↑Dec 1st 1923↓
My dear Mrs Spencer
I think that you have hardly the correct impression of my position in regard to the meeting of the International Congress in the U.S.A.
I had hoped that we would not any meeting next year, counting the Hague Conference as [one?] 1923 and skipping to 1925. I was sorry that the Ex. Com. planned as they did but under all the circumstances I am at last convinced that we are doing the wisest thing. In this I think both Mrs Lewis and the others agree with me.
We are going at the money raising quite systematically and new groups are being formed as they pledge their help -- last week one in Ypsilanti and another in Holland Michigan, it is perhaps as easy as if the drive had been made for the National alone. If the returns are small we will have to have a smaller congress and we are by no means paying for all the delegates and are going to have only too generous a response from foreign groups in this country ↑for delegates↓. They will also help take care of their countrywomen after they get here.
I do not think that under the circumstances that you yourself ought to try to get money in New York, I hope to come on in March and with Miss Wald's help perhaps we will to have a few large subscriptions. At any rate I am not as discouraged over the prospect as I was over the last Hague meeting which was altogether gotten up on the judgement of the European women and in the end more than justified itself, was perhaps our greatest achievement.
I am very much interested in our Nat political situation in its foreign relation aspect and had a fine opportunity to put ↑in↓ a good a disadvantage ↑[the?]↓ ↑[shots for?] last week↓. I do not think it altogether a disadvantage that the Congress meets so short a time before the political conventions.
Please believe that I am grateful for your letters and it never occurred to me to resent them. You may be quite right, but there is something to said for the congress here, the European women of course see it from their own ↑point of view but that is the fate of an international body! Always affectionately yours↓ Jane Addams [signed]
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