if they decide to pay nothing on the report, I can advance from the International fund in the bank in Chicago and try slowly to get it back. Again, the whole thing is so confused.
As I understood, the National group, they always said that the main business of the National body after January 1 was to pull off the Congress and that all their energies were naturally centered in that ↑as their regular work for the movement.↓ [page 2]
It would be impossible, I think, now to divide up the accounts as you suggest, holding certain people responsible for international and certain people for national unless we had worked it that way from the start. I never knew, for instance, that Miss Edgar was receiving $50.00 a week for publicity from January 1 until she resigned in April ↑and I have no confidence in the [proposal now?] of course!↓ Lots of things I could not, of course, be consulted about but with the situation as it is, it is a little hard to be held responsible for the money. I am sure Miss Woods will understand this.
I am sending another account of the Summer School ↑Miss Surles↓ to be added to this ↑here↓. Please tell Miss Surles I am very grateful to her for her account ↑which is very clear & fine!↓
Hastily yours,
Jane Addams [signed]
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