CATT, Carrie Chapman GENERAL CORRESPONDENCE Schwimmer, Rosika 1932-38 June 11, 1932. Madam Rosika Schwimmer. 135 West 79th Street. New York. N.Y. My dear Rosika: I was very glad, indeed, to get your letter the other day and I am very sorry to have been so negligent in my reply. You would be surpirsed to know how my time is frittered away in replying to many nonsensical appeals. I seem to be working all the time and yet nothing I do is very important. I never go out in the evening and seldom in the day- time. I avoid crowds. I am trying to find out how to be an old lady with dignitiy. I am more reconciled than I was and probably would be happier if this was a happier world in which I live. I have often wondered how you and Francesca are getting on. Of course you have had hard luck - everybody has. Yes, I think a great deal of my Hungarian brooch. It is queer how, when one lives long enough, he feels that he has lived through several different and unrelated lives, and that was one and a very happy one. That was a wonderful, beautiful Congress at Budapest and it must have had a great deal to do with the movement afterwards which gave the vote to so many women. I think you can feel that you contributed a very great deal to the coming of woman suffrage. None of us think that the enfranchisement of women has brought any very great change to the world, but it might have been different if we had not had a war. Sometime, I hope the world will discover that the worst thing about a war is getting over it. I have not seen the film in which my picture appears and no one had told me that I was hobnobbing with President Butler. He manages to work two causes at the same time. Miss Schain wrote him to express thanks for a good peace speech he had made. In prompt return, he sent her an envelope full of wet literature. I wonder if some day this summer when you and Francesca feel like having a vacation, you would come out and spend a day with me. I will send you the tickets and tell you how to come. We might gossip much about old times. Lovingly, CCC:HW. April 15, 1933. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 135 West 79th Street, New York, N.Y. My dear Rosika: I should think that a smart girl like you could think of something that decent people could do to strike paralysis right in the center of brother Hitler. I can think of small things, but I cannot think of anything big enough to knock him over. I never expected to live to see the day when any country would be ruled by so confoundedly mean a man as is he. According to Mr. Knickerbocker's letters, the people of Germany do not know what is going on. They have censored everything and everybody. The Alliance had a meeting in Marseilles recently and learned that Frau Schreiber was there, but, of course, they did not tell me anything I wanted to know. It is a bit hard to keep up one's spirits these days. Lovingly yours, C.C. Catt CCC:HW. July 26, 1933. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, Crafts, N.Y. My dear Rosika: I remember very well putting my autograph on the copy of the play you sent. Beyond that, I remember nothing. Whether somebody else failed to send it, I cannot say. At any rate, I send you another copy with my autograph on it. The reason you have not been hearing from me of late is that I have made a new job for myself. I responded to a request that I lead in an effort to get a demonstration of some sort of condemnation concerning the treatment of Jews in Germany. When the request came, It was quite clear that the Hitlerites had taken no steps against any other class. Now they have been staggering along in so many ways, many people have been bewildered. We have no organization behind the demonstration. This is much better, I think. Organizations will not understand or know enough about the situation to feel the responsibility. I shall write you more fully when I get through with it. I am feeling pretty proud of myself just now, because I have actually been to Chicago and back again without falling dead on the way! While there, we had a luncheon with some Jewish people of prominence. Rosa Manus is my guest at present. She is a member of a Committee to place professional Jewish people who have gone to other countries of Europe from Germany. She is quite absorbed in the work. She presented that idea to this luncheon party I have just written about. I told them what I was trying to do with my petition letter and Rosa Manus told them about conditions in Germany. In all, it was rather a useful meeting. I do not think the persecution of the Jews in Germany stands out as clearly as it did as a crime against human rights. All Europe seems to be breaking down and rolling backward. Well you may have a heartache over it. When the summer is over, I shall hope to see you. It was very warm while I was in Chicago and came home in the hope of cooling off. Very sincerely, CCC:HW. March 30, 1 9 3 4 Miss Rosika Schwimmer 30 West 70th Street New York City Dear Rosika: I am very glad, indeed, that you wrote me about Mrs. Meller's record which was not acknowledged. I have been spending all the spare time I have