May 23, 1912.
Dear Miss Addams: --
Our meeting on Monday, of which I enclose the report that I am sending the members of the Committee, disclosed the fact that we have on hand hardly sufficient funds to continue the campaign during this month on the present basis. Mr. Burns considers it desirable that we should engage a second man for the next ten days or two weeks in order to complete the canvass of the Senate as quickly as possible in the same way in which the House has already been canvassed. Mr. Borah expects his Committee to make a favorable report within a day or two and there is a possibility, of course it is not certain, that we may be able to get a quick vote in both Houses.
Mr. Lewisohn, who gave us $5,000, has spoken to me as if he thought that he ought not to be asked to do more than that, although possibly if the situation becomes critical, we may be able to go to him again.
The Committee instructed me to write to [page 2] ask whether the Chicago Committee would care to aid in financing the plan, securing, perhaps, a contribution, or contributions, amounting to $1,000 to carry on the campaign during the next month. We are, of course, all anxious to close it up as soon as possible. Recalling the fact that a special finance committee consisting of Mrs. Blaine and Mr. Rosenwald was appointed at the meeting of your general committee, we thought that perhaps it would be in accordance with the idea which you had in mind at the beginning, as well as in accord with the essential proprieties in the case that the second contribution should come from Chicago. It was suggested that this request might be put in the form of an underwriting of $1,000, only so much of it as needed to be called upon. This would, of course, be quite satisfactory.
Faithfully yours,
Edward T. Devine [signed]
ETD-MPS
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