To Executive Members.
Geneva, August 17th, 1925.
Dear Friends,
As you know, we have been charged at Innsbruck to appoint an acting Secretary for the Geneva office; we agreed to offer the position to Olga Misař and if she accepts, to invite Dorothy North to join her as fellow worker. Unfortunately, Olga Misař cannot leave Vienna, so that this plan could not be carried out. Then Elin Wägner (Stockholm) has been asked informally, but she is kept in Sweden equally, being the editor of a women's paper. In the meantime, Miss Courtney suggested -- for the case that our candidates could not accept -- to invite Miss Sheepshanks for the time of the Assembly and for some time in spring, as her health is too delicate to stand the climate of Geneva during either winter or summer; to keep the work going permanently, she recommended Miss Ledge, who is very much interested in our work and knows not only our three languages, but several others besides.
Last but not least, Mme. Duchêne received a letter from Madeleine Doty, New York, whom nearly all of us have met at our Congresses and know as a devoted worker of our League from the beginning. She is member of the Executive Committee of the U.S. Section, their Consultative Member and editor of their News Sheet "Pax Special" which she has turned into a regular monthly publication. She is ready to take charge the first October 1925 and to stay until the 1st Oct. of next year.
It seems to me that accepting this offer we should have an excellent solution of the matter before us. Madeleine Doty is a strong personality, a clever and energetic worker; she would be a link between our sections, having personal friends among the leaders of many of them. She has studied law and [practiced] it for five years at the New York Bar; so she will be an expert in dealing with questions of legislation and jurisdiction. She was engaged for three years in the work for delinquent children and for prison reform; so she will not find it difficult to understand the problems which are now much discussed in Europe. She has done a great deal of literary work and suffered for her pacifistic attitude in her position as a journalist; she will be able to give publicity to our work and our ideas. She knows French and some German and will soon be able to improve her knowledge of languages. Her American origin will make it easy for her to get into touch with whatever representative or body of the League of Nations, and thereby to influence their work in the way which seems desirable to us.
Therefore I beg to recommend very sincerely the appointment of Madeline Doty as acting Secretary. May I ask the European Executive Members kindly to answer before the 25th inst., when Mme. Duchêne will be here for the Congress on Child Welfare. We shall then ask Miss Addams by cable to extend the invitation if she agrees. As it was Miss Balch who suggested Madeleine Doty to offer her services, we may be sure that she agrees.
Very sincerely yours
Vilma Glücklich [signed]
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