had in hunting up that record. I do not seem to have it and I do not recollect ever having received it. These records went to Miss Morgan and a secretary of hers acknowledged their receipt. Then I got them. I shall write Mrs. Meller when I am completely convinced that the record was lost on the way or that it has been received by somebody in this country. You will be surprised when I tell you that I am just starting for California. I am not going for pleasure, but for business and I shall be back again at the end of April. I shall hope to see you when I return. I trust your visit to Chicago gave you some benefit. Lovingly, June 22, 1934. Madame Rosika Schimmer 30 West 70th Street New York My dear Rosika: I have before me your letter of June seventh. I am so glad to learn of your improved condition and hope that the treatment is really a kind that may in the long run prove a cure for diabetes. I read that something new of that kind has been discovered which will do what insulin has been unable to accomplish. The problem of sickness in the country is quite serious, I judge. Nothing could be more useful than making contributions to hospitals but one does not find money enough in one's pocket these days to do one hundredth part of the things that appeal for assistance, and so, I have not been able to reply satisfactorily to the many, many, many appeals from hospitals for help. They say that people are unable to employ the doctors because they have not money enough and they come to the hospitals for free assistance, which the hospitals are unable to grant because their funds are so low. On the other hand, I think there must be many people, like yourself, who do not get as much care as they should have because their pocket books are thinner than they should be. These are very sad times ! I have very many things I should love to say to you and many things I should like to hear from you. Would you and Franci like to come and spend a week-end with us? It would have to be after the fourth of July because just now my time is pretty well filled and I have not yet recovered from my tumble. I think your idea is an excellent one so far as I understand it and I should like to hear more about it. I did not return from California by way of Chicago. I returned by way of St. Louis. I think Madame Annott is a most charming woman and well up to the mark in her opinions. I am not so sure about the painting. Do not tel her that I have said this but it would amuse you to know that while I weigh 169 pounds, the portrait she has painted of me make me look something less than 100 pounds. That was just a mistake, I suspect. I only gave her the opportunity to do the portrait because she wanted it for her own collection. I had sworn I would never let anybody paint me or take my picture again. I am too old, and too full of trouble, but the woman herself, is as sweet and charming as ever a woman was. Sincerely yours, September 28, 1934. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York, N.Y. My dear Rosika: I had your letter some time ago, announcing that you were sorry you had ever come to the United States. I want to write an immediate answer, but it happened that I was overwhelmed with work at the time and could not. Every day I have been thinking about it, so now your answer comes. I congratulate you upon your birthday, even though you had to celebrate it in the United States. I will tell you that seventy-five years ago I landed in the United States too. I was not asked whether I wished to come or not. I did not know enough to make a decision for some time and when I was old enough to do so, I did know where else I could go, so I remained here, but, upon thinking it over, I am very sorry that I arrived for, taking the world as a whole, I do not like it very much. I do not believe your lot would have been much better off had it fallen in any other land and I doubt if my lot would have been any better had it fallen in some other world. You may tell Francesca that I am going to write to that Ethical School and say all the good things I can. As a matter of fact, she knows I do not know enough about music to do a very good job. They may call upon me for information. They usually do when references are given, but I will anticipate and write. Very Sincerely, CCC:HW. September 28, 1934. Ethical Culture Teachers' College, Central Park West and 63rd Street New York, N.Y. Gentlemen: Miss Francesca Schwimmer tells me that she has named me as a reference in making application to you for a position as an instructor in music. She did not expect that I would write you, but I wish to do so. I have known Miss Francesca Schwimmer since she was a young girl. She is a splendid musician and was greatly distinguished in Hungary for her rare teaching ability. I am not sufficiently instructed in music to state particulars. I can say, however, that very many people in Hungary told me of her work and of its great acceptability to the people in that country. I urge you to see Miss Schwimmer, to talk with her, and to learn what her qualifications really are. I feel quite certain that you will find them of very unusual value. Very truly yours, CCC:HW. January 13, 1937 Mme. Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York City. My dear Rosika: I was unable to answer your letter promptly because I was in such a mess of obligations at the time it arrived. This is my first free moment. I think you have a slight misunderstanding about the things which preceded the appointment of Dr. Woolley. We had agreed that we would like Florence Allen and had thought nothing at all about the politics. I think somebody did mention that someone had proposed some Republican woman, but I do not at all remember who it was, and that did not come either from Mr. Hoover or from the woman. It probably came, if it came at all, from some Republican politicians. Through someone else the communication came to us that the Republicans were saying that, when an opportunity arrived for appointing a woman to a higher place than any woman had yet held, it would not be right to do it to a Democratic woman. We say that point at once and recognized that that was the way all the parties acted, so we shifted over to Dr. Woolley after having learned that she had been a Republican. But this year, when we drove for the appointment of a woman, we were informed that there would be no women because the delegation would be so small and composed mostly of people from the Department of State. But, nevertheless, a woman did get appointed, but because she had done Democratic service. We knew nothing about her, but happily she turned out to be a good woman and was quite useful. It is queer, as you say, how one will chase a memory, but I think this time that memory was not worth chasing. You can depend upon it and set it down, however, that no party gives any kind of favors to anybody except to its own membership. I am going to California to see my brother, who is older than I and has lost his third wife. He needs somebody to look after him. I am going to the Cause and Cure of War Conference in Chicago and must insist that it be my last conference. I shall make a very small speech and that will be my swan song. I shall hope to see you when I return in the spring. Sincerely yours, ccc:t [*Discard*] March 31, 1937. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York, N. Y. Dear Rosika Schwimmer: Your letter concerning the young Ethiopian is at hand. I had received a letter from him and not knowing either his aim or purpose, I passed it on to Miss Schain and asked her to try to find out if he has not made approaches to other organizations and to try to gather a few people to hear what he has to say. If she is able to do this, I shall try to attend the meeting. I am very much interested in Ethiopia and I shall be glad to know why he has come to us. Very sincerely, CCC:HW. November 9, 1937. Dear Rosika: I am in receipt of your letter. It gives me an opportunity once more to say that I hope your treatment will be of great value to you. I always watch with much interest what is said in medical journals about diabetes. I think there has been an improvement in the treatments and I hope it is so in your case. I sincerely hope they may find the way to actually cure your trouble. I also have a chronic ailment in the way of primary anaemia. I have taken, in many forms, the livers of about one million calves and I am heartily sick of it. It checks the ailment, but does not cure and nothing that does has been found. I think I go down a little faster than I would if I did not have this ailment, but I am here and I would not be if it was not for those calves and their dear livers. I am very glad that you have discovered that Sophie Alberti is still alive. She was a major force in that first convention of ours in Copenhagen. I shall be very glad to write her and hope to get her reply. I have now received eighteen questionnaires filled in by women over ninety and they are really more valuable to a study of old age than these young women from seventy to eighty. Rosa Manus came in September and went in September and it is a long time since she went home; however, I think I can send her the letter as you have written it to me and also the copies which you wish to have handed to her. I have not, for years, had any conversation with Rosa about the old affairs. She has had trouble enough of her own and I do not know what she thinks now. I think, whatever she once though, came from Aletta, but I never saw Aletta to talk with her about the matters in hand. I believe that Aletta once wrote me about it, but that was very long ago and I do not recall what she said. Worry and trouble certainly do increase the tendency to disease, but that is only when something happens that we allow to disturb us. I do not know what Rosa thinks or what she will do, but, at least, I shall ask her to write you. Hoping for your complete recovery and if the doctors do not know how to bring that about, then for the -2- best abatement of your trouble possible to the medical profession, I am, Lovingly, Madam Rosika Schwimmer, Room 443, Private Pavillion, Presbyterian Hospital, New York City. December 18, 1937. Dear Rosika: You will remember that some time ago