Catt, Carrie Chapman General Correspondence Park, Maud Wood 1935-39 November 29, 1935 Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Eastland Hotel, Portland, Maine. Dear Maud Wood Park: Mary Gray Peck brought me your letter concerning the failure of Illinois to give as much as it should have done. I have, at this first opportunity, written to Mrs. Baur and told her the story, asking if she would assume the responsibility of raising the fund from $320 to $1,000 from Illinois. I doubt if she does it. I did not tell her that the work was done or how much had been raised. Mary Peck says that you say you have written me twice and have had no answer. I will plead guilty, if that is your real charge, but I really did not know I had two letters from you requiring a reply. I have had some letters from you, making comment on this Blackwell Fund that did not require answers, or so I thought; at any rate, I beg your pardon and want to tell you that since I began to do suffrage work, fifty years ago, I have never caught up with my mail and I never expect to, but I am praying that when I get to Heaven, the angels will not know how to write. I love you, dear Maud, just as much as ever and I think of you very often, but whenever I do think of you, it is with gratitude that we are not flying around in the mess at Washington. Lovingly, CCC:HW. The Eastland The Congress Square Portland, Me. Mar. 11 '33 Dear M. G. P. This letter is partly to you and partly at Mrs. Catt. To take the 2nd section 1st Are you willing to ask her to invite Mrs. Janet Bane to be chairman of the A. J. B. fund in [Chicago] Illinois and to try to bring it up from the present total of $320 to $1000? As you doubtless know, the fund is already a little over $13:000 and the Treasurer wants to close his books. Before he does so I think we ought to have a real try at Chicago and Washington, particularly as the decision to put part of the money into refunds, rather than twist annuities has somewhat lessened the anticipated income from $15:000 The reason why I'm not writing directly to C. C. C. is that she has not replied to my last two letters - not that I blame her; she must have hundreds of letters to write. But in this case delay will prevent action, for we must [?wind?] up the fund before the holidays, so I don't want her to put a letter of mine aside for a later reply. She herself suggested Mrs. Baur for Chairman and she would have vastly more influence with the persnickety person than I should. Mrs. Baur's address is 15-11 N. Astor St., Chicago. We found that she was expected back from Europe late in October. I enclose a list of Illinois [?industries?] up to last week, which might be sent to Mrs. B. if C. C. C. consents to write to her. I also enclose 2 circular letters. The New England Committee has about 300 of these left and will send a supply if Mrs. B. wishes. The last card, the only [?] I can find [?] is intended to lessen the bother of a reply. Just cross "yes" or "no" if C. C. C. will or won't, or "I'd rather not ask if that's the case with you. [?] by the way is one corner of my CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK April 10, 1936. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, The Eastland, Portland, Maine I had a visit from Mary Gray Peck one day and she told me about receiving a letter from you in which you had said you could come to New York only to see your sister off and that you could come here the Sunday preceding or the Sunday after. The complete story is as follows. One day I had a call from Mrs. Sporborg and she asked when I began to do suffrage work. I began to think and finally gave her some dates. After discussing the dates, she said: "Why, that is just fifty years ago!" I replied: "So it is." Then she proceeded to tell it to other people and to suggest that as it was an anniversary, something ought to be done about it. I do not know how this business traveled, but, by and by, I had a call from the County President of Westchester County which is a good deal more important than some states: - the proof being its County debt is greater than that of thirty- one states! This lady invited me to be a guest at a luncheon at the County Convention of the League on May 20th and I was to be a sort of guest of honor because I was so aged. I accepted and then I learned that all the ex-presidents of the National League were to be invited and that the County League thought it was quite important enough for these ladies to attend this function. I was quite a little embarrassed when I learned about this. As a matter of fact, they changed the date from the original plan to make sure of Miss Sherwin who has promised to come. Now it seems there is a fair prospect of Miss Wells coming. She will come if her father is well enough to permit her to absent herself from Minneapolis. Of course, they are terribly anxious to have you come. As you are expecting to remain long enough to do some work, it seems to me to be a pretty good time for you to come. I will tell you what my plans are. I have been working so hard this spring that I have not been well for a couple of weeks and have been doing very little. I am not yet entirely recovered, so I have not made as much preparation for my coming speeches as would otherwise have been the case. I am going to speak at the Connecticut College for Women on April 20th and at the New Jersey College for Women on April 22nd. These are both Mrs. Maud Wood Park, continued. Page 2 quite important enterprises and, therefore, if you could come after that time, I would like it. I am going to Iowa and expect to arrive there on May 10th. I suppose I shall leave here on May 8th and that I shall get back May 13th, 14th, or 15th. The Iowa women started their movement in 1866. They have had a Committee gathering money and have had a sculptor make a plan for what I believe is a tablet in the form of what is called a bas-relief. It is already placed in the Capitol, just outside the office of the Secretary of State. As suffragists all live long, I have known all the presidents of the Iowa Association except the first one who was a man. I am the one who has been chosen to pull the string and thus to unveil this wonderful production. Of course, I do not take any pleasure in the adventure of going, but I could not help but remember those old suffragists and think how glad they would be to have me come and do this thing and how sorry they would be to know that I had declined to do so. When I return, rather tired out, I shall make my preparations for the next venture. I am to speak in Washington to the International Conference of Farm Women on June 4th. This is at a banquet. I will keep to my side of the world, because Secretary Wallace is to be the other speaker and I do not believe in anything he has done. I am then to put in time until the 9th of June when I am to turn up at Sweet Briar College for Women and give them a commencement address. Then in short order, I am to return home, take another rest, and start forth again to arrive in Ripon, Wisconsin, where I was born, in time to receive an honorary degree on June 15th. The only reason why I have accepted this invitation has been because I have thought how pleased my father and mother would be if they knew about it. Now, if you could fit yourself in among these enterprises of a retired old lady, you are welcome to come at any time to stay as long as you wish and I will do whatever I can to make you comfortable and also to provide you with material that you want to look over. If you will let me know which volume of The Woman Citizen and The Woman's Journal you wish to consult, I will see that they are brought here, so you can do it here at the house. I hope, despite the fact that I forgot what Miss Peck said about the dates, that I have now made it clear enough, so that you will tell me when you will come and just what you want me to do to make your stay comfortable and profitable. If you can make a transfer from your sister to the Westchester luncheon, I should be very glad and it will be a convenient time for me. If, however, you cannot do that, Mrs. Maud Wood Park, continued Page 3 let me say that the second week-end, that is, the one after your sister sails, will be more convenient that the first one. I remember thinking this when Miss Peck told me the dates and then I proceeded to forget them afterwards. The second week- end you proposed was after the 22nd [I think] and that was the reason I thought it better for me. I have written you a long letter over a very simple thing and I hope you can now figure out what you can do and let me know. Lovingly, Carrie C Catt CCC:HW. