October 26 1921
Dear Miss Addams
I am sending you fifty bulletins and one hundred copies of Mrs [Kelley's] article. I am sorry that Mrs Mathes seems not to understand. I wonder if she realizes all the facts connected with the chairmanship.
FIRST the Executive Committee voted ↑on Sept. [13]:↓ to move the office to Chicago with Mrs Mathes chairman. But there was a strong group that favored Washington from the first -- they were voted down.
SECOND A Committee of four, Mrs La Follette, Mrs Leach, Mrs Mead and Miss Kittredge were appointed to select a chairman and office situation, in case Mrs Mathes did not serve. They were given power to act.
THIRD Mrs Mathes made three conditions that the Committee felt it unwise to accept.
That money should be guaranteed. That the office and Secretary should be shared. (The W.I.L. having no office distinctly its own.) ↑and↓
That Mrs Mathes accept only until December.
Considering these conditions as detrimental to the best work of the League; The Committee went over to Philadelphia and consulted the Philadelphia Members of the Executive Committee before acting, (Although the Committee of four had been given power to decide as to chairman and office). After failing to so remove difficulties as to secure Mrs Mathes for chairman the committee after consultation decided to have the office in Washington and to ask Mrs Odell to serve as chairman for the duration of our year April 1922. Mrs Odell accepted (Of course all of this action will be approved by the Executive Board at its November meeting.) As there has been an unavoidable delay in settling upon an office in Washington I was asked to serve as temporary chairman. Mrs Leach to continue as temporary treasurer until files can be moved to Washington. The delay in securing office is because the National Council for limitation of armament has not decided whether the W.I.L. can rent a room in their new building or not. If this seems to make things clearer I would be glad to have Mrs Mathes see [page 2] this letter. My reason for delaying in sending our minutes of last meeting to Executive Board members is that I am waiting to add the address of new office and date of November Meeting.
Mabel H. Kittredge [signed]
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