you wrote me a letter about Rosa Manus and told me what she had been saying about you. You asked me to send the letter to her and I did. I have today received her reply and in one of her letters to me, she tells me I may send such portion to you as I may wish. I enclose a copy of one letter and the portion of the other letter which referred to you. I think that the your only proper relation to a thing that happened so far in the past should be forgetfulness. I hope you are feeling better. Very sincerely, Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York, N. Y. EXTRACT CONCERNING ROSIKA SCHWIMMER. December 7th, 1937. ? "I have just written this separate letter to you of which you may send a few lines to Rosika if you wish but I leave this to you. I am positive that if we begin any correspondence,it would make things worse. I have not thought about Rosika for a very long period and,as I say in my letter, I do not wish to begin thinking about it as there are so many difficult things to solve nowadays. I do not like her calling Aletta unsane as up to the last, she was not unsane, but, as I say, it is no use beginning to write about it." January 31, 1938. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York, N. Y. Dear Rosika: As Idid not know what the rules of the Cause and Cure of War Conference are now in reference to literature of other organizations, I was very glad to make investigation for my own information. I am not sure that you got my last message which was given to some one else in your room, so I wish to give it to you now. The rule is as it was made in the beginning. Any organization that is a member of the Cause and Cure of War may have a table for its literature. As the organizations did not have much, and perhaps nothing, concerning the subject for which we made the most outstanding plea, we offered the opportunity of having a table at the conference to some of the large peace societies, such as the Foreign Policy Association, the World Peace Foundation, the National Council for the Prevention of War, etc. There is a very limited space in that hall for tables and these were given out as long as they lasted. After I had your communication, I noticed there was not as much literature about as there had been, sometimes, heretofore. I learned, however, that some organizations such as the Foreign Policy Association, which used to take up much table space, were not represented this year, but that fifteen organizations had made application for space and they had been denied, chiefly because it was expected that the organizations which had always exhibited in the past would do so again. In your case, it was not an organization applying and those who examined the literature you offered, did not agree with it and, consequently, did refuse its circulation. That, they thought they had a right to do. I do not know how it has been of late, but formerly there were no end of requests for places to distribute literature or to distribute it at the door and it was thought necessary to curb these privileges. Whether or not this was the best way to do, I am not prepared to say, but it did seem, in the beginning, as though we would have no freedom to think things out ourselves if the opportunity was given to everybody else to circulate whatever kind of presentation that person might wish to make. January 31, 1938. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York, N. Y. Dear Rosika: As I do not know what the rules of the Cause and Cure of War Conference are now in reference to literature of other organizations. I was very glad to make investigation for my own information. I am not sure that you got my last message which was given to some one else in your room, so I wish to give it to you now. The rule is as it was made in the beginning. Any organization that is a member of the Cause and Cure of War may have a place for its own literature. The Cause and Cure may have a table for its literature. As the organizations did not have much, and perhaps nothing, concerning the subject for which we made the most outstanding plea, we offered the opportunity of having a table at the Conference to some of the large peace societies, such as the Foreign Policy Association, the World Peace Foundation, the National Council for the Prevention of War, etc. There is a very limited space in that hall for tables and these were given out as long as they lasted. After I had your communication, I noticed there was not as much literature about as there had been, sometimes, heretofore. I learned, however, thatsome organizstions such as the Foreign Policy, which used to take up much table space, was not represented this year, or, at least, I did not see it, bu that fifteen organizations had made application for space and they were denied, chiefly because it was expected that the organizations which had always exhibited in the past would do so again. In your case, it was not an organization applying and those who examined the literature you offered, did not agree with it and, consequently, did refuse its circulation. That, they thought they had a right to do. I do not know how it has been of late, but formerly there were no end of requests for places to distribute literature or to distribute it at the door and it was thought necessary to curb these privileges. Whether or not this was the best way to do, I am not prepared to say, but it did seem, in the beginning, as though we would have no freedom to think things out ourselves if the opportunity was given to everybody else to circulate whatever kind of presentation that person might wish to make. June 8, 1938. