(Lucy Rickman's 1922 first birthday)
7-28-1922.
Dear Miss Addams
I hope I do not bother you too much on your vacation. I want to know if you know anything of Miss Woods, whom Miss Balch writes about; (awkward sentence -- never mind) it sounds most interesting to me & I have written at once to Miss Balch for more information, if she might serve us as Exec. Sec'y, with sufficient assistance to allow her to be out on lecturing & organizing trips part of the time. Also what salary she would want. I have it much on my mind to find a way to bring the international phase of our work [page 2] as well as world conditions as we see them before as ↑our↓ members and others where possible. Bulletins do not accomplish ↑it↓ very well; our members who go abroad come back influenced but only reach a limited number in their own locality. This may be the means I am searching.
I feel helpless to do much in bed & a cast on, but I do make plans and am thinking out many things, so if we weather the storm financially this summer I am most hopeful of the future. I am certain indeed that we will be needed till 1925 and am scheming to be make ourselves evident in Phila, 1926 at the League centennial which I believe will come [page 3] off, & I hope we can have headquarters and do a big work; it may seem absurd to look so far ahead but no matter who is Chairman by then it is worth thinking about. To the extent of foreign representatives coming to us even, I would like to hold our Congress here that year, but will see what we are by then! I fear we will not be living yet in a world free from war in 1926, or with war outlawed.
I was sure you would approve of my stand in the [questionnaire]. I do not want to be dogmatic, but do not want us to go off at tangents, we are much stronger sticking to our line.
I wish we had a strong group in Wash -- [page 4] with more Mrs. Parks & Mrs. La Follettes! I hope we can build up there. You will be pleased to hear that my knee has mended faster than the surgeon hoped for, though he remarked "your family always surprises us." I am now allowed to have cast off at night -- a tremendous relief, a lighter & shorter one was made yesterday to be worn during the day, & I am allowed to start walking a little with cast on. I find I have not much strength. The shock was severe and four weeks in bed makes one flabby but that will rapidly improve. I did not send you copy of letter to beg more from you, but only to let you know what I am doing. Thanks for Balch & wire letters. I will return in a few days, have not yet "digested" them. Affectionately
Lucy B. L.
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