CATT, Carrie Chapman GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Manus, Rosa 1932 ROSA MANUS PARKWŸK BAARN HOLLAND January 9th 1932 Today is your birthday and how I wish I could have slipped in your bedroom and given you a real birthday kiss with all my loving wishes, I just sent you a cable showing my thoughts are with you. No present has been sent as I have not been around any shops lately and you have been so strict telling me not send any more presents. I have obeyed but I think by now I cannot keep the promise any longer as you are absolutely inundating me with presents. My dear friend just were arrived you wonderful Xmas gifts the charming nighty and the sweet woolly bed jacket. Thank you ever so much. I seem to have presents from you at all sides and the golden pen is my pride and all. I am using it daily, and I also use a golden pencil which Father used every day and I have there two on a little golden chain in my bag. Maud Park has just sent me the book of Lucy Stone by Alice Blackwell and I have much enjoyed reading it. Although many of the items one read in articles and other books of the History etc, I liked to read it as it showed her fine [Car??ter] and plenty of daring power and I liked the husband!! I am leaving for Geneva the 13th of January and will stay in Hotel Beau Rivage. On the 12th is my big meeting in Amsterdam and hope it will be a success - many, many tickets have been taken so it might be allright! We have speakers of quite different sides - a Catholique woman, the Int. President of the Y.W.C.A. and then our real Feminists. What Geneva will bring is not to be said. Now Briaud has just declined with is an immense pity. No final decisions about the presentation has been but I hope in Geneva I will pull through for the best. I am taking a long a fine young dutch girl - a lawyer - economist, and I imagine there will be plenty to do. I hear from Miss Dingman you did not approve the financial theme! She did not tell me what you did not like. Well. I donot like it a bit it is screwed up. and nothing at the back of it Made up by Mrs. D'Arcis!!!! I donot believe in those kind of appeals at all. I hope to get a letter from you to Geneva. I will send this letter to Washington, where you will be in the midst of work. So I will not say anymore. Best wishes for your Conference. May you bring us luck. I still believe the Americans must help us out, and they they will. Love dear Mother Carrie for now and always. from your loving stepdaughter who feels very fit!! Rosa 15.1.32 PARKWIJK WILHELMINALAAN 3 - BAARN Dear Mrs Catt! Excuse me for not having answered your letter yet although Rose has expressed my thanks for your great sympathy on the bereavement which has befallen us. I want to tell you myself how deeply thankful I am to join in your kind remembrance and the great appreciation toward my husband! Until now I could not find the courage to do so - The empty place can never be refilled, just like you rightly said, I have 3 the last hours of her father happy and restful! Fully aware of his death he had arranged everything with Rosa, and surrounded by most so dear to him, he found a peaceful end! And we must be thankful that more horrible has been spared to him! I daresay Rosa has told you about our intention to leave this place and live in town for the future! We hope to be able to spend one more summer here, but as Rosa has to continue her work 4 it would be too much a strain on her, to go into town and leave me alone, while, living in Amst. the other children can keep me company, and I can see them more whenever she has to go abroad. At this moment she is at Geneva, full of enthusiasm for the coming event! and Mrs. Sherm-[?] Pat's mother-in-law is with me! Enough for to-day dear Mrs. Catt. Believe me in full appreciation of your friendship to Rose and myself. your's very cordially S. Manus 2/ still much to live for. children and grandchildren surround me with love and consideration, and I must be grateful for the long happy years spent with such a wonderful companion. Needless to mention to you - Rosa's greatest friend - what comfort she is to me, and what her great care and her extremely good insight in all difficult questions which such a passing away bring into a large family mean to me! and I shall never forget how she made the Comite des Organisations Feminines Internationales sur le Desarmament Disarmament Committee of the Women's International Organisations SECRETARIAT: 2. Rue Daniel-Colladon, 2 GENEVE (Suisse) Telephone 47.297 Organisations Constituantes: Conseil International des Femmes. Alliance Universelle des Unions Chretiennes de Jeunes Filles. Alliance Internationale pour le Suffrage et l'Action Civique et Politique des Femmes. Ligue Internationale de Femmes pour la Paix et la Liberte. Union Mondiale de la Femme pour la Concorde Internationale. Federation Internationale de Femmes dans les Carrieres Professionnelles. Europeenne des Clubs Soroptomistes. Union Mondiale Chretienne des Femmes Abstinentes Comite National Americain pour "The Cause and Cure of War". Organisations Observatrices: Guide Internationale des Femmes Cooperatrices. Federation Internationale des Femmes Diplomees des Universites BUREAU: Presidente: Mary A. DINGMAN Vice-Presidente: L. DREYFUS-BARNEY Vice-Presidente: K.D. COURTNEY Secretaire: ROSA MANUS Tresoriere: Clara GUTHRIE-D'ARCIS January 18, 1932. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, 120, Paine Avenue, New Rochelle - N.Y. Dear Mrs. Catt, I have already written a few words to you since I am in Geneva, but this morning I received your letter of January 7th., giving me all the details and your views about Mr. Henderson and what Mr. Noel Baker had said to Miss Courtney. After Miss Courtney's letter I immediately wrote a strong letter to her as well as to Mrs. Corbett Ashby who is a substitute Delegate to the Disarmament Conference, and told them they must see Mr. Henderson themselves. At last they managed to see him and he told them that he is very much in favour of the women's petition, that there can however not be a precedent set and that it has to be submitted to the Conference Committee on procedure coming together in Geneva the first days of the Conference. Today we have sent you a cable trying to urge your American Delegation to help us at that meeting of the Conference Committee and give their vote on behalf of the women. Therefore we shall not be able to get a definite answer until then. There is plenty of time to work at the different Delegations and impress upon them that they all try to vote for having the women officially received in the plenary session and have them make a speech. I cannot tell you how mad I am inwardly, as it is surely the greatest insult ever done to the women. In one way we reached a fine result in connection with the Spanish Resolution and special facilities have been given to the women in answer to requests for seats and documents for the Disarmament Conference. You will receive the circular letter from January 16th., which gives these special points. Your suggestions in both Miss Dingman's and my letter are very valuable, and you may be sure that I will work them out carefully and make use of them. You can well imagine that there is any amount of work to do for me, and it is not easy and not -2- under the best circumstances. The office in rue Daniel Colladon, where there is one small room for the Disarmament Committee, is of course taken up by the general secretary, some typists and voluntary workers, so it is impossible for me to work there, and I have taken my stuff to the Hotel where I work with my secretary, but this means that I have to go up and down to that office at all moments of the day. I am here now since four days but it has not been possible for me to have a real talk with Miss Dingman yet; she is too busy with her own work and I feel much left in the cold. However, I am going ahead with the presentation and have been to the President of the Town Council of Geneva with Miss Dingman and one of the Swiss University women who introduced us there to ask for permission to have some kind of a gathering with the petitions, etc. He was very much in favour and sympathetic to our demands, although