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York, N. Y. Dear Rosika: I have had you much on my mind these last few days and was intending to write you when I could. I wanted to ask you if you had hear anything concerning Mrs. Von Furth of Vienna, our leader there. I saw in a newspaper, enumerating certain suicides, that Dr. Von Furth and his wife had committed suicide. It knew it was not our Mrs. Von Furth, because her husband had died. It might have been her son, or some relative, or there may have been no connection with her at all. If you know anything about this, will you let me know. I received your letter and, of course, I have been reading all I could get concerning the goings on in Austria. I have thought, too, about the dear helpers in Hungary and I saw that signs were indicating trouble there, but I did not know that they were fleeing from that country too. Now, dear Rosika, I do not know what an "affidavit" means. I have heard the world used in reference to the refugees, but never when I could ask what it meant. Of course, an affidavit is a paper to be signed before a notary, but the main point is - what is contained in the paper to be signed? I must know that before I say "yes" or "no". I think it would be very strange, indeed, to have Mrs. Meller and Dr. Steinberger among us. I admire both of these women very much. The daughter was too young to have made an impression upon me when I probably saw her. I am afraid that the affidavits necessary are to obligate one's self to support those mentioned in case they become public charges. In view of the fact that we have 11,000,000 unemployed people on relief now an application on the part of a refugee would fall back upon the person making the promise who would have to furnish the money for their support. You may be sure that at the present time I not only have much less than I had, but some of my own relatives are dependent upon me and I would not dare put myself under so much obligation for I would not be able to carry it out. I do not know what would happen if a person who had pledged to support a refugeee failed to do so. That refugee might be turned out of the country and that would be pretty sad. Indeed the situation is beyond comprehension. -2- The number of persons, also, who request places on the program after it is all completed is always astonishing. Of course, the program is made out without regard to speakers in the beginning, - the subjects considered necessary being placed upon the program for discussion and then speakers being found who can discuss those questions. I think this is the only way at which a conference can arrive at the conclusions it desires to find. I was interested in your clipping about the old lady who could not get citizenship because she could not fire her gun, so, today, I am starting a campaign all by myself, not against the enforcement of that low, but against the law which is perfectly ridiculous. Very Cordially, CCC:HW -2- I am mentioning these things, but I really do not know what I am talking about. I await your information. Yes, I have not forgotten the beautiful Budapest Congress. We could not have guessed at that time that the world would ever again be in the state it now is and I can not imagine how it is going to be adjusted. I turn from the pity I feel for the Jews, to the Chinese women and children being smashed by the Japanese bombs, back to Spain and read the same story, and then I find that Protestants and Catholics are also fleeing, when they can, from Germany and Austria. What a world! I await your answer. Make it prompt. Very Sincerely, CCC:HW June 17, 1938. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York, N. Y. Dear Rosika: Very many thanks for the news you have given. I do not remember Mrs. Askanazy, but my forgetting capacity is growing stronger every day. It is certainly true that old folks remember what happened long ago and forget what is more recent. The story you told me is horrible. It is hard to believe, but I have heard similar stories and it does seem as though those Germans had gone mad. The story of the young woman and her vegetarian restaurant is very interesting. I think it is very doubtful if your optimism concerning Mrs. Meller and Mrs. Steinberger is well founded. I learn that some popular lecturers, who are certainly much better known in this country than Mrs. Meller could possibly be, are not doing well. We have to remember that when millions of people are dependent upon relief and that when the other half of the people have to supply their care through taxes and contributions, it makes everybody pretty hard up. I am very sorry for