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT ON BORAH Excerpt from letter to Maud Wood Park, July 6, 1936 (in Radcliffe Woman's Rights Collection, Cambridge, Mass.) ....."Of course, you and I have been mutually interested in the figuring of Borah in the political circles of the country up to date. It is astonishing how much his fellow senators seem to estimate his value. I remember, when we called upon him once, his secretary said he was a great student, - always reading, studying and learning, and it is possible that when he makes a speech, he delivers such a better one than his fellow senators, they hold him in high regard." National American Woman Suffrage Association Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, President NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, 1624 GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL BUILDING 70 East 45th Street New York, N Y. TELEPHONE VANDERBILT 3-4141 1st VICE-PRESIDENT Mrs. Stanley McCormick, Mass. 2nd VICE-PRESIDENT Mrs. Herbert Knox Smith 3rd VICE-PRESIDENT Mrs. Guilford Dudley, Tennessee 4th VICE-PRESIDENT Mrs. Raymond Brown, New York 5th VICE-PRESIDENT Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Portland, Maine TREASURER and CORRESPONDING SEC'Y. Mrs. Frank J. Shuler, New York RECORDING SECRETARY Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson, New York DIRECTORS Mrs. Charles H. Brooks, Kansas Mrs. J. C. Cantrill, Kentucky Mrs. Richard E. Edwards, Indiana Mrs. George Gellhorn, Missouri Mrs. F. Louis Slade, Wisconsin Mrs. Harriet Taylor Upton, Ohio Miss Ester G. Ogden, New York Mrs. George A. Piersol, Pennsylvania 120 Paine Avenue New Rochelle New York December 24, 1936 Mrs. Maud Wood Park Eastland Hotel, Portland, Maine. Dear Mrs. Park: I write as president of the National American Woman Suffrage Association. That organization has now a duty to perform and that is, to raise money in order to aid the women of the Philippines to secure their enfranchisement. The story is this. The United States granted independence to the Philippines to take effect in the future. A constitution has been adopted, regular elections have been held, and a president elected. All this has been accepted by our country. Before the men had the vote in the Philippines, the president was an ardent advocate of woman suffrage, but as soon as the men got the vote, his ardor cooled. When the constitution was being made, he, like other men, united to exclude woman suffrage from the new liberties. Very likely, the women were not as active in requesting the aid of the men as they should have been. The Legislature has now authorized a plebiscite on woman suffrage and it has been signed by the president. They have had a photograph taken of the president signing the bill, just as we used to do. The president has now changed his mind and is, again, in favor of woman suffrage. The conditions fo the plebiscite are hardly fair, but we are accustomed to such conditions. Three hundred thousand votes on this plebiscite must be secured and I believe all of the votes must be of women. There are many islands and women live on all of them. I wrote, promptly, to thank the president for having signed the bill and I also wrote to Mrs. Sofia E. de Veyra, whose husband was a delegate from the Philippines in Washington when we were doing the major portion of our work on the woman suffrage amendment there. She is a cultivated, intelligent and beautiful woman. -2- I have today received an acknowledgment from the president and from Mrs. de Veyra. She is very pleased that I have asked her what help the women of the United States could give. I asked if they were in need of money and what they would do if they had it. "The fact that the American women send their help will give us the much needed reaction from our wealthy women to contribute something to help the cause. Money is badly needed to reach the barrics where women, perhaps, have never heard of woman suffrage. Women leaders need to go to these women to inform them, to enlighten them. Distances are so great, traveling is so expensive, that the need for money just for this particular item is very obvious. Unless we can reach these women, we shall not be able to reach the goal of 300,000 that is required by law. So, please, Mrs. Catt, if there is any possible way that you can help us financially, our gratitude to you will be eternal. I had your letter published in the papers in order that it could be more widely read by the women of the Philippines and to have them know that you are deeply and sincerely interested in our cause." I have also heard from the president of the National Federation of Women's Clubs which will conduct the campaign. As you know, the Philippines consist of many Islands and some are far removed from Manila. Doubtless, the less intelligent about the affairs of the world live far away. I have in mind a leaflet which would be an address from the women voters of the United States to the women of the Philippines, and to furnish the money with which to have it printed in the languages of the Philippines for wide distribution. There should also be money enough with which to send their own workers to these far away Islands and to address the women. When Mr. Taft was Commissioner General in the Philippines, he astonished the world by saying, in a public report, that the women of the Philippines were superior to the men of those Islands and this was also my opinion after having visited them. I have no doubt that there are able Filipino women who are competent to do this work. I wish we had a woman among us who felt able to pay her own expenses to the Philippines and to hold a school of instruction there to teach the women how best to do the necessary preliminary work. I set $2000 as the least possible sum that should cover the minimum of these necessary things and $3000 as a sum much more desirable. As the vote comes in April and it takes two months to exchange letters by steamer, you will see that the time is brief. It is my intention to forward any money that is received soon and to forward, again, about the first of February, money received to that date. Anything that is received thereafter will be sent by airmail. -3- I write to ask whether - (1) it would be possible for you to make a contribution, (2) or give a pledge to be paid in the not too far future, (3) or if you can and will present this matter to some woman or women you know who might give money, (4) or send me names of persons whom you think might be interested. Will you not try to be a Committee of One to raise some of this money? It is very difficult for me to do it by myself. I do not think we can appeal successfully to those who have not been suffragists. We must appeal to those who have the spirit of the old fight in their blood. I shall report to you concerning the returns from this appeal. Sincerely yours, Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:HW CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK September 20 1 9 3 7 Mrs. Maud Wood Park Surf Road Cape Cottage Elizabeth, Maine My dear Maud: I have received your letter with such pleasure. I am glad you are not seventy because you will have more years to see what goes on in the world. I imagine that the things that will happen in the next twenty-five years will be more or less startling. I am getting along very well with my questionnaire and I am finding the replies very interesting; however, there are a great many women between seventy an eighty and not so many between ninety and one hundred, which I regret. The oldest on my list is 101. It will be some time yet before I get as many answers as I can expect. Rosa Manus just arrived and she is leaving on September 28th. I have had a dream of taking a vacation of two weeks after her departure, leaving here about the 14th of October. I plan to spend this vacation in a sanitarium. As I only have one spare room, I suggest that you send the manuscript to Macmillan and mention to him that you are coming down to New York about the first of October and that you would like to talk with him about the manuscript. He cannot refuse to see you and Mr. Latham is a very nice man and very liberal. I hope you will not have too many downcast moments over it and that you will send the manuscript, make the appointment and come down and stay with me. I am glad you have gone through the thing and put it into shape. It is important and I hope they will take it but I have to tell you that Mrs. Raymond Brown who has written a sort of narrative of the suffrage campaign, beginning her story in 1910 has not yet been able to get a publisher. I think it is really a brilliant book, but I suppose the publishers think it is not historical enough since the events are comparatively recent. I guess they think no one would be interested in anything so modern. I am very anxious to have you try your manuscript on Mr. Latham. I am longing to see you and I hope you will not disappoint me. Lovingly, Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:HW Dear Mrs. Park: It was very good of you to write so promptly about the Archives Committee. I had no idea that there was any reason to hesitate for Mrs. Catt's name and Judge Allen's were on the letter head as sponsors. Also Mrs. Charles Beard was a worker in the N.A.W.S.A. not in the Woman's Party, was she not? Mrs. Holcombe and I conferred on people to invite and as a result Mrs. De