he could not consent to a real procession through the town of Geneva, as the communists, old combatants of war and other organisations have also been wanting to hold processions and they are afraid of disturbance. They have now offered us the Palace Eynard, a beautiful building belonging to the town, where the city gives many of its receptions. It has beautiful halls, and in front, a wonderful garden. In front of the building is a large terrace looking out on the garden with steps on each side, and we shall be allowed to make speeches from there. Fortunately this building is quite near the office of the rue Colladon, so that the petitions can be brought by the women to the Palace Eynard, and from there as much display can be made as we wish. Movies can be taken, and the press can have a grand time. From there we shall take the petitions to the Conference building and we have been promised the aid of the police for all this. If then we shall be refused to bring the petitions into the building, which to my mind would be terrible, we shall put them on both sides of the steps of the Assembly Hall at the time when the men will come down, so for publicity there will be enough, I think. In those gardens we mean to have loud speakers. The difficulty of course is to prepare for this presentation not knowing how it will be, if it shall take place, and so forth. I don't expect many women will be present, as traveling is so expensive just now. I went to a meeting of the Genevese Committee the other evening and tried to stir them to ask each organisation to have their women come, and I really must say that since 1920 when we came here with our Congress, they certainly have gone a few steps further and I think a good many of the Swiss women will come. Of course the last days will be the bulk of the work, when we get the definite answer, but I will try and get everything ready as far as I can and get a group of capable women around. I had a long talk last night with Miss Heneker of the Business and Professional Women. She is a Canadian lawyer and is in charge of their headquarters in Geneva. She is a very capable woman and she has put herself entirely at my service with her office and secretary, but I will need many more efficient people and do not know where to find them. As soon as I get any more definite news I shall cable you. -3- Thank you so much for your private letter, it is such a comfort. About the letter of the Budget, I am much grieved about it and, as you say, we shall not need that amount of money at all and I hate to ask for such large sums as they have dared to put in that budget. I myself have sent around a circular letter, as you have seen, from the Alliance Peace Committee to ask for some money for the actual presentation and I have received up till now about £15, I think, which is surely a help, and that is the kind of gifts I had expected. Of course when the presentation is over, the Consultative Committee and the press department will need a lot of money but I do not see quite clearly yet who will take charge of it, as surely I am not the one to serve on the Consultative Committee as my knowledge is not by 1/10 enough to talk about those serious questions. However, I clearly see that there must be one competent woman to be at the head of that Consultative Committee, who will be permanently at that office, and I will try to at least help them settle down. I wish Miss Courtney could be in charge she is so wonderful. Well this is all for today. lovingly Rosa I am much thinking of you as it is the opening of your Congress., how I would have loved to be at your presentation which would have been ever so much finer than mine. but I will not despair yet. ROSA MANUS Geneva, Switz. Hotel Beau Rivage: Sunday Jan 24th 1932 Dearest Mother Carrie: - Nobody better than you will understand how lonely I feel, sitting in my Hotel room left all by myself since Saturday noon. Everybody here seems to leave work and home to go into the mountains, no secretary available. How many times in your life you have found this same experience in all countries? However I am not complaining as it gave me ample time after a most busy and hectic week to get all my papers in order, and getting ready all new things which must be attended to first thing on Monday morning. Well since I am in Geneva 10 days today I have not been idle as you can imagine. I have not left a stone unturned as you told me to and I think at least things look a bit more promising. I have had many talks with people at the secretariat and on friday afternoon Mrs Dingren and I had a most sympathetic talk with Sir Eric Drummond. With him were the two secretaries who will serve with Mr. Henderson. We explained our wishes and asked for his collaboration. I must say it looked hopeful to us and Sir Eric said that he thought everything could be arranged. That of course we must wait for the final decisions 2 of the special conference Committee which will only be named and in action the 3 or fourth of february. He told us to write an explanative letter to Henderson to find upon his arrival. It looks as if the women shall be officially received the same day when many other petitions will be offered. But the women apart of course. They want the petitions brought in and a speech made I think. and then in french and english. Two callers, to name the Countries and numbers. Well if that we be allowed we must be satisfied. I have been working hard on the program. Took some of your valuable advise. Untill now nobody had time to look at it I brought it into the meeting of last thursday and showed the dummy I had made. They seemed to like it and left it further to me. I am hoping that Miss Courtney who will arrive in a few days will take it up with me. Oh Mother Carrie it seems so strange to talk about this presentation for the women of the world and then really all the arrangements are left to me. Of course it is flattering in one way that everybody has such confidence in me but I wish I had someone with me to share the responsibilities. Nevermind I am all the time thinking that you are with me and when I get a bit discouraged I look at your picture standing near me and I feel better. ROSA MANUS 3 I have been making a tremendous cardboard to Count the Signatures as they come in. I will show you how: Name of Country (x Have been received) L.P.F. L.P.F Alliance Causes Cure Total I II III IV Africa 5.912x 4.031x 9.943 Albania Australia 112.040x 100.000x 212.040 Autriche 32.750x 32.750 Austria 117.952 32.750 104.031 454.733 In this way I have made it from the 56 countries actually received in Geneva we have them from 30 countries and many announced to be sent off. I think in this way I will show the final in the program as it is clear for every body. It is of course very exciting to receive all thes parcels, and even if from some countries a few signatures have arrived it seems good. Many difficulties are of course arriving. f. i. Several societies would like to show the number they have collected but I think this will be too complicated and will not make things easy for those who do not understand the women's organizations. We may however give it on a seperate 4 page. Also if possible the names of the women representing the Countries but there again difficulties arise as far as those countries for which we have no women, but we shall put other nationalities in, it is hardly fair to put those names. No flags will be allowed with the presentation, it must be as simple as possible. All the petitions will be bowed with a green ribbon, as this is the Color of the Int Disarmament Com of the Womens Organizations. Every body who will be allowed to come in this hall with us will get from me a green ticket to wear with their name on. No procession is allowed in Geneva as many other people have asked for processions, the Communists etc. - and they are afraid for disturbance. I saw the Pres. of the Council of Geneva. and the Chief of Police. However we shall go to the Palais Eylard with a big garden around. We shall make speeches there have loudspeakers - press - movies etc. The presentation will be probably between the 9th and 13th I think the 10th as on Thursdays in Geneva it is a free