her. You did not send me the full information. Before I can say what I can do, I must see the actual affidavit you ask me to sign. I do not want to say I will and then back out. Do not some of the Jewish Committees have the form of these affidavits? Dr. Sternberger might go on with her practise, because there are many Jewish people in New York and perhaps there are many Hungarians, but, of course, before she can practise here, she must take a medical examination and go through all the preparation that a new physician takes. Dr. Jacobi, Anna Manus' husband, got the information that not only must be pass an examination, but he must intern in a hospital for two years, before he could practise and it is very difficult, owing to the fact that there are a great many doctors who want to serve as interns, to get a place in a hospital. By advice of other physicians, Dr. Jacobi went to Texas where conditions are somewhat easier and he is expecting to take his examination there. The difficulty about it is that the kind of examination physicians take when they leave medical school is on general terms and after they have practised in a specialty, they have forgotten the details of the things that are not included in their practise, yet these are the things upon which they must be examined. Of course, the whole plan is to uplift the medical profession to the highest possible standard of intelligence and service, but it hits very hard these doctors who have practised for a long time. -2- Concerning the peace work, - I do not have confidence in your plan to resurrect the movement. Your idea is to kill the League a little deader that it is and put upon its ashes a new organization which has not the authority behind it that the present one has. It will also go dead and, probably, before it is formed. I, too, have been thinking of late of the Budapest Congress, although I had forgotten that we had been having an anniversary. You mentioned Martina Kramers. Well, her affair came out exactly as I predicted and as I told her it would. It is many years since I have seen Annie Furuhjelm and, of course, she is gone now. I occasionally wrote her and heard from her, but I do not know why she should have had any antagonism toward you and I do not recall that that was ever mentioned between us. She had a great deal to embitter and sadden her life. My goodness, when I think that this killing of innocent people has been going on for the last twenty years, it seems as though the human race has gone mad. You remember about Miss Furuhjelm's brothers. There was a little professor - very nice indeed - who had tuberculosis, but he managed to write a book on the perils of overpopulating the world. He was so worried about it that he did not know how to contain himself. It would seem as though the Devil had been looking after keeping the population cut down. Once in awhile, I see somebody who has been in Nurope and seen somebody there and all such persons come back, telling me that,below the surface, people are worried and troubled beyond expression while, over and above, there is a terrible dread of war. I return the Canadian pamphlet which you may wish to use again and I also return the clipping. Enclosed, also, is a letter from Vienna which I can only partly read. You sent me some names at one time of women who might be included in my list of old folks and I wrote letters to some of them and one has brought this response. Will you read it and merely give me a brief synopsis of it? I will then acknowledge the letter. Very sincerely, CCC:HW. July 22, 1938. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York, N. Y. Dear Rosika: The Women's Committee on Disarmament in Geneva sends out an occasional paper, giving some information, usually of no great importance, but in the last one received, there was a copy of a statement by Dr. Hilda Clark. I have heard her name, but do not know who she is. I think she either lives in Geneva or is there a good deal of the time. Very likely, she is English and represents some one of the organizations. While her statement does not contain much, if anything, that is new, it is a good statement. I thought you might like to have it, so I have had a copy of it made. Have the succeeded in doing anything about the Hungarian friends and have you heard anything at all from Mrs. von Furth of Vienna? If you have nothing to tell me on these points, do not trouble to acknowledge this letter. A statement recently appeared in the press, announcing that Italy was considering what it should do about the Jews. It was said that there had been no emigration into Italy, of importance, for four hundred years, but that the only people who had not amalgamated with the Italians were the Jews and that there had been a considerable influx of them since the persecutions begin in Austria and Germany. No proposal, apparently, had yet been made of any action. It was a mere announcement that Italy was studying the question. Great things might come from the Committee formed at Evian, but I doubt it. I hope this long spell of damp weather is not your undoing. Very cordially, CCC:HW. June 30, 1938. