World War -- Peace Proposals
CONGRÉS INTERNATIONAL DES FEMMES
My dear Mr. Page:
At the close of the very successful meeting of the International Congress of Women held at The Hague during the last days of April two committees were instructed to place the findings of the Congress before the various governments of Europe and also before the President of the United States. The committee delegated to the Scandinavian countries has been already very courteously received in Denmark and Norway and is on the way to Sweden. The other committee consisting of Dr. Aletta Jacobs of Holland and myself, president and vice-president of the Congress, were received first in Holland by the Prime Minister, Cort van der Linden, and by Mr. [Loudon], Minister of Foreign Affairs.
On May 13th we were received in London [page 2] by Sir Edward Grey, then Minister of Foreign Affairs for Great Britain, and the next day by the Prime Minister, Mr. Asquith. On the twenty-first of May in Berlin we saw Graf von Jagow and the next day were received by the chancellor, Dr. von Bethmann-Hollweg.
The next week in Vienna we had interviews with the Minister for Foreign Affairs for Austria-Hungary, Baron Burián, and with the Prime Minister for Austria, Graf von [Stürgkh]. The next day in [Budapest] we were received by Count Tisza, Prime Minister for Hungary.
On Tuesday of this week we saw the President of the Swiss Republic, Signor Motta, and the Minister of Foreign Affairs, Dr. Hoffmann.
In each case we have laid the resolutions of the Congress before these representatives of the various [page 3] governments and have talked with them about the possibility of the first negotiations for peace, especially with regard to the participation of the neutral nations.
Although we make it quite clear that our mission is unofficial so far as any governmental sanction is concerned, in each capital we have received most valuable aid from the Ambassadors of the United States and of Holland.
Thanking you again for your kindness and hoping I have not wearied you with this busy recital I am
Faithfully yours
Jane Addams [signed]
June 3rd
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