afternoon for schools etc. to the Broadcasting Com: we went but it will ROSA MANUS be difficult to do this as when 3 o'clock in Geneva it is about 8:30 in New York and earlier still South. We are trying however, and we shall cable. I am much looking forward to your American women of course Mrs Bea Hooper I[well] know very well and you may be sure I shall do all I can to help them. We are planning for a public meeting on febr. 9th and then we shall hope the women delegates to the Conference will speak, also, The representatives of Int: Org: – Thus far we have Miss [?olly] U.S.A. Miss Kidd - Canada Mrs Ashley - Gr Br. Mrs Scelacovska - Poland and probably Dr. Luders Germany Mrs Ashley will stay in my Hotel that is why I came here, as it is more useful to be near. I wonder where your Am. women will stay. Hereby I am sending a picture of the meeting in Amsterdam, which was a tremendous success, left, your stepdaughter speaker for the Int. Dis. Com. right the women standing adopting the resolution and singing the League of Nations song. 6 Well my dear dear friend, I think this is the last letter before the presentation as I shall be inundated with work. I promise to do my utmost I it need be a success. I suppose when it is a failure I shall be the one person blamed. I have just eaten some rolls - and butter in my room. I often pic-nic as it is too expensive to go down to the restaurant always. I wish you were here. I hope to reach 10 million signatures! and then think that little Holland collected 2 1/2 million in 6 weeks. I love you dearly as always, and your inspiration helps me along these difficult days. Your only stepdaughter Rosa This Hotel is next to the Hotel de la Pa??] where we stayed in 1920. I went twice to the local Com. meeting and really the Genevese women are waking up. [*I forgot to say that the day before the presentation shall have tremendous waggons passing through the town with the petitions.*] AND EQUAL CITIZENSHIP (INTERNATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE ALLIANCE) HON. PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER: CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT Officers: PRESIDENT: MARGERY I. CORBETT ASHBY, 33, UPPER RICHMOND ROAD, LONDON S.W.15, ENGLAND. HONORARY SECRETARY: EMILIE GOURD, PREGNY GENEVE TREASURER: FRANCES M. STERLING, HOME WOOD, HARTFIELD ENGLAND International Committee for Peace and the League of Nations (Commission de la Paix et de la Societe des Nations - Ausschuss fur Frieden und Volkerbund) Chairman: RUTH MORGAN 1016, Grand Central Terminal Building, New-York Cable: "Prevention - New-York" Secretary: ROSA MANUS Keizersgracht 580, Amsterdam C. Holland Cable: "Romanus-Amsterdam". Telephone 37574 GENEVA, February 24, 1932. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, 120 Paine Avenue, NEW ROCHELLE - N.Y. Dear Mrs. Catt, Today we are sending you an official letter from the Disarmament Committee asking if you will agree to the programme which, with great difficulties we have computed with members of the fifteen organizations. You will understand that it has been a hard job. Mis Courtney, who is the originator of this programme has tried to compile it and had to put in as much as possible so as to satisfy as well the extreme parties as the countries of Roumania, Yougoslavia, etc. It is quite wonderful to think that the Germans and the French and all of them have agreed to it and we do hope that the presidents now will cable us their reply as we do want to make the most effective use of this programme as we possibly can. From all sides we are asked by the men what the women are thinking of doing next and really our presentation has made the greatest possible impression, even more than I think the women anticipated. Do you know that I have been asked by the League of Nations to help organising the permanent exhibition of the petitions ! Big glass cases have been made which will be hung up in the wonderful airy and modern new Disarmament Commission Building, where everybody, delegates and press members have to pass through daily. It was Mr. Henderson's own idea that we are now putting into effect. I cannot tell you how difficult my job has been in Geneva. I have really been working from early mornings till late at nights, having to satisfy the Princess Cantacuzene one night till 12 o'clock and other countries at other moments. I think though that we have done a good piece of work. Mrs. Hooper has been perfectly wonderful. I am sorry to say she left for Paris, and as much as I would have liked to go with her and be her guide, I felt I must stay at my job a little longer. Mrs. Hooper and other delegates who are all going home together will, I hope, be able to give you some of the details, especially Mrs. Hooper, who has been living right with me in the hotel, knows a great deal. She has been marvellous and you could not have sent a better representative to us. If only all the efforts AND EQUAL CITIZENSHIP (INTERNATIONAL WOMAN SUFFRAGE ALLIANCE) HON. PRESIDENT AND FOUNDER: CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT Officers: PRESIDENT: MARGERY I. CORBETT ASHBY, 33, UPPER RICHMOND ROAD, LONDON S.W.15, ENGLAND. HONORARY SECRETARY: EMILIE GOURD, PREGNY GENEVE TREASURER: FRANCES M. STERLING, HOME WOOD, HARTFIELD ENGLAND International Committee for Peace and the League of Nations (Commission de la Paix et de la Societe des Nations - Ausschuss fur Frieden und Volkerbund) Chairman: RUTH MORGAN 1016, Grand Central Terminal Building, New-York Cable: "Prevention - New-York" Secretary: ROSA MANUS Keizersgracht 580, Amsterdam C. Holland Cable: "Romanus-Amsterdam". Telephone 37574 -2- will be crowned with success, but the atmosphere at present is not very satisfactory, I fear. In haste for post. Your stepdaughter Rosa ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM Amsterdam, 5th April 1932. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, 120 Paine Avenue. New Rochelle. New York. My dear Mother Carrie, I suppose the three delegates who came from Europe have given you full accounts of everything that happened in Geneva and I hope that you were satisfied with the way the Presentation was done. I was indeed very sorry to hear that you do not agree with the program put up by the Disarmament Committee and I should be so sorry if in future the Cause and Cure of War Conference should not be one of the Member Organisations of the Disarmament Committee. It is of course, as you well know, very difficult indeed to meet with all the difficulties of each country, and we tried our best to solve as many problems as we could possibly give way to, but we all felt that the American situation was so very different to any of the other ones. I do so wish that you would send us one of your capable American women to work permanently on the Disarmament Committee. We need the American views constantly, not only from the side of a woman like Miss Dingman who has been away from the U.S. for so long and moreover has never been to your Cause and Cure Conferences. That is why it was so wonderful in September to have Miss Roelofs and Miss Schain there, and I wish they could come again. Oh, Mother Carrie, how I would like to have a real personal talk with you about all my problems in Geneva. So very much has happened and so many things which one cannot write. It was very difficult at times, but we have made things pretty clear and spoke up rather than go on in the way some of us didnot approve of. The results are that we now have an office for the Disarmament Committee. It was impossible to stay always in the Y.M.C.A. and I think everything will run smoother now. I have not decided when to return to Geneva, but you may be sure that when my presence is needed there and there is a full job to be done, I shall go at once. I will let you know when I return. I have been very busy since my return home with all family matters, as you can well imagine. It is 5 months since my good father passed away. The house seems terrible without him and for that reason I shall be glad when mother and I are settled in a comfortable flat in Amsterdam. On the other hand it seems wicked ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM -2- 5/4/32. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt. -------------------------- to leave this beautiful home with the wonderful gardens and greenhouses, which Father so carefully arranged for us all, but the financial difficulties for everybody make it absolutely impossible to keep up such an expensive home, and it is better to solve the problem and be brave about it. Of course, for Mother it will be very sad indeed, as we shall have to do away with so much of her belongings which she has had for more than 50 years, but as always she is so brave and unselfish and clearly sees that it is too difficult for me to run up to town and do my work and always come back to keep her company. Once she is settled down in Amsterdam, she will have many more people and friends around her, as it is always easier for the old friends to visit her in Amsterdam than always come out into the country. I have been looking around to find a comfortable home, but either there are those modern, badly built houses with little rooms where our antique furniture would look perfectly ridiculous, or one finds beautiful homes which are too large and expensive. I am however going at it with energy and will no rest until [U] I have something which suits us. I will try to get the house big enough for me to have my office at home, as then I need not pay my expensive office at the Club, but that means that I need a large room where I can put up my bookcases and files with desks, etc. For the Easter holidays we had the house full again. The boys all brought some friends out and played tennis, went out riding and really enjoyed themselves. I took a few days really off, did not do a stroke of work, but knitted jumpers for those big boys. My first try was so successful that they quickly ordered Auntie Rose to make some more for each of them. It is quite fascinating, but you can imagine they want nice-shape jumpers and I enjoy knitting. Have you heard that dear Mrs. Corbett passed away last week? I knew from Margery that she was very ill indeed. She had to undergo a serious operation in November and they found she was in a very advanced state of cancer on the inside, and that she could not live much longer. The dear old lady was so brave until the very last and quietly passed away on Easter Sunday. She has been a wonderful personality and wonderful mother and grandmother and such a good feministe too. I always remember her at the Amsterdam Congress in 1908 when she came out with Margery and Cicely, her goodlooking daughters. Well, such is life! It was a good thing Margery was home for the Easter holidays. She will soon have to go to Geneva as Delegate again, and I am so glad she is doing very well indeed on the Delegation. It is quite wonderful to have such capable women in Geneva; I only wish we had a good many more. ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM -3- 5/4/32. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt. --------------------------- I suppose, dear Mother Carrie, your garden is beginning to look nice. I cannot remember if I have sent you tulips this year or not. I do hope I have. If not, I will try and do better next year. I am so terribly homesick for you and wish I could spend a few days with you, but I know you understand my job is either in Geneva or with Mother for the present. Some day, however, I will make it possible to come to you and hope that when I shall be able to come, you can have me. Carmen is making a very good little nurse and loves her job in the children's hospital. She has been there for 6 months now and does as if the whole hospital belongs to her. She adores the children and means to make a success. Well, my dear friend, good-bye for to-day. My loving thoughts are with you. Your stepdaughter Rosa April 15, 1932. Mrs. S. Manus, Parkwijk, Wilhelminelaan 3, Baarn, Holland. My dear Mrs. Manus: I was greatly surprised and pleased at the cunning little wrap you sent me. I have showed it to a great many people and I have found no one who could tell whether it is knitted or crocheted, nor have I seen anyone who thinks she could make one like it. I shall, therefore, cut quite a splurge wearing something that no one else has. It is wonderful that you can do these things. I was not properly brought up and was never taught to do anything of this nature. Now my hands are rather incapacitated and I cannot do what I once could. I think of you often, my dear Mrs. Manus, and I know how very lonely it is for you, after having lived with a husband for more than fifty years. A letter has come from Rosa and she tells me that she is hunting an apartment with the hope that you can find a comfortable place in which to live. If you are in the habit of walking in the garden, you will miss it very much during the summer, but, for winter, an apartment is often a great delight. It is so comfortable and you feel snug and protected within one. I thank you most cordially for your great kindness to me and I hope that you may live many years and find much enjoyment in them. We never have a very early spring in New York and today we had a little flurry of snow. It was soon gone, but it is cold outdoors. However, the tulips are about three or four inches tall and the leaves on the rose bushes are coming out well. It will be a month, however, before the garden starts to look pretty. I am sorry never to have seen your beautiful place at Baarn. With the warmest of good wishes to you, I am, Most sincerely, CCC:HW. 120 Paine Avenue New Rochelle, N.Y. April 15, 1932. Miss Rosa Manus, Baarn, Holland. My dear Rosa: Henrietta comes up to New Rochelle two days every week and nearly works her head off. I usually dictate all day and then she has the rest of the time to write it out, but often some things which are important do not get done and one of them is a letter of thanks to you and your good Mother. I really thought my instructions to you to send me no more presents had begun to bear fruit when, lo, Mrs. Hooper brought me another present. If you are going to be poor, you must get into the habit of not spending money on your friends. However, I liked my present very much and thank you for it. We are having a meeting of our full Committee on the Cause and Cure of War early next week and I have been very busy, making ready for it. I am Chairman of the Program Committee for the next Conference. I will not write you very fully now, but when that Committee meeting is over, I shall send you a nice, long letter. Bertha Lutz from Brazil has just arrived and I suppose she will come out to see me in a day or so. I have not seen her for years. She has had a very severe operation. I am sorry to learn that Mrs. Corbett Ashby's Mother has gone. She was a wonderful woman and her two pretty daughters get their good looks from her. I remember how she looked when she brought them to Holland, long ago, and I remember how my dear little Dutch girl looked with her blackboard. We have all grown up since then, have we not? -2- I sympathize with you in looking for an apartment. What you can do, perhaps, is to take a good-sized apartment to live in and a little one for your office. Sometimes a little space is left and a little apartment is put in. Of course you cannot get your big furniture into an apartment. I have tried going from a house into an apartment and I have tried going from an apartment into a house. You may put all the furniture that an apartment, such as we had on Riverside Drive, holds into a house like this, where we now live, and it is like a bean shaking around in a pot. Your Mother will have to divide up her furniture among her children before she moves. I shall be very sorry if you can not stay in your beautiful home through the summer. If your Mother is in the habit of going into the garden often, she will be lonesome for it, but she will like the apartment in the winter. Yes, dear Rosa, you did send me some tulips and they are about three or four inches tall. You also sent me some crocuses and we planted them in the grass. They have been a joy for the past two or three weeks and everybody admires them. The tulips will not blossom for some little time yet, for this April is very cold. Do not have me on your mind and send any more. I read something