Normandie, Mrs. Ripley, Mrs. W. B. Garrison, Jr. Mrs. Stantial and I met on Saturday morning to talk over plans. At your insistence Mrs. Stantial came and was invaluable in bringing the rest of us up to date. I am sorry we were not "put wise" to the proposed plans of our own leaders for it would have been easier not to get involved at all in the other group. However, nothing was decided except to gather what we can of the old documents and propaganda materials and decide what to do with them later on. Most, maybe all, of us were in favor of sending our best to the Alice Stone Blackwell Alcove in the new Boston University library. It looks to me like a job of unendingness as it is mapped out by Mrs. Beard. When you have a chance to talk this over with Mrs. Catt, I should appreciate it very much if you would write me again about it. Our committee will meet again sometime and we shall want to be definite then. I hope that the presentation of your play will be most successful. Between you and me, I was not much pleased with the reading given at the Boston party. I have no racial prejudice but I have a keen sense of appropriateness and the accents of the young woman did not seem to me to fit Lucy Stone. The subject and the protrayal can be diminished in beauty by choosing the wrong persons for the cast. I am very glad you have made this record. Cordially yours, [Grace A. Johnson?] February 20, 1938. COPY. Letter from Carrie Chapman Catt to Maud Wood Park. First mention of plans for the Woman's Centennial Congressheld in New York in November 1940. Original of this letter in the Woman's Rights Collection at Radcliffe College. May 16, 1939 Dear Maud: Some time you will return to the Eastland Hotel and when you do, you will find this letter. The Board wished to send you a very nice message which they did not have time to word according to their desires. They ordered that the best possible wishes for you and the play "Lucy Stone" should be sent with the hope that the play would be a remarkable success and that oyou would have fame and good fortune resulting from it. I want to add to this note of goodwill that I was personally very sorry you were not here as I did not have anybody to back up my proposal for a celebration in 1940. Mrs. Herbert Knox Smith informed us that the League of Women Voters would have a celebration in 1940, apparently for the same purpose, and that the convention was to be held in New York. I offered to write Miss Wells, and have already done so, to ask whether these two things are true and what kind of a celebration the League is planning to have. I further asked whether the League would object to the inclusion in the general committee of several organizations of women. Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Gellhorn came together and were late in arriving. They they left at 2 o'clock. That was very naughty and they are going to be punished for it. The only conclusion made concerning the proposal of a celebration was that Mrs. Slade and Mrs. Gellhorn should be a Committee with power to add to their members to ascertain whether it would be a good thing to have a celebration, whether the best way would be to include other organizations in the plan, and how to proceed about it. I am to notify them of the answers I get from the League. When all that has been carried out, I shall write you again. On Friday, the day of our Board meeting, Mary Peck was in attendance upon the Board and took some of the members to the train. She was very tired at night and did not feel well on Saturday. On Sunday, I was playing around with some octogenarians on the Mothers' day broadcasting program in New York and did not get home until 6 o'clock. The telephone was ringing when we entered the door. Alda was asked to come down to Mary's home as she was ill. Alda went at once and in a short time, Mary was hustled down to the New Rochelle hospital and, under the auspices of two surgeons and a doctor, she had an operation for appendicitis. She is not yet permitted to have visitors, but is doing very well. I suppose she will haveto stay in the hospital a couple of weeks and what she will do then, I do not know. May 16, 1939 - page 2. Mrs. Catt to Maud Wood Park, re 1940 celebration Mrs. Cantrill came from Kentucky to attend the meeting and she was terribly sorry not to see you. Mrs. Piersol came from St. Petersburg, Florida, and told us the richest and best suffrage story I ever heard in all my life. It is so good, I will not put it down here, but will try to remember it when I see you. I hope that you will find time to write me some day and tell me how the play went. Blessings on you, dear Maud. Lovingly, (signed) CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT Mrs. Maud Wood Park The Eastland Portland, Maine CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK July31, 1939. Dear Maud: I have been long in answering your letter because Henrietta was away on her vacation and as I cannot read my own handwriting, I thought you would have trouble with it. Now, about the committee: I hereby appoint you Chairman of the Book Committee - the name of the committee to be thought up later and we will give you time to accept or not. I think I must ask the confirmation of this appointment by the National Suffrage Board. I therefore enclose herewith a copy of the letter I am sending to the members of that Board and I also enclose a copy of the letter I am sending to the LeslieCommission. I think these two letters state all that there is to be explained. Henrietta has just returned this morning and I am due at the dentist's office at 10 o'clock to have what remains of my chewing apparatus removed; consequently, this is a very brief letter. More later. Lovingly yours, (signed) Carrie Chapman Catt Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Surf Road, Cape Cottage, Maine. CCC:HW CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK August 10, 1939. Dear Maud: Enough replies have come from the Board to confirm your appointment as Chairman of the Book Committee and, also, you are given authority to name others to work with you. The size of the committee is not limited and the whole authority is turned over to you. What has not yet been voted is the money to make it possible for you to come down and work here. Have you any idea as to what that cost might be? I should like to take it up with the Board and get a vote on it. At any rate, I am sure they will do something. I have had no vote on that matter at all. Most of the members are away and their mail does not reach them promptly. Another reason may be that they are doubtful about the amount required and may not to vote upon it until that is more clearly known. What I want to know now is when you would be most apt to come down. Henrietta Weld is due to have some more vacation and I would like to have her here when you come. Of course, there is no hurry about that. I have been doing a little work on the matter of having a congress or convention in celebration of our century of work. I had a talk with Dr. Hickman who was here over night and she was very helpful in her suggestions. She thought 1940 was not a good year in which to hold a convention, because it is the presidential year and women and men are thinking of that and working for it. As we have not yet made any preparation and would need a good deal of time, we agreed that the convention might easily be held in the spring of 1941, but the century we would celebrate would be 1840 to 1940. Together, we gathered some ideas and I mean to talk with some other people before putting them in writing and sending them around. Of course, they may come to nothing. The book could be issued in connection with such a convention, if it is held, or it may be attempted in 1940, if it were ready and a publisher would take the responsibility for it. Lovingly yours, (signed) Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:HW Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Surf Road, Cape Cottage, Maine. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK August 15, 1939. