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June 2nd, 1927.
Dear Mrs. Hull:
On Saturday noon the telephone rang and a very pleasant voice told me that it was a Mrs. [Hamaker], Secretary of the Bryan School (Public School). Mrs. [Hamaker] said that June 14th was Flag Day and she wanted to know whether the Women's International League could let the Bryan School have a flag for that day.
I felt immediately it was ↑a↓ trap because of the Mrs. DuBois affair. I told them that we had an American flag which we would be very glad to lend them but that it was not a very handsome one. She said that she took it for granted that national organizations would have flags for their meetings and I told her that whenever we had been in need of a flag for a large public meeting that certain government departments had been courteous enough to allow us to borrow theirs.
She then told me that she did not want to borrow a flag but that the Bryan School did not have one and that she would like an organization to make a gift to the school. I told her that this was a surprise to me; that I had imagined that the District of Columbia would furnish all its public schools with American flags. She said it did not and the only way they could get them was if they should take a collection or if an organization could present a flag to the school, and she wanted to know if we could present one for Flag Day to the Bryan School. Of course, I did not know who were on the other ends of the line and whether this was a perfectly sincere question or whether it was an effort to put me in a difficult position. I therefore said that though I was the Executive Secretary, I was not the Treasurer and that I was therefore not authorized to spend money for donations or gifts, particularly when they were not absolutely germane to Peace. [page 2]
She asked me then if I were unwilling to give a flag to the Bryan School, as she had hoped that whoever would give the flag would present it to the students and make a speech on what the flag should mean. I immediately felt that was a splendid opportunity to get into a Washington school on invitation, to present a flag, provided I could give an address on what the flag should stand for. I told her that I could not give an answer until I was authorized regarding the presentation of the flag by the organization, but that I would say that if the organization did not authorize this gift that I personally would very glad to give it, provided I could make the presentation speech.
I called her yesterday, asking if she could make the request in writing as I felt that when I was asking my organization for a gift of money for such a purpose that it was more business like to have it in writing. She hedged and said she did not know whether the principal of the school would agree to this, so there the matter stands and I am waiting to find out. The occasion is to be Flag Day -- June 14th.
I should not feel so suspicious of the whole matter were it not for what was done to Frederick Libby and because it is coming at the same time as all the DuBois difficulty. I really feel that if the request was sincere that it is a very fine opportunity to get into a Washington public school -- an opportunity that I had imagined, after the Libby experience, completely barred pacifists. If it is a trap I am prepared for that.
I am anxious for your advice. Of course, the matter does not come up until after our Board meeting and so I can talk to you about it then.
Faithfully yours,
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