which I thought meant that either this country will not permit Dutch plants or bulbs to come in this year, or else that Holland will not send them out. I do not know which. Every country has so many bugs that they are fighting to keep clear of them, I suppose. I wish you could see the pretty tulips and what a splendid contribution you have made me. This year I am going to take them all up and put them in anew. We have outdoor rats and they occasionally eat a few bulbs. Of course, they pick out the nicest ones to eat. I hope, dear Rosa, to live through the summer and be quite well enough to go to Washington next winter. I am not the Chairman any more and am trying to do nothing more than my part; however, I have such a big and wonderful program in mind, that I shall have a great deal of work to do for it. Perhaps you could run away next January and visit the Conference again. That would be very nice, but, of course, I would like to have you see my home in the summer. It is not at all pretty in the winter. I will have to warn you that when you come, you will find me not at all entertaining. I cannot walk very well and have so much pain in my legs and back, that I decline all invitations except those which pertain to my work. The Y.W.C.A. have their new international President in the country just now, - Miss Van Asch Van Wyck. She lives in Utrecht and is Dutch, of course. She does not know you very well, because you live so far away. Miss Roelofs brought her out to lunch with me one day. I think she is a fine girl. Tomorrow, Miss Morgan is coming. -3- Now, since I have so much to do, I will rob myself of the privilege of gossip with you until after my Committee meeting. Very lovingly, dear Rosa, CCC:HW. ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM Baarn, 9th May 1932. Parkwyk. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, 120 Paine Avenue, New Rochelle. New York. Dear Mother Carrie, Your letter of April 15th arrived, and it was a great treat to get your news again. I know how difficult it is for you to find time to dictate personal letters when there is always so much to do when Henrietta comes out to New Rochelle. Still I am grateful whenever you send a line. Mother was most pleased with your letter and kind words, she had so much pleasure in making the shawl for you. It is chroche-work, and when she does it it seems quite simple. I see with pleasure that you are Chairman of the Program Committee for the next Conference and hope that as Chairman you will tell me your plans, as I am always very interested in all your doings. Surely your Washington Conferences have helped along immensely and have done a great deal to establish more confidence and create public opinion. And really, Mr. Henderson says it at all opportunities: it is the Public Opinion we need strengthening again and again in each country. People ought to keep at it all the time, but they rather sit quietly at home and criticise. When one lives in Geneva and sees and continues following the discussions, one cannot find it so easy as those find it who stand off. However, those man-delegates are too much afraid of their Governments and of their own positions, and I am convinced that if more women would sit in the [?] Delegations, much more would be accomplished. I think the 5 women we have are doing whatever they can, but they feel very upset at times as they are all energetic women who like to push on and at Geneva one feels rather as if one sits on a bicycle which is going backwards halfway when one has just advanced about two inches. Still, I admire some of those men, and I have seen myself that they are giving all their energy and time to try and help, but every moment they are pulled back by their Governments. Notwithstanding all the difficulties I have some faith in the future and am convinced that some good will come out of the Conference, although it will take many many more months. It is my intention to go back to Geneva in June, when some of my family will come out and stay with Mother. You can well imagine that it was impossible for me to leave her. She is far from well and entirely depends upon me. I go to my office very seldom, only for urgent Meetings and my other work I do at home with a secretary. You will understand it is complicated, but it cannot be helped and I shall be pleased to be in Amsterdam by next fall. We have not yet succeeded in finding a comfortable home. We want something with large rooms, as we cannot do away with our beautiful furniture and we donot want to buy new modern things. Then I ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM -2- Baarn 9th May 1932. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt. --------------------------- want to have an office for myself where I can work and have my secretary. This will be less expensive and more helpful. In Amsterdam we had our annual Meeting yesterday, which was most successful and it is quite remarkable to see that, nothwithstanding these critical times, the Women's Movement is still necessary and active. I was one fo the Speakers for the evening, and spoke about Geneva and the women's work there, and showed some very interesting lanternpictures about the presentation, etc. I am sure, Mother Carrie, you would have enjoyed it, and perhaps you would have been a little proud of your stepdaughter. I hope your tulips have shown themselves at their best. When you take the bulbs out of the ground this summer and dry them well in the sun first, you can keep them in your attic until they go in the ground by January. They will always blossom again. I have just heard that a tulip has been called after Dr. Jacobs and one after you. I have not seen them yet, but I must find out and will surely send them to you in due time when the bulbs can be obtained after September. Surely this is a great honour to the Women's Movement! Did I ever tell you a rose is called after me last year, but I have not managed to get them yet. They don't sell them until a certain time is passed. I can hardly wait until I can get over to see you and wish I could manage to come in summer, but as it is our last summer out in Baarn it will be impossible. It seems hard to be away from each other for so long. There seems to be so very much I want to talk over with you and things I cannot talk about to anybody but you, but I live in hopes and try to be patient and one day we shall have our nice little chats again. It seems a shame that one is separated from those one loves most of all. My poor Mother is very depressed and cannot get over her great loss. Still I try to tell her she must be brave and I hope she will enjoy having the grandchildren around her this summer. My little sister's boy, Egon, is doing his final examen the first days of June and I hope he will succeed. He will then study law. He is a fine chap, is very interested in politics, he reads a lot and is altogether a charming boy. So I hope he will make a success of his life. He takes much after my dear good Father. Carmen is in the Children's Hospital since September and loves her work there. She is so proud at earning $8.- a month and two pieces of soap. She finds herself a selfsupporting woman, adores her little babies and funnyly enough she likes the nightwatch very much indeed. She has 4 years before she gets through her final examins, so she is off my mind for the present which is much to be thankful for in these difficult days. ROSA MANUS KEIZERGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM -3- Baarn, 9/5/32. