October 18, 1922
My dear Miss Addams: --
On my arrival from Europe last Wednesday I went immediately to Philadelphia. Mrs. Lewis and I had an opportunity to go over in general the work of the National Secretary and the International plans for The Hague Conference. We felt it would be wise to undertake any definite organization work for the conference until the Executive Committee had met, yet time is so short and the needs so great for both moral and financial support from America that Mrs. Lewis decided that I had best write to members of the finance committee asking their opinion in regard to collecting funds for the international work. I shall be very glad if you could let me know soon what your opinion is. Shall we circularize our members for small contributions [with] an explanation of the purpose of the conference or is it better to attempt to get some large contributions from a few people who are more closely in touch with international questions and are ready to contribute larger amounts?
The Executive Committee at Freiburg estimated the same amount of ten thousand ($10,000) which was raised at the Vienna Congress and which covered both the Congress and two years of work from International Headquarters would be needed to finance The Hague Conference and two years of work beginning January first 1923. They expect that the interest ↑in the↓ conference will bring in this amount as the Vienna Congress did. Undoubtedly the Netherland section will do much in raising this fund, but the other countries including Great Britain are hard pressed at the present and find great difficulty in raising money. Miss Daugaard felt that Denmark could do more by having a drive under the slogan “A Treaty Gulden” or “A Peace Gulden” and from that suggestion the finance committee developed the idea of having a "Peace Collection" in each section and at the same time collect signatures to the following statement: Which should be forwarded to the Netherland section to show the strength and breadth of the opinion of the conference.
"We the undersigned approve and support the above conference which is called to work against the present Peace Treaties and to come to new Peace Terms based on Disarmament, Just Reparations, Restorations of Trade, Currency and Political Freedom." [page 2]
I know that you have already heard at least part of this plan before, but I am including it all in order to receive very definite instructions from the finance committee as to our procedure. Mrs. DuBois has recently sent a letter to our members for payment of national dues, and it is a question in my mind whether we ought to appeal again on the financial side at least until we have done some very definite work to show the use of the national headquarters. I think that Mrs. Lewis feels the same and suggests that the money had better be raised, if possible, by larger contributions from fewer people and that as quickly as possible we should send out from this office a letter which would include a bit about myself, something of the work of the international office and of the coming conference. With this could go a copy of the last International Bulletin, which I understand has failed to reach many of our international members. Miss Balch is making us a present of a thousand (1000) copies for distribution and general propaganda.
I hope very much that affairs will arrange themselves so that you will be able to preside at The Hague Conference. The women of all Europe, but especially of Austria, Germany, and France need us at this time. It is hard for them not to be discouraged. I hope, also, that we may have other delegates from America. Can you suggest any women to whom I might write urging that they attend?
I am looking forward to meeting you at Mrs. Lewis’ next week.
Sincerely,
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