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Surf Road, Cape Cottage, Maine. Dear Maud: When I wrote you the other day, I had not had a complete vote by the National Board, but now all the members have responded and they are all in favor of having you set as Chairman of a Book Committee. I have not yet had replies to the vote put to the Leslie. I am sure they will give a favorable vote, but it happens that they are on vacations just now. If you could give me any idea as to what, in your mind, would be the cost of your coming to New York and remaining, say a month, I should like to know. I think I could then get a vote more easily. I would like you to spend every weekend with me, coming Saturday night, thus enabling you to go to a matinee Saturday afternoon. We could send you back early Monday morning or even Sunday night if that was necessary. There will be nothing obligatory about your spending your weekends here, but I would enjoy having you. Lovingly, (signed) Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:HW CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE New York August 18, 1939. Dear Maud: Mrs. Slade has become very much interested in the book and everybody votes for you as Chairman. Details can be settled later. You will please indicate at which hotel you would like to stay and when you will come. We will be ready for you at any time you state. I make these suggestions merely for your consideration. The Women's University Club have their headquarters now in the Biltmore Hotel. That is under the same roof as our headquarters. You can walk through the Grand Central Station from one end to the other or you can step out on the street and it is only a step or two. This hotel advertises that the University women can get rooms at reduced rates, but I do not know the rates. The food is good enough and not higher than at other hotels. The University Club is quiet and it is a good place in which to receive friends. I go there occasionally for meals when I have to take some one to lunch and I do it because it is so convenient to the headquarters and I lose no time. Mrs. Halsey Wilson, a member of our National American Board, seems to be "chief cook and bottle washer" at the Women's University Club. In the summer she is very much occupied with her place in the country, but I will write her and ask how to proceed getting a place at the Biltmore Hotel at a reduced rate. This will not obligate you to go there, but when you know what it will cost, you can make a comparison with the others and determine where you will stay. My next suggestion is that you appoint your Committee as soon as it cools a little and ask each member to do something for the book quite definitely. That is, if you take anything of mine to put into the book, I will take the responsibility of seeing that it is ready for you and if you should take something from WOMAN SUFFRAGE AND POLITICS, I will sacrifice two copies of the book and thus provide the copy for the printer in the form of pages clipped from the book, so there will be no need of typing. That may be done with other things and save both expense and time. Others might take charge of some one thing which, of course, would be subject to your editing. Your secretary might prepare some of these printed things herself, but now you should see whether you can get the material to be transferred into copy for the book. If we get a secretary for you, we want to know before we engage her whether we are giving her a daily job or if she is only to -2- work now and then. It is more difficult to get that kind of a person than to get one to work all the time. Perhaps you would like to have Saturdays off. We think we can find a secretary for you. Miss Wald usually comes here two days during the week when she takes dictation which covers, with other matters to which she must attend, the rest of the week. I would try to limit my work with her as much as possible if you are in need of her attention. Concerning the Committee: let me say that I have another bigger idea. It is so big that I do not know if anything will come of it, but I do not mean that the celebration should be reduced to a single book, if I can avoid it. My idea is this: to have a three or four days national conference in celebration of the one hundred years of the woman movement. The first day I would like to have undertaken by the National American Woman Suffrage Association and it should be given the full authority for making the program for that day. I think it would be desirable to have a good paper written by a thoroughly reliable person on each one of the main topics of progress in that one hundred years. That will give us an opportunity to tell the story of the suffrage by itself and would show completely who did the main work for its victory. I hope that, interspersed with these subjects, there may be something dramatic to attract attention. I had Mrs. Slade in mind as Chairman of that Committee. Mrs. Ogden Mills Reid, Mrs. Norman de R Whitehouse, Mrs. Alice Deur Miller, Mrs. Laidlaw, Mrs. Vanderlip, and Mrs. Caspar Whitney, whom you have mentioned on your Committee, all served on the Publicity Committee during the campaign and would be especially good to do something dramatic. I do not think any one of them would be especially valuable as to the contents of the book. On the other hand, Miss Peck, Mrs. Slade, Mrs. Russell, Esther Ogden, Mrs. Raymond Brown, Josephine Schain, and Rose Young would be excellent on the Book Committee. One of the members of the National American recommended Olive Colton who has written several pamphlets very well upon related subjects and has been gathering up material for something concerning women on the march of progress. I would recommend her too, but she does not live here; yet, she might come to a meeting here. I rather think she would. I think we should get some people for the Committee who live farther away. While they might not meet with the Committee here, I think some of them might have good ideas. The women that you have named, therefore, I would divide into two groups, although some of these women can serve upon both committees. My idea goes father. On the next days of the conference, I would have women's organizations that have been interested in education, in religion, in working women, etc., take charge of the subjects and give the present status, the -3- frailties, and designate what is necessary to perfect the status of women in that particular field. I would have some person from those organization head a committee to constitute the program and to preside over that particular meeting. The heads of these various committees would, together, form a National Committee on the program and I would like to build that National Committee up to one hundred at least - one woman for each of the years we celebrate. That National Committee could be sub-divided into program, organization, publicity, finances, records, etc. It might be composed of ten committees of ten members each which would be nice if it worked out that way. The Book Committee should come in on that bigger committee, if possible. Of course, all of this is confused, but I am working at it. I would suggest that you add Mrs. Halsey Wilson to the Book Committee. Her husband is a publisher, as you know, and she might be helpful. I think Mabel Russell would be much better on organization than on the book. Mary Peck should certainly be on the book an so should Mrs. Brown and Miss Young. Esther Ogden would be excellent there, but I do not know her present state of health or what she can do. It might be that she would like to take something in printed form and dress it up or down, making it ready for publication. I do not know whether this scheme of mine can possibly be worked out. If it cannot, I think it would be well for you to have a large Book Committee and put on it all those of whom you can think. You might invite to membership a small committee, such as you have indicated with the tail cut off as I have indicated, and you would have that much with which to begin and add to it when we know whether the broader plan will work. I hope it is not so hot in Maine as it is here. Very lovingly, (signed) Carrie Chapman Catt Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Surf Road, Cape Cottage, Maine. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK August 30, 1939. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Surf Road, Cape Cottage, Maine. Dear Maud: Yesterday I went into town and paid a visit to the Women's University Club. I found the superintendent absent on vacation and no officer was there. A young woman was in charge and, of course, she had no authority to make any agreement other than in strict accord with the rules that had been laid down. It seems that while they have the opportunity to engage rooms and to get a commission on them, the regular price of rooms at the Biltmore is $6 per day and such arrangements may be made as will enable a university woman to pay $4. I said that that was too much and we would drop that consideration; however, I am taking up the matter with one of the officers and in the event the young lady has been too strict in her report, I will let you know. Within the University territory they have two or three bedrooms. Two of these open into a very narrow hall not used for any other purpose than to enter those two rooms. At the end of the hall is a nice bathroom which accommodates those two rooms. There is, however, running water in each room. The bathroom would only be used for bath and toilet purposes. The chances might be good that the second room would not be occupied. Both rooms have two beds in them. Apparently, they have no place in which to store those beds, so they have to stay there, or so the girl said. One is quite a large room. Both rooms have small desks in them, a closet, and one seemed to have a little store closet for baggage which was useful. That one, however, for non- members, was $4, but the