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt. Mrs. Ashby is doing splendidly in Geneva, she is helping a great deal in the Women's Disarmament Committee. Miss Courtney is splendid, and Miss Heneker also, so I think it is a very good thing to have established that Women's Disarmament Committee. They are having meetings every Fridayevening when they discuss the matters of the Conference and have prominent speakers to come in. Our garden is really so beautiful. Everything comes out late but it seems stronger when the flowers come. We have our tulips in blossom surrounded by forget-me-nots. It looks so pretty mixed. Also some parts are with a big bed of pansies and then the tulips coming out in the midst. I think this is a Dutch way of gardening. It will be dreadful to leave this beautiful garden for ever; still we have had it for 15 years and enjoyed it. In July we are going to have a Board-Meeting in London and we must discuss the future of the Alliance and when and where a next Congress shall be. It seems so difficult to decide what to do, as nothing is so urgent as peace and disarmament, and still some people object to the Alliance only being a peace-organisation. I remember you saying one day that if a Peace Committee of the Alliance works well, the Peace Committee one day will be stronger than the Alliance and I think this may be the case quite soon. I only wish that I had Miss Morgan nearer to direct me more. You are lucky to have her as first Chairman. Well, I must stop, as I am afraid this letter is too much for you to read. Here is my love to you and please remember me to the good friends who come to see you regularly. Tell Alda and Mary they might attempt to write to me soon. Yours affectionate, and always the same loving Rosa May 25, 1932. Miss Rosa Manus, Baarn, Holland. My dear Rosa: Your letter of May 9th has arrived and I hasten to reply, since you are on my mind anyway. Bertha Lutz is in this country now, having been sent by her government to study the museums. You will remember that that is her job. She spent the last week-end with me and said she had already visited twenty-eight museums in this country. Are you not tired when you think of it? She had a very serious operation. She caught cold and got a germ which infected her throat, so that they had to cut out a sort of abscess that had formed there. It was a terrible operation and she seemed much more nervous than she used to be. She came here to do something different, so as to get over it. They will be glad to have you go back to Geneva for a while. It is very amusing what people say about that Conference in Geneva. We hear that the delegates there are very bold and forward looking, but that their governments get hold of their coat tails and hold them back. Here we hear that the delegates grow timid and that it is our own government at home that is bold and brave. For my part, I think they are all of one kind. I can well believe that your mother will hate to see you go. She is a wonderful mother and I want you to tell her once more how much I enjoyed that little scarf. I think you will find a good deal of trouble to get an apartment as big as you want. People sometimes take two apartments and put them together. Two friendly families do that, sometimes, so that they may lend the big parlor to each other. I am glad your annual meeting went off so well and that everything in Holland is moving on. I remember that when we were in India, it was the date of the annual meeting and Dr. Jacobs seemed not to be with me at all that day, but her every thought, every minute of the day, was with the Dutch women. How much she would have enjoyed hearing your description of this meeting! The tulips have been beautiful and most enjoyable. We never cut a tulip until it shows signs of wiltering and departing. Lately we have plucked some of them and they surely have been wonderful. They are going soon. I am glad that Dr. Jacobs will have a tulip named after her and if you come into contact with it, I wish you would send it to me. I cannot believe that a tulip has -2- been named after me, because I am not much known to the tulip growers of Holland. That would be a wonderful honor. I hope you have a rose and that it is something different. I strongly suspect these florists have named the same roses and the same tulips many times over. We cannot send you a picture of our tulips this year, because we scattered them, this time, all over the place and they do not make so good a photograph, but they have given us more pleasure in that way. Many thanks for the directions for keeping them. We have never taken them up, but have left them in the ground. In consequence, some of them have been a little smaller, but they are all very nice.. Just now we are very busy and until the latter part of June I am going to work very hard at the program; then I shall take a rest during July and August. I have discovered that Elizabeth Hauser has a cousin in New Rochelle whose acquaintance I have just made. I think I have persuaded Elizabeth to come and visit her cousin and me and when she does, I shall have a Sunday dinner to which I shall invite three girls from Connecticut, Miss Morgan, Josephine Schain, and two friends from an up-state town in New York, so we will have a nice gathering. I think the Alliance will have some hard times and I am very sorry. If I knew anyone who had an extra cent, I would try to squeeze it out of them. I am quite disgusted that France does not give the women the vote. The Alliance could close its doors when that is done, but I would hate to see it retire until France has given women the vote. I am pretty well this summer, but from my waist down to my toes my legs are rather foolish and will not act as they should. I walk around the house without help, but outdoors I use a cane. I do not walk badly, but it hurts so much, sometimes, to use these legs of mine that I try to avoid using them. I do not like such legs! Give my love to your mother and keep much for yourself. Lovingly, ccc:HW. ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM June 23,1932 Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, New-York My dear Mother Carrie, I have received your letter of May 25th which gave me of course as always, great pleasure. My time seems to be taken up very much, but today I must have a chat with you again. I was interested to hear that Bertha Lutz had come to the United States. I think she must have had an interesting time studying the museums. As you say, I am tired to think about it, but when one is interested in a special job likehers it must be wonderful to have the opportunity. I was sorry to hear she had such a serious operation and I am sure the change will have done her the world of good and she must have been so pleased to see you again and talk over all her difficulties and troubles. I wish there was an opportunity of my going over to see you again. I am so dreadfully homesick for you and there are so many things I would love to talk about to you but in the first months I do not see any possibility to leave. It was my definite plan to go back to Geneva and work some time in the Disarmament Office but I think they have come to a stage where there is nothing special to do; besides now we have the house with about 20 people at Baarn and Mother cannot possibly do without me. As it is the last summer we keep up this beautiful home I do want to keep up Father's tradition and help make everything and everybody as happy as possible and although my sister would like to replace me when I am away, she feels it rather much and very difficult to take the responsibility and finances in hand. AS you can imagine I have taken over all Father's jobs and Mother and I do not like anybody to mix into our affairs. You will understand that fully and therefore I think it is my duty to stay right by her this summer to which you will certainly agree. Our garden seems to be more beautiful than ever; there is a display of the most marvellous dark red roses, - to think how Father used to love them, makes us all so sad to be without him. Still nobody can live on for ever and we must be grateful to have had him for so long. The Geneva Conference seems to be moving just a little but I am afraid no definite steps will be taken and surely the news paper accounts are different each time and it is indeed difficult to really find out how things are going. Mrs. Ashby to whom I spoke through the telephone in Geneva, is much destressed; she finds it very hard to stay right by her delegation and feels so helpless at not being able to make any progress. I am sure if the women had a more effective influence things would go better. ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM June 23. 