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York, N. Y. Dear Rosika: I have written to Mrs. Prodder and have told her that I know of no assurance of help here. I am very sure that no one wishes any more biographies of foreign women. All the publishers went crazy about biographies. I suppose one of the publishers started it and the others wanted to catch up. The result is that we have on hand some of the worst biographies that were ever written and these are not about women either. Now, concerning Mrs. Meller and Dr. Steinberger: I did not learn anything in the newspapers which would indicate that the same treatment is to be meted out to the Jews in Hungary that has come to them in Austria and Germany. It is quite possible that our friends would like to fly from Hungary while there is time and they may see signs of trouble coming about which the press has not yet informed the world. I have made legal inquiries concerning these affidavits. An affidavit must stand by itself and, having been presented and signed by a person who pledges herself or himself that "I will receive and care for __________ upon his arrival in this country and I will not permit him to become a public charge upon any community or municipality", it can only mean that the public authority has a right to come to the person who has signed such an affidavit and to demand that he carry out the things he has promised to do. If the person makes excuses and says he cannot do it, a lien can be put, through the courts, upon any property that person may possess. When a woman is approaching eighty, as I am, she may pass on at any time, but if she is no longer here, an affidavit, signed by her, will still hold against her estate. When one promises to take care of a person who may be a charge upon the State, nothing is said about time. I think it would hold for a lifetime. Whoever made these forms of affidavit, purposely passed that point without giving it attention. A signer of an affidavit could be easily held for all that person possesses and all that could be earned for the rest of his life. Somebody, sometime, somewhere will get caught in just this way because of the deficiency in the form of affidavit. I therefore cannot sign the affidavit because I do not dare to do so. I have already assumed, prior to your appeal concerning our Hungarian friends, responsibility for relatives, for schoolmates of my early life, and for suffragists. All of them are old and quite unable to earn anything for themselves. None of them would have been in this predicament had we not had this depression and hard times. Having assumed that responsibility, I do not dare to assume any more. Whenever -2- a suffragist anywhere, in any land, has needed assistance, I seem to have been the one appealed to for a contribution. It must be that beautiful story of my exceeding wealth,which you remember was printed in the Hungarian paper, traveled and the idea has got abroad that I am rich. I never was rich, but I have always tried to help when I could. I want to do what I can. I am fond of those women and there is no one in the world I would rather help than Mrs. Meller and Dr. Steinberger. If it be true that there are Hungarians who would take care of them in case of need, they are the ones who should sign the affidavit. This might be true and yet they might not have the money with which to purchase their tickets here, or, arriving here, they might not have the money for early expenses which would keep them until they could find something to do. I would be willing to make a contribution to one or the other of these needs, if they arise. I can not now say how much that would be for I do not know what the need might be and I certainly have no money to spare unless it is necessary. If you will let me know when something gets settled somehow as to what next, I will see what I can do. I know you must be much troubled with correspondence from old friends. Sincerely yours, CCC:HW. July 29, 1938. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street New York, N. Y. Dear Rosika: I return herewith the letter of Mrs. Meller. Although I did not get much out of it, I noted the particulars of the Congress that has been here there. I wanted to say to you that I had learned something more about affidavits. I do not think that is the way to work, although I am not at all sure that there is any other way. A man from Chicago, by mere chance, fell to talking about affidavits and I could see from the story he told and many others of similar nature that there will be trouble, in plenty, arising from them. In the affidavit which you sent me, there is nothing said about time and the person who has signed such an affidavit would be obliged to support,if necessary, the person for whom he is sponsor for an entire lifetime. It would also be true that if he had an estate, a lien could be put upon it for enough money (if there was enough in the estate) to give the person sponsored a modest living for a lifetime. Of course, as soon as these things come out, it will spread over the country and scare everybody. The story the man told me was this. He did not