smaller one could be had for members for $3. I am going to ask Mrs. Wilson if she can secure the larger of those rooms for a month at the rate of $3 a day, but this is with the condition that you would have to be satisfied with the bathroom as I have described. One would not need to step into the sight of any one else in going to the bathroom as the hall is quite private. The advantage of being there would mean quite a saving of taxis and it is convenient to the headquarters. There is time enough to wait until the superintendent has returned and this is preliminary information only. Early in the season, the hotels of New York had one grand caucus and they agreed that none of them should give a monthly rate during the Fair season. In one case, where people were living on a monthly rate and were permanent guests, they took that right away and made them pay by the day. November is after the Fair season, but no announcement has yet been made that they will change that arrangement. For the present, therefore, I think it -2- is safe for you to forget about it and let us see quite definitely what we can do there. What I would like you to do is determine just when you will come for that makes a difference about stenographic help and other things as well. Would you like to have a Book Committee meeting before you begin? In that event, I suggest that we have it on the Friday before you begin. The intervening Saturday and Sunday you could spend with me and Mary could be here some of the time to go over things with you. We would then take you to your place of residence in New York, so that you could begin on Monday morning. You might leave any surplus baggage in the headquarters until you are located, although there may be some charge in that case. So far as the week-ends at New Rochelle are concerned, I am only extending the invitation which will remain open. I wish you would give me the list of members of the Book Committee that you want. Now that we have discussed it, I will extend the invitation to them and if you will give me the date, I will call them to a meeting before you begin, or, if you like, afterwards. I think it would be more convenient for me to do it before you begin. I gave you the name of Miss Olive Colton, but I do not know that that would be advisable, because I do not think she could come for that first meeting. I am calling a meeting of a general committee for the convention and I am trying to have it sometime in September. It is quite important that we first know whether we are going to have a convention or not. This first meeting will be composed of the members of the National American Woman Suffrage Association who live in New York, the Leslie Continuing Committee, and few of the old suffrage workers here who would have to put their shoulders to the wheel. If we do not have a convention, you could have all of them on your Book Committee, but if we do have the convention, they will not have time to do much on the Book Committee. It is my understanding that as the matter stands, you would want Mrs. Slade, Mrs. Russell, Miss Rose Young, Mrs. Laidlaw, and Miss Peck. In addition you propose Miss Blackwell and me as advisory members and Mrs. Stantial of Boston. I am sure you can see her there and get from her all the help possible. I do not believe you could get that from Miss Colton. Of all these members, I should think Miss Esther Ogden would be the most important and she should be asked if she would be a member of it. I have cut out Mrs. Raymond Brown, Miss Schain, Mrs. Reid, Mrs. Whitehouse, Mrs. Alice Duer Miller, Mrs. Vanderlip, and Mrs. Whitney. All of these might be invited in case we do not have the convention. -3- Will it satisfy you if I invite the list of five I have mentioned, who live in this vicinity, to serve on the Committee and be present at the meetings. We will add Esther Ogden anyhow and I should think it will be useful to have Rose Young and Mrs. Halsey W. Wilson on it also. Probably, Esther Ogden could not be in attendance upon the first meeting and perhaps Miss Young and Mrs. Wilson would not like to serve on two committees. I think those present at the first committee meeting would, perhaps, be able to make suggestions of other members. Let me know what you think about these matters. Lovingly, Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:HW CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK September 12, 1939. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Surf Road, Cape Cottage, Maine. Dear Maud: That was a very neat and tidy letter you sent me and I am going to try to do as well. ROOM: Yesterday I saw Mrs. Whipple, superintendent of the Women's University Club, and I had a talk with her. I looked the rooms over and made an offer for a room with a bath and a large closet for $90 for the month of November; that is, four weeks. The breakfast can and will be served in the room, but, of course, the meals are extra. Mrs. Whipple will have to present this offer to the Board of Officers because it is less than the usual charge. I am sure it would be worthwhile for you to make application elsewhere when we hear the result of this offer. We can have committee meetings there, although we may have to pay for a room. I have had my first luncheon there and was very well satisfied with it. Although I do not consider the food is at all stylish or particularly good, it is not bad food and any one could live there comfortably for a short time. Think no more about the room until you hear from me again. DATE OF ARRIVAL: Your dates are satisfactory. We will expect you in New Rochelle by bus at 5:17 Daylight Savings Time, November 3rd, and will expect to meet you. You will stay with us over Sunday, but you can go down to New York the afternoon of Sunday, as you say you would like to do. FIRST COMMITTEE MEETING: I have concluded that before we can do anything much, it is advisable to find out what the sentiment is concerning the proposed convention; therefore, I shall invite, as you will observe from the letters which will go out soon, a list of people to come to a luncheon in early October, when we will discuss the question of the convention. If they think it is too much of a task to undertake, we will reduce the proposition to a one day convention to be held almost exclusively by the National American. After this meeting, we shall have some idea of what may develop and be prepared to go forward with more intelligence. BOOK COMMITTEE: I am changing your plan, somewhat, by the introduction of this second idea and may combine them more or less. I shall ask all the women to serve upon both committees and if they can serve on only one, to choose which one. I shall try to get them all interested and to get you a good, executive committee. -2- Mrs. Raymond Brown went to Europe this summer and has written me that she was sailing for home on September 15th with the expectation of arriving on September 22nd. Of course, she is going to have trouble to carry out her schedule and nobody knows what is likely to happen to her. I had hoped that she would take the chairmanship of the Main Committee for the convention and that Mrs. F. Louis Slade would take the chairmanship of the Special Committee for the work to be done by the National American. This would probably take both of them off your Committee, but perhaps not. I shall ask them if they can attend a Book Committee meeting on November 6th, provided it is called. That would be governed by the results of the first meeting. I hope it is not too complicated a plan and that you will be able to fit into it. I am not expecting you for the first meeting as it is highly tentative. This letter is a report of progress and you need not make reply unless there is something you do not like. I will write a special letter to Mrs. Morrisson and I agree with you, that she should be on the Book Committee. I do not think Miss Sherwin could serve on the Book Committee, but the request will go to her just the same. Let me repeat that you do not need to reply to this letter unless there is something you especially need to say, but I will promise letters as often as there are new developments. Lovingly, (signed) Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:HW CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK September 12, 1939 Dear Maud: You are hereby invited to "knock off" on Thanksgiving Day, which please understand is Thursday, November twenty-first, and take Thanksgiving dinner with us. We have a Thanksgiving Day dinner every year, but rarely have we had the opportunity of inviting our guests to meet you. I hope you will be good enough to say "yes". Lovingly, (signed) Carrie Chapman Catt CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK October 4, 1939. Dear Maud: Things have happened since last I saw you. It will not be possible to go to the Women's University Club under the conditions I put to them. They do not like to rent any room for longer than two weeks and after that time, at a daily rate, but I believe I can get a room