1932 Mrs. Carrie Catt, New-York. (2) I am going to a Board Meeting in London on July 19th. Something definite about the Alliance proceedings must be decided. Mrs. Ashby is very keen to organize a congress in 1933 in Spain. I, for myself do not think Spain the right place to go to. We need a real businesslike congress but now with all the uncertainties like the women of those countries act, I would much prefer to hold a congress in Belgium or in Holland where one would be sure that the arrangements would be well made. Besides we must try and make things less expensive, do everything on a smaller scale. Nobody has any money to spare; as we are now, we can just live on for another year and struggle through with the finances we have. As you say yourself, we ought not to disband until France has the vote but still as you have said many years ago, really the Peace Committee will swamp the Alliance. Nobody has time to talk about anything but disarmament and peace; nothing can really be done until those fools of statesmen act and make definite reduction of armament possible, but it is all one bundle of politics. Everyone thinks of his own position instead of the solution of the world problem. I have never known people so selfish. I have not succeeded in finding a suitable appartment in Amsterdam but I am hunting and must succeed. You wunderful person, working so hard at your program again. I wish I had half your energy and power. Your personality always stands right out before me and I try to live up to your ideals and I am always so grateful for all the opportunities and friendship you have given me. It has been a wunderful stimulans and joy for me in my life; to have a stepmother like you is one of the greatest comforts to possess. What fun that Elisabeth Hauser is coming to stay in New- Rochelle with her cousin. She is such a nice amusing and intelligent personality and it will give you much pleasure having her around. My sister's son Egon Stern, has passed his examen most splendidly and is entering the University. He has taken great interest in politics of today; he reads all the heavy interesting literature of each country and as he understands and reads about 6 languages, he enjoys each one in its own language. He is really the one who takes most after my dear Father. I hope he will walk in his footsteps. He is also very, very modest. In sitting round with my Mother, I do a good deal of knitting and other work. All the big boys possess pull overs made by their auntie Rose and they are most proud to see that they fit so well. It is quite amusing to do that kind of work; it helps not to get bored. Mother is very brave but finds it difficult at times to pull through. Her health is not so very good. Money conditions are very bad and nobody knows where one stands. Still I can assure you that I shall soon have enough money to pay you a visit some day, as soon as I can manage. ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM June 23. 1932 Mrs. Carrie Catt, New-York. (3) There is no special news. The world is dull and uninteresting. The house and garden only are beautiful and I'm trying to make the best of things for all around. Here is my fond love and wish for a happy, pleasant summer. Do send another line it gives such a joy to receive your letters. A loving thought goes out to you from stepdaughter Rosa ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM Please have all letters addressed to Baarn Baarn, 12th July 1932 Mrs. Carrie Chapman 120 Paine Ave, New-Rochelle. N-Y. USA. Dear Mrs. Catt, Today I am writing to you to introduce Mrs. Dreyfus-Barney from Paris, 74 Rue Raynouard. You will perhaps remember that her mother, Mrs. Barney, had the house in Washington which the League of Women Voters rented at the time before the vote was won. Mrs. Barney was an ardent suffragist and died, I think, last year. Mrs. Dreyfus-Barney married in France and is a very capable personality and a good speaker with many interests. She is one of the vice-presidents of the Disarmament-Committee of the Women's International Organisations and since working with her on the Committee, I have grown to appreciate and like her very much. She is going to Canada and America in autumn and I wonder if you or any of your organisations would like to make some arrangement with her when she is in the States. She very much wants to visit you personally. She will most probable be in Washington and New-York the last part of November. If you or any of the other organisations would like to correspond with her, you better write directly to Paris now so as to get into contact with her. She has very interesting subjects to speak on and is much connected always with the work of the League of Nations. She does not want any fee for speaking. Hoping that your societies will do something for her while she is in the States, I remain with much love Rosa Manus PS I have sent a copy of this letter both to Ruth Morgan and Miss Bella Sherwin. Madame Dreyfus-Barney of Paris (74 rue Raunouard, 16e) will give a few lectures in Canada from the 10th. to the end of September 1932, on the following subjects: The Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments. Cooperation of nations or world disaster. Constructive uses of the Cinematograph and of the Radio Intellectual cooperation. Customs and Ideas of other lands. Madam Dreyfus-Barney is an experienced speaker and has made several journeys around the world to study the civilisation of different peoples. She is american by birth and has always been connected with artistic and university circles. She has made a special study of international questions and after the world war, during which she took an active part in hospital service and refugees' relief, she turned her activity to serve the constructive efforts being made towards better understanding between classes and peoples such as those undertaken by the League of Nations. Some of her titles are: Knight of the Legion of Honour. Expert of the Intellectual Cooperation of the League of Nations. Vice-President of the Disarmament Committee of the Women's International Organisations (formed by 14 of the major organisations representing some 45 millions of women) Liaison Officer of the International Council of Women to the International Institute of Intellectual Cooperation. President of the Cinematograph and Broadcasting Committee of the I.C.W. Treasurer of the International Commission on the social and educational use of Films and Broadcasting. Madame Dreyfus-Barney will make no charge for her lectures but would appreciate, whenever possible, entrance fees or collections could be applied to the relief of the unemployed. Madame Dreyfus-Barney will be in Hollywood(California) 1635 Ogden Drive, during October. After that her address will be c/o American Security and Trust Company, Washington D.C. Most probably she will be in Washington and New-York last part of November before embarking again to Europe. PARKWIJK WILHELMINALAAN 3 - BAARN 25th of August, 19[33]32. Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, 120 Paine Avenue New-Rochelle.N.Y. Dear Mother Carrie, August is almost gone and our time at Baarn is closing. This last summer all the sisters and families have been here over 3 months. The house has been full every day and this week-end we shall all be there, also Dr. Jacobi and my sister will turn up from Berlin and we hope the family affairs will be settled then. It is not an easy task to settle everything as there are such unjustices in the law which nobody foresees unless one has to deal with them. How I would like to talk things over with you and I know you would like to hear about the details. After hunting and hunting, I think I succeeded in finding a flat in Amsterdam and we shall try to get settled in by November. I will have my office at home as well. You can well imagine how much there is still to be done for me, first arranging the new home, then selling everything in the house that is left behind. All the antique things and paintings cannot be taken over into a small house and all the brothers and sisters have themselves already more than they want in the future. It is heartbreaking to give up the beautiful garden. We are selling all the greenhouse plants towards the middle of September as it is no use spending again so much money on the hothouses. You can imagine it is very difficult for my dear