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PETH/8/11 · Item · 3 Nov. 1914
Part of Pethick-Lawrence Papers

Women’s Cosmopolitan Club, 133 East 40th Street (New York).—Has been writing articles, giving interviews, and discussing her ‘War and Women Campaign’. Refers to forthcoming engagements. Christabel Pankhurst is lying low.

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Transcript

Women’s Cosmopolitan Club, 133 East 40th Street
Nov. 3

Dearest. Just a line to say that I am very well & very busy. This morning I am writing articles for “Harpers”, & for The Survey. And giving material to reporters & interviewees also. One wants a day 36 hours long.

The weather is lovely—friends are delightful. Interests are many & there are vistas of work that could be done. One thing leads to another. Even yet I have no cut & dried plan. {1} Feakins is out of town for days & only makes flying visits to New York. He has rather broken down over my arrangements, but not I think through his own fault. In the meantime he ties me up from answering my own invitations from Suffrage Societies—& going ahead with my own programme.

But I am so busy here that I dont much care. I am seeing people every day & talking my War & Women Campaign & a new kind of organization is getting itself born. Lots of people—men & women quite outside Suffrage Movement are getting very keen.

But of course new things take time & have to encounter obstacles & difficulties. I speak in Boston. Nov. 8. Washington Nov. 15. Have several unfixed invitations & am going to Hull House to stay with Miss Addams. {1} I expect great things from that. I feel absolutely uncertain as to time of my return. If War & Women Campaign is still-born, I should like to fulfil my engagements which (including invitations not yet accepted) {2} would take me up to about Dec 8th & get home for Christmas—but if that new organization passes successfully through the various stages of its initiation then I should like to stay on into the New Year.

Unless you want me to come home, I should like to settle down to this piece of real constructive work. Of course I wouldn’t dream of staying, if it were merely to enjoy myself & have a good time. At any moment of course, the idea may be turned down as impracticable & then I should get a boat straight away & cable to you that I was on my way home. But the knowledge that you can join me whenever you want to, makes me feel that it is all right to go cautiously ahead, & seize any opportunity that may present itself of getting a few constructive ideas launched upon the world if I can.

I am sending you the Century with Miss Doty’s article. {1} You might pass it round. {1} Dorothy especially would be interested as she knows Miss Doty. I am sending a separate copy to Con Lytton. Susan is writing an article on the Police Courts for V.f.W. C. P. is still here in New York lying very low. “Waiting till Mrs P. L is gone” they say. She doesnt come across my path the very least. In great haste

With lots of love. Ever yours
Patz

Sent off circular letter yesterday about morning in Children’s Court.

[Added at the head:] Going to dinner with Mr & Mrs Wells tomorrow night. (E. Robin’s) {3} friends

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{1} Full stop supplied.

{2} ‘including … accepted’ interlined; brackets supplied.

{3} Closing bracket supplied.

Sic.

PETH/8/12 · Item · 5 Nov. 1914
Part of Pethick-Lawrence Papers

Women’s Cosmopolitan Club, 133 East 40th Street (New York).—Sends a circular letter and gives an account of her dinner with the Wells. Will arrange her future engagements herself, as Feakins has proved unsatisfactory. Refers to the political climate in America, and her own state of mind. Was unable to speak to Wells about Fred's book.

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Transcript

Women’s Cosmopolitan Club, 133 East 40th Street
Nov. 5

My Dearest. I enclose a circular letter giving a description of the way we spent Election night. I think the friends I enumerated before, might like to see it.

I dined last night with Mr & Mrs Wells. Several other people were present & we had a delightful evening. {1} Harrison Rhodes a play-writer was there & invited me to get on my hobby-horse & ride it, so charmingly & pressingly, that I could not refuse. He identified himself completely with my posi-tion. The others were so tremendously anti-German that they could not see anything further beyond crushing the Hohenzollern out of existence—(I mean I think this was really their position though they were very charming to me.) Mr Wells is a most delightful person—he “frankly adores” E. R. (as he said.) Harpers Magazine of which Mr Wells is Editor, is altogether different from Harpers Weekly to whom I gave an article yesterday. {1} H.W. is edited by Norman Hapgood whom I have met twice. Last night the Century wrote to me for an article. I dont know if I shall have time to get it written.

I haven’t seen or heard from Feakins for a week & he has got all my letters & communications. He has turned out most unsatisfactory. I am trying to get my arrangements back into my own hands now.

The weather is like August. {1} I am wearing the very lightest clothing I possess.

New York America is strangely Conservative & reactionary. on† the other hand there are great personalities that stand for progressive ideas.
The American that I have met & heard of so far is practically solid for the Allies—& chafing against the national attitude of newtrality†. The Press is solidly anti German.

I am enjoying myself very much—have more invitations than I can fit in, & every day his its full programme. I have not however very much hope of getting anything really done.

Every now & then a great longing rises in my throat for you & home, Peter, Mascot—the Common & the Midland {2} woods. But I think of the next thing then & bustle off. I haven’t had English letters since Sat. Now its Thursday & I am hoping to get a mail before I leave for Boston tomorrow. Great love

Ever your Patz

I had no chance yesterday of mentioning your book. I think if you want me to do anything definite in the matter, I had better see Mr Wells & speak to him about it, on my return to New York about 1st few days in December.

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{1} Full stop supplied.

{2} Reading uncertain.