Lida Gustava Heymann to Emily Greene Balch, March 16, 1920

Dear Miss Balch,

I propose the following motion: The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom wants to delegate a commission consisting of 3 persons to Russia and Ukraine in order to examine the conditions prevailing there in detail on the spot.

Justification. The fact that Russian conditions do not correspond to popular press reports is already a fairly well-known fact, but to be fully informed about things, a personal inspection is quite necessary.

I would go so far as to assert that if the Women’s League wants to make proposals for the revision of the peace treaty, it can only do so if it has first personally informed itself about the things that are going on in the East. New things are in the making there, we need to know exactly what in order to formulate our suggestions accordingly–

I have limited the number of official commissions to 3 persons, since for these, in my opinion, the costs must be borne by the Women’s International League. However, other persons who wish to pay for their own trip should be free to accompany the commission, to cooperate and to enjoy the benefits that are usually granted to the participants of an official commission.

I request that my application be dealt with as expeditiously as possible and I sign with my best regards,