INTERNATIONAL PEACE CONGRESS
September 22, 1915
Dear Mrs. Lloyd:
Since writing yesterday's note the following telegram has arrived from Miss Addams:
"Have delayed replying to your telegram hoping that my health would permit acceptance. Regret to say it is impossible to make any plan for October. Have persuaded Mme. Schwimmer to wait for California meeting. Please telegraph me here if expenses can be arranged for from Chicago."
I proceeded at once to consult with Dr. Bell and Mr. Root to see what could be done. Really, I feel much embarrassed over the situation. They figured up their budgets and found that they had a margin of just about $100 which they would be glad to put at the disposal of Mme Schwimmer. But they sang a hard luck story about getting any additional money. You see, San Francisco is congressed to death, and this meeting, coming almost at the close of the Exposition, strikes people when they are particularly exhausted financially! [Added] to this is another fact: Here in the West I find to my great surprise that organizations have never been taught to pay fees for addresses. Every single speaker coming to the Congress is doing it for just the [traveling] expenses. When I decided to remain here for the month, I thought I might get even with the cost of living by giving a number of addresses for just a small fee, say ten to twenty-five dollars. People looked at me quite surprised, and said that out here they never think of paying for their speakers. I give you this merely as a sidelight on the local situation.
I am, then, in this particular situation: I want Mme. Schwimmer and Miss [Macmillan] to come the worst way, as I have our mutual cause as much at heart as ever (in fact, more so, since people are getting so awfully callous [regarding] the war, and accept it as a matter of course). At the same time, I can't even offer them their entire expenses. This is humiliating to me, to say the least. I still think that when the congress assembles, I shall persuade the local committee to take up a collection at some of the meetings, and in this way we can perhaps raise more money. But that is a hollow [page 2] promise. In great despair I have finally wired you as follows:
"Local committee can afford $100 for expenses of Misses Schwimmer and [Macmillan]. Could rest be supplied otherwise? Wire me immediately as Miss Addams wants to know. She still too ill to promise definitely to come, but meanwhile urges that Mme Schwimmer come if funds available."
Meanwhile I'll see whether the Woman's Peace Party here can't arrange for a number of paid engagements for the two ladies in case they come.
I still feel that this whole congress will not be worth while unless it takes action along the lines urged in the resolution that recently went out of my office in Chicago. I should count my month here of work wasted were the congress to pass nothing but perfunctory resolutions. For this reason I am so anxious for Mme. Schwimmer and Miss [Macmillan] to come, and for this reason I am still hoping against hope that Miss Addams may recover in time to attend. They can sweep the Congress off its feet, I know. And, as I explained to Miss Addams, the fact that this congress is the regular one in a series of five that have biennially been held, one of which was opened by Mr. Taft while he was president of the United States, may give it sufficient prestige to command the attention of foreign governments and, with <despite> all its lamentable faults may prove a valuable medium through which to push the ideas of The Hague Women's Conference.
The next days will prove anxious ones indeed, as they will tell me whether my efforts have been in vain or not.
Cordially and sincerely yours,
Louis P. Lochman [signed]
<P.S. The Carnegie Foundation won't give a cent for this congress. They don't approve the idea of peace congresses in war times!>
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