January 18th, 1915.
My dear Miss Addams:
I feel that an explanation is due you for my going to Washington and then taking no definite stand in the Peace Movement. I went to Washington in good faith, expecting to throw the influence of my whole organization into this movement of women to help in the Peace Movement, realizing the effect of this war upon the women of the fighting nations, who are staying at home, as a result of the worry, anxiety and fear of their husbands and brothers in the trenches. I thought I could unreservedly throw the strength of my organization, for the health of womanhood, into the movement. I felt that I could organize peace centers in tens of thousands of towns, both in this country and in almost every country of the globe.
After the Saturday meeting it seemed to me that the whole thing was resolving itself into a platform under the Woman's Suffrage Movement.
While you and I cannot see how any broad minded, intelligent woman [today] can oppose equal citizenship, it is true that many of them do and I felt that by joining the Suffrage Movement I should be crippling my usefulness among the women who are opposed.
The platform adopted on Sunday was much more mild and it did not look so strongly as if it were a Suffrage Movement.
I am ready to do anything I can, personally, to aid your movement, Miss Addams. If you wish my assistance and I can be helpful to the world in this matter I shall gladly do whatever is in my power.
Very sincerely,
Susanna Cocroft [signed]
Comments