March 10th 1917
My dear Miss Addams:
The paper enclosed herewith will be the best explanation of the purpose of this letter. As you will see, the plan is being worked out by a committee consisting of members of the Emergency Peace Federation and the American Union Against Militarism for an unofficial commission to devise methods by which war may be averted. Our idea is that the commission will hold hearings, probably most of them public, inviting carefully selected persons to give testimony and answer questions, and at their discretion also hearing others who might spontaneously desire to come before them. [Chancellor] David Starr Jordan is coming East in response to an invitation to be one of such a Committee.
We are writing you for a two-fold reason: first, to get your reaction on the plan and to hear from you any suggestion or criticism you may have to make; second, to ask whether you can hold yourself in readiness for active cooperation either a member of the Commission or to appear before it.
This same letter is going to the following named persons: Miss Lillian D. Wald, Mrs. Anna [Spencer], Governor Arthur Capper, Judge C. L. Guy, Judge Walter Clark, Judge Wm. Henderson Wadhams, President H. A. Garfield, Pres. Alexander Meiklejohn, Prof. Harry F. Ward, Prof. Graham Taylor, Dr. Felix Adler, Mr. Paul U. Kellogg, Dr. Albert Shaw, Hon. Warren Worth Bailey, Prof. Scott Nearing, Prof. Wm. Lyon Phelps, Mr. Charles J. Rhoads, President Isaac Sharpless. [page 2]
I wish, however, to state most specifically that these persons have not in any way authorized the use of their names. I am approaching them, as I am you, for the first time.
An immediate reply will be deeply appreciated. The national situation is one in which every hour counts.
Faithfully yours,
Louis P. Lochner [signed]
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