Copy from letter from Gertrud Baer on board the [Lapland]
June 30, 22.
My dear Miss Balch,
It is a wonderful evening, the sea as quiet as I never saw the North Sea and I enjoy the rest. Seldom in my life I felt such an inspiration and enrichment as now after these 7 weeks spent in your country. I wish I could describe you in details the wonderful hospitality, kindness and sympathy we found everywhere. I know too much of audiences as to think that their responsive and sympathetic way of receiving and applauding their lecturers must necessarily be a sign of prompt readiness to co-work and do their utmost in helping our cause. But I seldom felt so strongly as I felt this time lecturing in nearly 70 meetings that there could be done wonderful work in America. Especially among your young people. I do not think it right and not at all my business to interfere the least with the work of other sections. But I had no opportunity at all to speak to Mrs. Lucy Biddle Lewis, the President of the American Section, as she was very busy with an annual meeting of the Friends just when we were in Philadelphia. And I did not want to trouble Miss Addams with these internal [organizational] affairs. We lectured in several of the Women's Colleges as well as in Coeducational Universities, high and normal Schools. We were in Brown, Smith, Mount Holyoke, Wellesley, Harvard, Swarthmore, Evanston, Chicago University (I am sure I forgot a great many still) and in most of these colleges, Universities and Schools I tried to get in touch with some of the finest young people. It would be a pity if these girls and boys hundreds and hundreds of them heard our message for 15 minutes each and then will be left without further news about our work. Before these young people I mostly spoke about our young peoples movements in Germany and the international task, young people of every country have to [fulfill today]. I made an appeal to exchange books, [magazines] and letters between American young people and those of the other countries.
As we were very busy to get through our lecturing Schedule I had [not] much time to get in contact with a great many [organizations] of young people in your country. But on our way back I saw several leaders in New York and learned -- to my very great joy -- that the idea of exchanging students between America and Germany -- not officially, but by the efforts of the students themselves -- is already going to be worked out this very year. John [page 2] Rothschild in New York of the Intercollegiate Student [organization] is just going to Germany and Austria with a very good plan. Young people of the Ethical Society and of the Fellowship of Reconciliation as well as of the different Y.W.C.A. groups, campfire girls and liberal and policy clubs are very much interested in international work. My first idea was to write a leaflet (dealing with the work of the W.I.L.) which ought to be distributed in the respective colleges when colleges begin again in the fall. But most of the young people with whom I discussed this plan were very much opposed to it as they thought that leaflets are not read by the college people. Thus I dropped the plan. But thinking it over again now on the steamer I feel that we must do something to get hold of these fine young people who are having the decision on war and peace in their very hands.
In the meantime I met the Executive Committee of the Women's Peace Union and they are most eager and very keen to begin their work in colleges and Universities. I have too little knowledge of the work of that Union to be able to judge what kind of [illegible] work they are going to do and personally I am always of opinion: it is all the same who is doing the work, the main thing is, that it is done, and that it is done in an international spirit of good will and real pacifism. Of that pacifism which is nothing exterior, which cannot be grafted on people but which must grow from within a person as an organic part of a new aspect and conception of life. As I do not believe that either the Women's Peace Society (Villard) nor the Women's Peace Union have a real international body and international connections. I think we ought to try whatever we can to draw the attention of these Masses of young people to their international responsibility. The best thing, of course, would be, the American Section could send an American speaker to those colleges which we addressed and to the others, too. But I do not know, whether our American friends have funds to do it. You worked such a long time in one of the very best of the colleges that I should like to know your opinion in the question of leaflets. In case you would think leaflets effective and of any use, the second question would be which concrete appeal do we want to make. I think it too little effective and not taking into consideration the psychological side, to appeal merely for membership either for the American group or for Geneva (as we did in a great many of our lectures). Young people want to have an outlet for their instinct to help: do we agree that we ask them to exchange
a) students (or better young people)
b) books, magazines, letters etc. (and forward the management of a) the intercollegiate students p.o. and others and b) to the World Youth League)
c) ask them to become members of the W.I.L. mentioning [page 3] our next International Congress and Summer Schools, referring to the ones of the year?
I did not yet find a real moment of concentration. But if you think it any use to have leaflets of this kind distributed by our respective groups in America directly or through channels of the different young people's [organizations] I shall try to [make] one and send it to you. Please, let me know what you think about it. Sophia Dulles, who is doing a great deal of our work in Philadelphia was fully ready to undertake the distribution. I hope to be back at Ainmillerstr. 2/3, [Munich] by the 1st of July and should be glad to find a word there.
I hope we could support our American friends a little bit in their work. I was so glad to have had this experience. Especially Hull House was a deep joy to me. Seldom before I had felt such a spirit of harmony and kindness as in Hull House. I met the finest people there all united in the true atmosphere of [cooperation] and mutual help and mutual inspiration. I am afraid we were a great trouble for Miss Addams.
I am looking so much forward to meet you very soon and to give you all the greetings and love I was asked to give you.
My very best wishes to the whole house and yourself
most cordially yours
(signed) Gertrud Baer.
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