Dear Miss Addams,
I have been meaning to write to you ever since my return from America, but I seem never to have had any leisure. I got home to find my Mother very ill. Since then I have not been well myself -- a condition so unusual that I found it difficult to adapt myself. However I am now at last settling down at home & counting up the things I [learned] in America & the very great kindness I received there -- & I feel I must thank you for the time I had at Hull House & the insight I got there into your methods & your spirit.
By the way I wonder if it would be troubling you too much to ask you to ask your young resident who is working at Hart Schaffner & Marks & who so kindly took me there to let me know the facts about a strike with Ready Made Clothing Trade if which I see mentioned in the English papers if it affects his firm.
I have thought a great deal about your difficulty over the Pledge & the innumerable interviews we had on the subject. I hope I took the right line [page 2] I am not sure. It is true of course that action in case of war in one's own country is a matter which must be left to the individual conscience -- at the same time ones own conscience is clear & one would always be open about what one intended oneself. I hope I did not merely increase your difficulties. Politics in this country are very interesting though we all of us feel the immense difficulties MacDonald has in front of him -- but so far he seems keeping his end up [of making?] the things we stand for clear.
One great grief we have had since our return is the death of Miss I. O. Ford last week. We believed she was recovering & then got sudden news of her death. I expect she had another stroke.
She will be a terrible loss to us of the British W.I.L. & to many other causes & people -- but for herself I am glad she has been spared growing old.
With renewed thanks to you & all at Hull House
Yours affectionately (may I sign myself)
Ethel M. N. Williams
Miss Hardcastle & I hope to send a little water color of Northumbrian Scenery as a little remembrance to Hull House shortly.
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