mother, but she is very brave and all the summer through she has had the youth amusing themselves as much as they liked. I am standing by her and will see that she gets a comfortable time yet. I know my Father wanted me to do so and in his memory I am trying to live up to his ideals, but oh Mother Carrie, sometimes it is so difficult! Being Father's executor, there are so many problems and one wants to do everything to the best of everybody. I know you could give me some idea, but it is no good writing as things are too complicated. How I would love to come and see you again. Do you know it is almost 3 years ago? I wish a wonder would happen and bring me right over to you! I am absolutely pining for you. I do hope you have not suffered too much from the heat. We have had the hottest summer we have had in years but I enjoy the heat as you know and the garden was more beautiful than ever. I wish I could send you some of our beautiful plants but I am afraid in the U.S. they would throw them over board and not let them enter at all; ridiculous laws! If at any time you want to get rid of your international feministic books or if you have double copies of your american books, remember I have a feministic library and would gladly accept anything you can spare. Perhaps you have many things you do not care for and which really might be useful for me to have. My brother Frans is very much satisfied with his life in New-York. He has a bridgeclub and as bridge is a rage just now, he is having many customers. I really think he has made his way and although it is not just the thing we admire most, I think he has been right in taking up this part. Carmen has passed her first examen as a nurse and is getting on very well indeed. Now Mother Carrie, this is only a short note; I hope to hear from you some day. It was so sad to celebrate my birthday this year as last year Father had just recovered and came down for dinner and made such a wonderful speech to me. I feel his death so much and cannot imagine he is away for always. Dear Mother Carrie, I love you dearly and hope to be with you some day to come. Loving greetings, Your Stepdaughter Rosa ROSA MANUS [KEIZERSGRACHT 580] [AMSTERDAM] Baarn October 5th, 1932 Dearest Mother Carrie: - It seems such a long time since I saw a letter from you and I am so longing to get one from you again and hear how you spent the summer and who were your guests at Carrielaan. Ruth Morgan writes and says how active you are and how much she enjoys working with you always. So at least I know you are pretty well and that is good to know. Just 10 years ago we were beginning our big trip together through Central Europe and South America. How time has gone and how much has happened since. My good Father who always knew every port when we came and when I found his letter waiting for me. Then the flowers which awaited you and me in Rome and Rio. and the happy days I spent with you that trip. Often I sit and recollect some events and as you have always said: no one in the world can take away our remembrances. 2 That evening in Vienna when you had made a speech and we had to hurry for our train to Praag and when the millions of Kronen were not enough to pay for our taxi and luggage. The 100.000 dollar knife!! The room in Lima!! Can you smell it yet? The hanging train of sugar loaf and the little "Venusuala" with the good food and the mass of passengers. Our arrival in Paris, the buying of Clothes; the strike and then the Rome Congress. For me such happy and interesting days will never come back again. Mother Carrie when may I look into your sweet eyes again? I do want to kiss you and tell you how much I love you. But your stepdaughter seems to have duties to fulfill. We are packing up our beautiful Baarn home, it is just heartbreaking and yet I must be firm and never show my feelings. Surely for my dear Mother it is a million times worse. Untill the first of September all the family are with us; then I began at once tyding and packing, sorting out and making presents to all who need things. Beds and blankets, cots and sheets, towls and 3 ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM serviets, glasses and dishes, pots and pans. The children and grandchildren had of course the first choice, pictures and armchairs, desks and sofa's are carried away to each of them. and it is quite amusing to see what every one chooses. Rosa makes lists of everything as I want to keep trac where everything goes to. Then of course Mother and I take all we need for our new home but there is such a quantity of a 52 years married life. Then so many sheets and towls when the family were all staying here. Big trunks are packed to go to Berlin to Anna who can use a great deal in these days. Packing, packing, always packing and never ready. The days not in Baarn are spent in the new house with Carpenters, painters electricians. The difficulty is to make the house good looking with the real antique furniture and still pleasant to look at. We are using curtains in Mother's sitting room which were used by Father's 4 grandparents and I assure you the material is better than one can bye today. Father's writing table in empire style mahogany will be in my room and my whole library which was in my office is also there. We each have our own sitting room mine is my office. Then there is a dining room and we each have our nice bedroom and bath. a smaller room for Carmen. A little kitchen. After long consideration I have decided to take an electric stove and your stepdaughter has taken cooking lessons with electricity! It seems a real delight, no dirt, no dampness..it is so much easier than any other way. Of course we need all new pans and pots, but I said to Mother there is just an opportunity now or never. I feel as if I am getting married and buying everything new, beginning a new [f] life, but I am glad to say no husband to worry the life out of me. Don't you think it is a good idea? The plants in the greenhouse are solt, they look empty and forlorn - and when we have left Baarn, we shall sell everything that is left here. Antique china, furniture and the rest. ROSA MANUS KEIZERSGRACHT 580 AMSTERDAM 5 I have sent you some bulbs again a lovely kind of "perrot tulips" which I think you will enjoy and some beautiful new orange tulips and some hyacents, I hope they will arrive safely. Try and put each lot together in a bunch that looks pretty. Then Father's stamps are being sold in London and I have asked them to send you a Cathalogue, so that you can see what an immense object those stamps were. The auction will be in London that is to say 10 auctions beginning two days in October and each following month some days. People are coming from all countries to purchase them so I hope they will fetch what is deserved. When I think of all the hours and hours Father spent with his stamp his love and energy for these bits of paper. it is quite amazing. Oh Mother Carrie why are we so far away? I want to talk over so many things with you, so many things I cannot tell to anybody but you. Still I know some day will come, when we can chat together. 6. The world crisis is hard yet and the women cannot do much. Some of our good women are technical advisers at the Assembly –- Malature for France von Velsen for German - and the old staff of women has returned to Geneva - but what little good can they do. My head sinks, yet we must march on and keep the banner floating. Mrs. Ashby is doing her best, but everything seems so hopeless and difficult. The Alliance Board and the Residents will meet in Marseilles in March. We shall have a meeting in Paris at the end of November to prepare. I shall go but I feel so little can be done. We work in the dark. Well dear good friend I will leave you. I am ashamed of this long letter but I expect it is the last letter from Baarn. I am so busy these next weeks. By the first of November I hope to have the house ready for Mother to go into it. Think of me sometimes and say you love me still it will Comfort me again in these difficult times. Loving thoughts go out to you God bless you my wonderful friend your only Rosa Transcribed and reviewed by volunteers participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.