[as from?]
My dear Miss Addams: --
I have taken refuge in flight -- beyond Nikko. I don't believe there's a quieter spot on earth. It is the last place to which a motor can come -- & to get anywhere else, only "shanks mare" is available.
We have put in a heavy year in our House -- but we ended ordinary things by a grand entertainment given by our working people about a week ago. Only then I fled the town (then over 90°) for a two weeks' respite.
I have been doing some "soap box" oratory recently to the strikers in a cotton mill on the outskirts of Tokyo, where the majority of the workers are women or girls. Mr. Matsuoka whom I took to visit you in the hospital you will remember (the general secretary of the Federation of Labour), asked me to go out with him, so I went two or three times -- spoke to groups of the strikers here & there as there was no real meeting place of any size. The strike was fortunately settled a few days ago -- to the advantage to some extent of the strikers. [page 2] The men are more or less under a good deal of mental discipline but the girls are like sheep without a shepherd.
We have made considerable progress with our education of working girls at the settlement both at the settlement & with branches at various [Labor] Union Headquarters -- we shall I think be able to carry it a good deal further during the coming year.
By the way, Mr. Matsuoka visited Hull House last summer on his way back from Geneva where he was one of the [labor] representatives at the Labour Conference -- I forget whether he said he met you or not.
Your friend Dr Baty & his sister are in England at present but are expected to return by the end of the year. He is the same queer stick as ever.
Japan still lives through earthquakes, fires, floods, heat, bank failures & moratoriums & what not. That [war?] has an awful sound. It sounds like the accusative or [ablative] of morgue. I hope it won't prove to be so!
With love to Miss Smith & yourself as ever vy sincerely yrs
Caroline Macdonald.
Comments