for you at the Women's University Club, at the Hotel Biltmore, with a private bath and, of course, you would have the privilege of having breakfast in your room. That, naturally, is not included in the cost of the room. The room will be $4 a day, and for reasons which I will explain later, I doubt if you can do better. I will agree to be personally responsible for the payment of the cost of the room and if it is at the rate of $4 a day, it does not matter how long you remain. They put this question before their Board. They did not dare to make an exception, although they were full of apologies for not doing so. Your fare will be paid and you can present your bill when you arrive. We will talk about other things when you come. Now I have an utterly new proposition to make to you. I have been talking about the celebration to many people, but only to those who came to see me. I finally concluded to invite some important women to a luncheon as soon as possible and to put the question before them. I have included the members of the National American Board who live in this vicinity. I found it difficult to get some of the women I most wanted, because they were out of town; however, eight members of the Board, unless something happens to prevent, will be present. These members are Mrs. Brown, Mrs. McCormick, Mrs. Wilson, Mrs. Shuler, Miss Ogden, Mrs. Slade, Mrs. Piersol and myself. If I could persuade another member to be present it would make a quorum. While it is not my intention to put any vital motions to that quorum in the hope of swinging the Board when the rest of the members do not know the question is up, I nevertheless hope to get a consensus of opinion. As you believe we ought to have some sort of celebration, it is important that you be with us, so if it is humanly possible and all things are possible, do come for the meeting on October 13th. You could come to New Rochelle on Thursday, remain over night, and go with us to the luncheon, returning here and remaining over Sunday at my home as you had previously expected to do in November. -2- As you know, the invitation sent to the women told them about the book, etc. The following persons have accepted, to date, the invitation to serve on the Book Committee: Miss Josephine Schain Miss Mary Gray Peck Mrs. Mabel Russell Mrs. Harriet Burton Laidlaw Mrs. Nettie Shuler I also expect Mrs. Raymond Brown to become a member and I have not yet received replies from all those who received the invitation. It is vital that you should be present at the luncheon when we talk about the book and you could call a meeting of that Committee for any time you wish. It was my intention to give them a luncheon to start them off, but as these people will, mostly, be present at the meeting on October 13th, I think you could call a meeting right then and there at the end of the first meeting and make a plan to get together. Miss Colton is coming to that meeting. Perhaps she would not like you to stay very long in this vicinity or to come again too soon after she departs, so you might be prepared to put the business as briefly as possible before the women who will be present. It is short notice to change a plan which you, yourself, made in the first place. Probably you were thinking about the nice weather on the Maine coast during the month of October, but as it has worked out, it is an opportunity which I am very sorry will be less efficacious if you are not present. I need your support. Can you not change your mind quickly and come as I have above indicated? The first important thing to do is to notify the Women's University Club that you are coming earlier and see whether we can get you placed there. Blessings on you! Lovingly, Carrie Chapman Catt Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Surf Road, Cape Cottage, Maine. Surf Road, Cape Cottage, Maine. October 8, 1939. Dear Mrs[s] Catt, Friday afternoon, as I was on my way to Portland, I got your letter of October 4th. I had barely time before my car came to scrawl a hurried reply on a postcard and get it into the last mail that day. I'm afraid the writing was practically illegible, but I trust that at least it told you that I can't be at your meeting on October 13th, much as I should like to do what you ask. As I usually make plans a long way in advance, this month is filled with engagements that I can't break without inconvenience to a good many other persons. for example, my dressmaker has been saving next week for me and I have promised to speak at one meeting and preside over another, later in the month. I'm ever so sorry, but so it is. Now for a few other points - Expenses for Room and Journey: I see no reason why you should pay for my room, and if Leslie funds are not available, I'll pinch somewhere and meet the expense myself. In that case, though, I shall have to take a cheaper room and perhaps curtail my stay a little. As for travelling expenses, I expected to pay them anyway. When I wrote you that I should be willing to let the committee be responsible for my room, I did so on the ground that room rent represents the [amont of] difference between what it costs me to live in Portland and in New York. Book Committee Members: I'm sorry that Mrs. Morrisson was not on the list of acceptances thus far; also Miss Ogden, Miss Sherwin and Rose Young. Date of First Meeting: If possible, will you find out on October 13th whether Monday, Nov. 6th, Tuesday, the 7th or Wednesday, the 8th, will be most convenient for the first meeting? Also where that meeting can be held if the University Club is not available? Advance Information and Reading Assignments: I should like to have one member take responsibility for getting in advance as much informa[t]tion [and [?]] about the cost of printing in relation to length of book. That problem is one that we must tackle before we divide available space among the topics to be included. Then I wish every member would read in advance and pick out out the most interesting material in one of the following; 1- Vol.1 of the History of Women Suffrage (a) Account of Seneca Falls Convention, (b) Method of working together of Miss Anthony and Mrs. Stanton, as described by the latter, (c) Appendix material, particularly excerpts from debates in N.Y. Legislature 2- Mrs. Harper's Life of Susan B. Anthony, particularly account of S.B.A's experiment in voting. 3- Mrs. Blatch's Life and Letters of Elizabeth Cady Stanton 4- Life of Anna Howard Shaw, 5- Life of Lucretia Mott 6- Woman Suffrage and Politics (a) How the Movement Began, (b) How Wyoming Was Won (c) Campaigns in South Dakota and Washington (d) New York State Campaign (e) Ratification of the Federal Amendment 7- Woman Citizen Accounts of Congressional Work between Dec. 1916 and June 1919. Miss Peck, I take for granted as the authority on [what can be used from] parts of your biography which might be used. And Mrs. Stantial and I are familiar with the biography of Lucy Stone. I'm sorry that I can't give page references for the reading, but all my own material is in my file cases at the Eastland and I can't [go in to] look it over in time to get this to you before [the] your meeting on the 13th. Of course these are merely suggestions. But if members of the committee do some reading in advance, we'll be better prepared to get down to work when we meet. Maud Ward Paul CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK October 16, 1939. Dear Maud: We had thirty-two women at our luncheon. One or two were not very enthusiastic about having a convention to celebrate the end of our century and I was shocked to learn that some of our very good and best known helpers in the suffrage campaign had no comprehension of its ancient history. That made me more convinced than ever that we should have such a convention. Before we separated, every one present, except one or two who had left before we put that question, agreed to go on the General Committee of Arrangements and it was left that when and if we could raise a certain undetermined amount of money, but approaching $7000.00, and could find the necessary leader for the headquarters work, we would then call our people together and determine whether or not we would have a convention. As there was no one at the luncheon from the Boston region, I wish you would let me know who would be the best person there to undertake to raise pledges of money for the purpose of carrying out the idea of having a convention. Money would not be given until after January. I am going to try to dictate a little statement which might be used by the people who are going to try to get pledges. I have engaged a room for you at the Women's University Club, Hotel Biltmore, to date from November 6th. If desired, you could go into town from here on the afternoon or evening of November 5th, provided the Club is informed of it. The room has a bath and you can order your meals at the Club if you want. The room will be paid for. I am a little bewildered as to who has accepted the membership on the Book Committee and if some will stand