Madeleine Zabriskie Doty to Jane Addams, November 9, 1926

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WOMEN'S INTERNATIONAL LEAGUE FOR PEACE AND FREEDOM

International Secretary: Madeleine Z. Doty
12, Rue du Vieux-Collège, Geneva, Switzerland

November 9, 1926.

Dear Jane Addams,

Your letter about "Pax" came last Saturday and I have been thinking the matter over carefully all during the weekend. It does not matter a bit whether I am disappointed or not, the question is what is best for the W.I.L.

As you know nothing succeeds like success. The minute you feel downhearted or show discouragement you can not do as well as when you have confidence. I ↑should↓ find it very difficult to ask for money for the house and for new international members and at the same time announce that we have not enough money to keep "Pax" going in the same shape that we did last year. I think if you will consider the matter, for example, in relation to your own work at Hull House, you will see what I mean. If you had to close up part of the house for lack of funds, you would find it much more difficult to ask for money for your work.

Now we have got to face the situation of a reduced printing budget and I have the following suggestions as to how that can be met. In the first place we might do with ten copies a year not printing in July and August. This would seem quite natural as we have done it before and would need no explanation. Second, we only printed 11 issues last year, that means we have $200 for one month this year. In other words we can eliminate three months of the twelve which means we have $1200 for nine months. In other words we have $200 for three months and $100 for six months. That means we need only raise $600 to be as well off as last year. Now this sum could at once be cut down to $500 because we can bring our printing bill each month down to $185 by cutting out a lot of free copies of "Pax" [page 2] which we send out for propaganda and which after all should be paid for.

Perhaps once or twice during the years we might omit the middle page without any comment. This would bring the additional money we need for "Pax" down to something like $300 or $400. Now my further proposition as to how this can be secured is as follows: I think I wrote you that during the last three weeks Anne Zueblin has been taking half time off at half pay and studying shorthand. Next week she will be back again at full time. Now instead of raising money for a stenographer as I proposed to do when you were here, I would rather take that money and put it into "Pax" and get along with Anne without other help. At the moment, as I wrote you, I have a young English woman assisting me who took her degree at Oxford in French and who is proficient in shorthand. This really was necessary while getting out the Congress Report but I expect to have that material in hand at the end of the month. When the Report is finished I can see that my work will be much easier than last year. I have no Congress or Summer School hanging over my head to say nothing of having gotten my work into such shape that a lot of it goes automatically. Anyway I feel it would be easier for me to raise money and make the work go here and do without an extra stenographer than to have a stenographer and cut down "Pax."

Of course, all plans depend somewhat on the future. I am wondering what you have in mind when I leave here the end of next October. I hoped we could carry out the plan we talked about, namely taking "Pax" to America and running it there. I am sure that the secretary who comes to take my place will not want to carry the many jobs I have undertaken and would undoubtedly be glad to be relieved of the burden of the International paper. I spoke to Miss Sheepshanks about this and I am sure she would be most glad to have that burden taken off her shoulders. I think the International paper could be run very successfully from America now that I have all my European connections and have gotten the sections accustomed to send me news every month. It would be comparatively easy to ship 4000 copies of "Pax" from the United States to Geneva monthly and very easy after they got here to have the addresses run off on the addressograph the way we are doing at present. It would also be very easy for International Headquarters in case something important arose to print an additional page here and insert it in "Pax."

Now it seems to me extremely encouraging that the American Fund will not only give us $1200 for this year but $1200 for the following year as well. With such a sum to start with I feel sure I can easily raise in America the additional money needed for printing, for a stenographer and for my salary. I should not have the slightest hesitation in undertaking such a task and what I should [really] like to do would be through "Pax" to relieve you of all financial responsibility for the Geneva Headquarters. [page 3]

In other words, I think a "Pax" similar to the one we are printing now, that I could, in America, secure enough International Members and subscriptions to cover the amount due International Headquarters and you could be relieved of this responsibility.

Coming back to America with the knowledge of what is needed here and with all the enthusiasm I have for the work, I could be a go-between between the United States and Geneva Headquarters.

Now I have no plan to increase the price of "Pax" but I would very much hate to diminish it if I were to undertake to run it another year in America. As I told you the psychology of it would be bad. I should have to say: "I can't do as well as I did before, we have got to reduce 'Pax,' but I want you to give me the money just the same."

I have really thought long and hard over this and I know you will believe me when I say that I am giving you quite disinterestedly what I feel to be the best for the W.I.L. without regard to my personal feelings.

In closing I also wish to point out that the middle page of "Pax" is taking the place of the pamphlets which we formerly got out at Headquarters. In other words, such articles as Mary Sheepshanks and Emily Balch on Imperialism ought to be distributed to the sections in one way or another. Also the English section has begun to do active work with the League of Nations and we need from time to time to print material of this nature and only the middle page is suited for that. As you know, I have long since given up trying to give any up to date news in "Pax" but I think it is important to point out the Danger Spots and Glad Tidings for it is these things that indicate to each section the problems that are facing another section. For instance, my little notes about militaristic tendencies in the United States have been of great interest to the European Sections.

I should be very glad if you will let me know as soon as possible after you receive this how my suggestions appeal to you.

In the meantime the November "Pax" was already on its way to America when your letter came and we have money for this left over from last years account paid by the Fund. I will go slow on the December issue and see what turns up. Of one thing you may be sure, I shall never go into debt or run behind in the accounts. [page 4]

You may be pleased to hear that I am gradually feeling a very different spirit in the W.I.L. It is as though the European sections had come to understand much better what I have been trying to do for the W.I.L. and were really feeling sympathetic. Germany is the only section that remains difficult and even there Heymann and Augspurg are writing much more friendly letters while Gertrud Baer, poor thing, has had to take a year's leave of absence owing to her nervous condition.

With many affectionate greetings in which Anne Zueblin, who has been taking this letter down in shorthand, joins me,

Ever faithfully yours,

Madeleine Z. Doty [signed]

P.S. I have just been reading over the letter of the American Fund to Mrs. Taussig. I see that though they have allotted $1200 for a two year period, they distinctly say this does not constitute a contract and they reserve the right to change the allocation. Now I do not feel at all sure that the American Fund would be satisfied with a smaller paper. You remember they agreed to give us this money originally because we promised to stress Economic Imperialism. If we only gave section news, I think they would be dissatisfied and I know it would be much harder to raise money from outside organizations if we limit the paper to news of our sections. Since our sections cannot themselves finance the paper I think we must consider the outside sources from which we draw our income.