know I was particularly interested. A high-class, much respected Jew in Chicago owned some kind of a store and, like most Jewish stores, he had a large number of Christian employees. I suppose they think they will win the Jewish trade anyway and they therefore employ Christians in the hope of winning the Christian trade. Now, he signed an affidavit for twenty refugee Jews and they came to Chicago and there they had to be taken care of. He did the only thing he could. He turned off his Christian employees and put the refugees in. That was very good for them, but it turned into the army of the unemployed that many more persons and all Chicago is talking about it now. Nobody is thinking that the way to settle it is to keep the Jews out. It is a big problem without an easy settlement. One more incident: perhaps you read in the papers that a man,who thought it was only a complimentary thing to do, became sponsor for the widow of a friend of his and, in answer to questions, he readily said that he would marry her if it was necessary to take care of her, but before the lady came over, he had another wife. The lady, who could not have been one of high principles, came and went into his house and waited for him to come to marry her as she expected him to do. He gave her his house and an annuity and let us hope he had enough to cover these -2- obligations, but what do you think about the poor widow who expected a husband and did not get one. The newspapers may have dressed up this story a bit. I am watching with much interest what is being said in Italy. It is clear that the Anti-Semitic movement is going on there. Very sincerely, CCC:HW. September 14, 1938. Mme. Rosika Schwimmer, 30 West 70th Street, New York, N. Y. Dear Rosika: Dr. Emily Hickman, one of my favorites, a very brilliant professor at the New Jersey College for Women, went the rounds of Europe this summer and one of the places she visited was Budapest where she attended the International Congress of Business and Professional Women. Upon one occasion she went with a group of women to some function and she sent me five cards of women who confessed to knowing me. They were Mrs. Meller, Dr. Steinberger, Gergely Janka, Hirn Renee, and Agoston Peterne. I thought you would be interested in what they said. When they were out of hearing, they talked very freely and all the Jewish women were very anxious about the future. All over there is the Hungarian motto and the last line is "The return of our possessions". That is the outstanding thought among all the people and I think there is not change since my visit there in 1923. They now think the only chance of ever getting those possessions back is through connections with the Germans and that is the reason why they have turned against the Jews and probably they will follow the Hitler influence. In Vienna, Dr. Hickman found people willing to say quite boldly that they were disappointed in the result of the Anchluss. Shops were closed there and streets vacated. In answer to my question, she said she thought Budapest the most beautiful city she has ever seen and she described what is apparently new. There is less dining at the street cafes and much more at what they call the "night clubs" and I think she said these were on an island in the river. At any rate, they are very beautiful and there seem to be several of them. There is a swimming pool attached to each one and they are very well attended at night. There seemed to be no sign of any particular discomfort there. I remember, in 1923, that the Hungaria was terribly run down at the heels, but the modern hotels are as stylish and gay as the Hungaria used to be. She thought that many people were not very satisfied with Horthy. I added that he was an awful Tory. She said: "Of course, but so are many of the people." Of course, she was a stranger to these women and the conversation was probably not very intimate. Our good friends seem to be in good health. -2- A woman doctor whose name I do not know is here as a refugee and seems to Anna Jacobi a very nice person. I asked Mrs. Jacobi to inquire of her if she knew the fate of Mrs. Von Furth, but I have had no reply, so I suppose the woman did not know her. Each new generation has its own circle and its own ideas. Dr. Hickman came home with a shipload of two hundred Jewish refugees from Austria. The visitors to European countries learn something, but not much. If you learn anything about our Hungarian friends and their plans, I shall always be glad to know them. Very Sincerely, CCC:EW October 12, 1938. Madam Rosika Schwimmer, Room 440 Private Pavilion Presbyterian Hospital, Chicago, Illinois. Dear Rosika: I have just received your postal and I am very glad that things are not worse than they are with Frau von Furth. I am sorry that you have had to go to the hospital and that you are not well and strong. I am sorry that all of us, who would like to make the world over and make it a little more decent, are not well, strong, and young. Blessings on you, anyway. Lovingly, CCC:HW Transcribed and reviewed by volunteers participating in the By The People project at crowd.loc.gov.