on both committees, but, before you come, I intend to call a meeting. Originally, you thought you would like to have it on Monday, November 6th, which would be your first day in the office. If you come prepared to farm out the readings, etc., I think you should have the meeting early and perhaps that would be the best day. If you will let me know if you still think that is a good idea, I will call the meeting and I will try to assign some of the readings you gave me in your letter. So far as Mrs. Shuler's and my book is concerned, I will take responsibility for that, but you do not want so much of that book. I have not looked it over lately, so my memory of it may not be quite clear, but I think the chapter on ratification might be given and some paragraphs about the beginning which, when cut out of the book, would form a complete statement about the Federal Amendment. I am expecting you on Friday, November 3rd, and that you will stay over Saturday and Sunday, beginning your work in town on Monday. I will remind you that you are to be here for Thanksgiving Day dinner on Thursday, November 23rd. -2- I am going to Washington tomorrow morning and will be gone four days. I will see the collection of feminist books we sent the Library of Congress and have a talk with the new librarian. I will then leave some last relics with the Smithsonian for our display there. I will also have a meeting with the Board of the National League of Women Voters. When I return I shall hope to find a letter from you, telling me whether or not you will have meeting called for Monday, November 6th. I distinctly want to say that I will not work hard on that book or anything concerning it. I also tried to make that clear about the convention to the women at the luncheon. I am a "broken-down old cart horse" and I cannot do much, if anything. I am going to keep the chairmanship of the idea of having a convention, but, under no circumstances, am I to be the chairman of a committee or carry on with it. Hastily but lovingly yours, Carrie Chapman Catt Mrs. Maud Wood Park Surf Road, Cape Cottage, Maine. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK October 27, 1939. Dear Maud: When you said you would like to have the Committee called for Tuesday, November 7th, you forgot that that is Election Day. We could never get our people together on that day. I questioned Miss Schain and found that Wednesday, the day after Election, is also a busy one for several of our outstanding members. We therefore agreed to all the meeting for Thursday, November 9th. The meeting will be held at the Women's University Club, Hotel Biltmore, where you are to live. We have engaged a room there for you to begin on Monday, November 6th, or on Sunday, November 5th, if you wish to go in so early. We have called the general meeting for the morning and the Book Committee for the afternoon. You are expected to be in attendance all day. We are not providing luncheon for the women, but we shall tell them that they can have lunch there or elsewhere. It is my understanding that you are going to arrive some time on Friday, November 3rd, at about 5 o'clock. That afternoon I am due to attend a County meeting here, so I shall probably ask Mary Peck to call for you and bring you to the house. You will stay over Saturday and Sunday with us and on Monday you will be in the office. If you prefer to go to town Sunday night, that will be all right, but we shall be glad to have you remain until Monday morning. I think the best plan would be for me to liberate Miss Wald on Monday, so that she can do some things for you and acquaint you with the office. On Election Day, no one will be there and you can work in your own room or at the office on the business of distributing work to your Committee. I do not know who will come, but I do not think you need so many. My idea is to set a price first and then find out how many words will be the right number for that price. Anticipating the pleasure of seeing you soon, I am, Very affectionately yours, Carrie Chapman Catt Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Surf Road, Cape Cottage, Maine. NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION 120 Paine Avenue New Rochelle New York November 1, 1939. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Hotel Pioneer, Stewart Street, Boston, Mass. Dear Maud: I note that you will not be able to arrive before 6:56. We are rather glad of that instead of regretful, because we have a meeting that day and I am making a speech. We have to go to Mamaroneck, but with so late an arrival, we can easily meet you and we will have our dinner at 7 o'clock without trouble to any one. We are looking forward with great anticipation to seeing you. Lovingly, Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:HW CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK Telephone Number - New Rochelle 4460 November 13, 1939. Dear Mrs. Park: I have a letter of introduction from Mrs. Ashby for an Indian woman who was a delegate from India to the Congress of the International Alliance of Women in Copenhagen. Her name is Shrimati KamalaDevi. I have invited her to lunch with me at the Women's University Club, Hotel Biltmore, on Friday of this weekk November 17th, at 1 o'clock. I am now inviting you, Miss Schain, Miss Roelofs, Miss McCulloch, Mrs. Parsons, Miss Peck, and Miss Wilson to join us. This luncheon will not be of particular importance, I should say, but I would be glad to have you come. Lovingly, (signed) Carrie Chapman Catt Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Hotel Biltmore, New York, N. Y. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT 120 PAINE AVENUE NEW ROCHELLE NEW YORK November 17, 1939 Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Women's University Club, Hotel Biltmore, New York, N.Y. Dear Mrs. Park: The two chapters on Wyoming and the early conventions - London, Seneca Falls and Rochester - are now ready for you and we think they are all right. The chapter on Wyoming numbers, roughly, 3,000 words and the other chapter members 4,500 words. There are places where perhaps you could reduce the number, but some of the chapters may be shorter and it may therefore be possible to leave these all in. I have given no titles to these chapters because you may have better ones than I to suggest. Yesterday Miss Peck was in for a few minutes and I talked with her about the chapter on "Friends and Foes." I have meanwhile looked up material on it and I have concluded it would be one big job for me to do that chapter and I was going to tell you that I could not do it, but Mary thought it would not be necessary and I question whether it it. I think you may let it go until the others are in and the question of length and continuity without that chapter can be considered. You know you have an invitation to spend your Sundays here if you like. On the coming Sunday Miss Roelofs, who has now consented to be the program chairman, and Miss Schain, together with Miss McCulloch, are coming out for dinner in order to discuss with me, I suppose, some things about the program and management. If this is the Sunday you want to take a rest, I should think you would get more of it in New York than you would get here, but you would be a great help to us, I think. Miss Roelofs and Miss McCulloch come from Connecticut and drive, but Miss Schain will be on the Mrs. Maud Wood Park Page Two train leaving New York at 11:25 a.m. and the car will meet her, so if you feel at all inclined to come up there is always a warm welcome. Sincerely yours, Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:T NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION November 29, 1939. Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Room 235, Hotel Biltmore, New York, N. Y. Dear Maud: I enclose a copy of the letter which I am sending Rose Young today. You should have it in your files. I am asking her to reply to you. I have written Mrs. Whipple to say you are staying a little longer than originally planned and that I will stand for your room rent as long as you stay. My invitation to you to spend Sundays here continues to strand. All you have to do is let me know each Sunday whether you are coming. At any rate, I suggest that you spend the last Sunday, before you go home, with me and bring out your baggage. You could take the bus from here. You ought to be able to say how many chapters in the book have to be copied and, therefore, some kind of an estimate could be made as to what the cost should be. I think Miss Brainerd's estimate of $180 is rather high since she is not trying to make a real commercial bargain. You know, it was thought that she was to do the typing and that was going to take the place of a typist, but now it seems that a typist will be needed in addition to what she does. I am not entirely satisfied with the business concerning the publication and nobody seems to think about the cost of distribution. I do not think that book can be handled in any other way than by the process we carried other books through and there seem to be no one in these days except we, of the old regime, who are willing to do such things without pay. I therefore look forward to the further progress of the book with some financial anxiety. Lovingly, Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:HW. NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION 120 Paine Avenue New Rochelle New York December 16, 1939 Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Eastland Hotel, Portland, Maine. Dear Maud: I have received your letter. I have been at the office and I have received the books which you borrowed with the exception of those which Miss Brainerd has. I saw Mrs. Wilson and she said she would lunch with Miss Brainerd. I sent a check to her through Mrs. Wilson and I asked her to settle with me hereafter. I have written to Mrs. Huse and asked her to do a chapter #8. I have sent her a list of references and asked her to return them if she cannot write the chapter. I will let you know what she says. When I get her chapter, or anybody else's, I do not know whether I should send it to you, as I think I should, or what disposition you wish me to make of it. Please let me know. Mrs. Pattangall, Gardenside, Augusta, Maine, has accepted the Financial Committee Chairmanship for Maine. The amount assigned is only $50 so I think she can do it. I think you got a great deal done while you were here. We will go to Simon and Schuster, whenever we can make a convenient date, and talk with them about the publication of a series of books. That might not be possible if we have the convention at an early date, as originally planned, but now everybody is realizing that, owing to the lateness of our start, we cannot possibly get ready for April. We also see that if the date is postponed, it will probably have to be put in the autumn in which case there is a lot of extra expense involved. We are having difficulty about money, so that is the question which will affect the publication. I have much more to do each day than I can manage, but I am getting on. You will hear from me from time to time. Very lovingly yours, (signed) Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:HW December 16, 1939. Dear Mrs. Park: Mrs. Catt had agreed to give her office to the exclusive use of the Women's Centennial Congress Committee for a month and the Executive Secretary is working there. In consequence, I have been staying at Mrs. Catt's home a few days at a time and working at my home the balance of the time. I therefore did not get your message to telephone you until after you had left. Miss Hillyer, the new Executive Secretary, turned over to me the key for the room, the pencils, and one or two envelopes. She said you gave her the postage stamps, but she has been using them and says she will return the money for them when there is some money in the treasury. Perhaps this is what you wanted to tell me. If not, and there is anything I can do for you, please let me know. Sincerely, (signed) Henrietta Wald NATIONAL AMERICAN WOMAN SUFFRAGE ASSOCIATION MRS. CARRIE CHAPMAN CATT, President NATIONAL HEADQUARTERS, 1624 GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL BUILDING 70 EAST 45TH STREET NEW YORK, N. Y. TELEPHONE MURRAY HILL 6-4144 120 Paine Avenue New Rochelle New York December 20, 1939 Mrs. Maud Wood Park, Eastland Hotel, Portland, Maine. Dear Maud: I have the good news to impart to you that Mrs. Robert S. Huse, 321 West 8th Street, Plainfield, New Jersey, will write chapter #8. I invited her to come, when she has finished the chapter, and stay all night with me to read it to me. I shall invite Mary Peck also and perhaps somebody else who knows about those old times. You must decide whether it should go to you. I think it should. I have been counting up costs and I think the book will come to about $400, perhaps more. I believe the National American has $194.81 in its treasury. I have told you this in a letter I am sending to the National American Board which you will receive in due season. I am asking a vote as to whether the money in the treasury of the National American can be applied upon the cost of the book. I will ask the Leslie Continuing Committee for the balance of it, so I think I shall not be responsible for any of the cost of the book. I have asked Miss Schain to try to make an appointment with Simon & Schuster for Thursday of this week. I was determined to put my idea to somebody about having a set of books on "Who Votes in America." I do not know that Miss Schain sympathizes with that idea at all, but I want to hear what a publisher will think about it. I shall not push the idea. My chief helpers have suddenly come to the conclusion that it will be impossible to get ready for a congress in April, as we expected, or even May. They are busy with the arrangements for the Conference on the Cause and Cure of War, which will take place in January and that leaves very little time for preparation for a congress in April or May. Therefore, it may be that the publication of the book need not be hastened so rapidly as we had feared would be necessary. -2- We are going to have a large committee meeting on January 27th and talk things over. Everything is going splendidly except for the money raising. Of course, this is the hardest possible time in which to get money from people, because it is Christmas spending time. Blessings on you. Lovingly, Carrie Chapman Catt CCC:HW. Copy of Mrs. Catt's letter to Mrs. Park, December 22, 1939. Dear Fellow Member: I hope you do not mind receiving so many letters from me, because there may be a good many more coming. You will remember that it was voted at the Committee meeting last spring that we should attempt to issue a book, setting forth the history of the woman suffrage movement and Mrs. Maud Wood Park was elected a chairman of that committee with authority to name her own members. Mrs. Park came to New York and remained five weeks during the months of November and Decembers. All the chapters of the book have been assigned to women qualified to write them. Miss Eveline Brainerd, a competent former suffrage worker, was employed as her assistant and is doing the work of research and getting copy ready for the printer. We expect it to be completed in January. I understood the task of underwriting this project. Its cost cannot yet be accurately estimated, but it will be in the region of $400. I have the sad news to impart that our Corresponding Secretary and Treasurer, Mrs. Frank J. Shuler, died suddenly in her sleep last week. I had written her a letter, asking her opinion as to whether the small amount of money the Natl. American possesses ( I believe it to be $194.81) might not be spent on the book as I was underwriting it and it was costing more than I had anticipated. Her daughter Marjorie tells me that it was the last letter Mrs. Shuler opened. She talked with Marjorie about it and said that the money should go in that direction. Although I have not yet received the money, it is to be given soon. I am hoping that the difference between the amount I pay out and the amount due after this sum is applied to the total cost can be paid by the Leslie Continuing Committee. It has not much money, but I think it may be able to do that, so I am expecting to be reimbursed for the cost of the book. If there should be any profit on the book, which is doubtful, that profit should go to the National American Woman Suffrage Association or to the Leslie Continuing committee which may be called upon to pay a portion of the cost. It would save time if you could vote on that matter at the same time. That leaves the National American without any money at all, but if obligations should arise, as long as I am here I think I can continue to underwrite them as I have heretofore. The Congress has been christened THE WOMEN'S CENTENNIAL CONGRESS. It has been concluded that preparations cannot be completed, probably, at the early date we had set in the beginning, but it will be some time in the year 1940. The preparations for the congress go steadily forward and are astonishingly popular with all who hear about them. What is not going so well is the raising of the money. I insist upon having more in hand than the younger ones think necessary. In early January I shall write you again and will give you a definite report. I am anxious to have all members of the Board serve upon that portion of the program which will tell the story of the past 100 years. There is a plan for it and that I will outline to you later and will ask you to contribute the best you can in making subtractions, additions, and new propositions in order to make that program more unique than any the world has yet known. I hope each one of you will try to attend the Congress. I am sure you will never regret it if you can be there. I will notify you of that date as soon as it is definitely settled. Very sincerely yours, Carrie Chapman Catt President. Transcribed and reviewed by volunteers participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.