P.O. Box 1896, Addis Ababa.—Her father’s letters have been destroyed. Comments on Elsa Fraenkel’s plan to exhibit some of her (Sylvia’s) sculptures.
Confirms arrangements for supper with Richard and his wife, and asks if they are vegetarians.
P.O. Box 1896, Addis Ababa.—His mother’s death came without warning, while her mind was still full of plans. He will publish the issues of the Ethiopia Observer already in hand, and then close it. Invites Pethick-Lawrence to contribute to a memorial issue. His mother will be buried with the victims of the Graziani massacre.
(Carbon copy of a typed transcript, with two handwritten corrections.)
Transcript
COPY OF A LETTER RECEIVED FROM MRS LAWRENCE
Dated Nov. 4, 1914, 1. a.m.
Election Night.
Although it is one o’clock in the morning, I must try before I sleep to get down some of the impressions of the evening. Miss Doty, whose article in the Century interested me so deeply, and her friend “Elizabeth” (Miss Watson) celebrated the first anniversary of their voluntary imprisonment by dining with me and taking us afterwards to the night court. On the way to the Court we mixed with the Election crowd—The streets were thronged. It was a superb night, the moon just past the full. We reached the Court about 9.30 and were taken to the front place where we could see and hear well. A case was being heard concerning two coloured women—a mother and a daughter. Two detectives, a white man and a coloured man[,] gave evidence of how they had entrapped the younger woman to take into her home first one and the other—The story of detective which was one infinitely shocking {1}—and what I have heard since about this business impresses me still further both with the futility of the system and above all with the terrible power placed in the hands of men against women—a power likely to lead to the most grave abuses. Both mother and daughter poured out a dramatic volume of words and gesture as they sat just in front of the judge, addressing their remarks to him as one would address a man in his office or study—no formalities at all. With what seemed to me extraordinary patience, (after my experience of police courts at home) the judge listened without interruption or comment. Finally he discharged the two women. This action was entirely in accordance with the inner verdict which I had pronounced, (for of course every member in the auditorium has his or her own views on every case)[.] Had I been Judge I should not have hesitated between the two sides—the women excited, voluble, indignant, tearful—and the men whom I would not, I felt as I scanned their faces, have trusted a yard. The Judge then retired to his sanctum and invited us to follow. We were introduced and a conversation ensued. We touched on the case. The Judge I found did not altogether believe the story of the women and was inclined to think them guilty. “But”, he said, “you see in this Court I am both Judge and Jury, therefore I have to give the accused the benefit of every doubt.” When he resumed his seat upon the Bench, he asked me to sit beside him. At the opening of the next case he said to the woman who had been just arrested, {2} “You must understand that you have a right to obtain the services of a lawyer, you have a right to telephone for your friends or mail for them free of charge. You can have your case tried now, or you can have it postponed. But you may have to pass the interval in the detention cells.” The woman elected have her case tried at once. It was a very trivial affair of ringing a house-door bell and causing annoyance to a tenant of the house. The woman denied the wish to annoy and promised not to ring the bell again and was discharged.
Being Election night and the police apparently otherwise engaged, no further cases were forthcoming and the Court rose till midnight. Usually there are many cases of soliciting, which as at home is a penal office {3} for a woman but not for a man. I was told by my friends that women who had to pass through the streets alone at night were constantly pestered by men, but there was no remedy; they just had to put up with it. As in England the legal tradition is that men have to be protected from the temptation of the woman who who† alone is responsible for the social evil. After the Session was over we had another interesting talk with Judge Barlow, who I am told is the best and most fairminded of all the judges, at the Night Court (as in the case of Judge Hoyt) {4} I saw the brighter side of the administration. He invited me to come again on some more typical occasion and was most friendly, reminding me very much of Tim Healy. He wore just a blase† graduate’s gown. I was then taken over the place, introduced to the prison or native police-court Matron, and allowed to enter the cells and to talk to the inmates. The whole place compares very favourably with our police court arrangements. I have not yet seen a prison, but from Miss Doty’s record, the prison conditions seem to be worse than our own.
One great feature of the Court is the total elimination from it of the police. The one or two officers are civilians. This reform dates from 1910. Judge Barlow confessed that he was very much averse to the change at the time, but that its results have been wholly good. Detectives attend as witnesses, but have no privileged status, and are treated exactly as other witnesses, by the Judge. In spite of their good points I am, as I said before, horrified at the methods of the detectives in hunting out prostitutes. In some cases they will take a woman into a saloon and give her drinks for a week, and will tempt her in every way to invite them home. They will confess to letting the women get them supper, to playing cards with them and staying from 11 till 3 a.m. After all this is done they will suddenly turn and arrest them and drag them into court. They have these women entirely in their power, and men being men it is inconceivable that they do not take advantage of their power when it suits them. I would not trust such men, placed in such conditions, one inch. On matters relating to morality and the judicial treatment of sex problems, New York seems to me to be worse than London—though some details of administration are better. The point of view is worse. It seems to me that the women of New York, speaking generally, are much too complacent with regard to this status of their sex in very many respects. We came back and mixed with the crowd again—learnt that Governor Glyn (Democrat) was out and Whitman (Republican) was in, and wondered how this would affect the position of our women comrades Commissioner Doty and Investigator Watson, both holding appointments under State patronage. Could not get any news of Suffrage States, so returned as it was half an hour over midnight already. These two women know New York through and through. If only I could find time to let them take and educate me for a week as they want to do! Miss Watson knows everything there is to be known about women[’]s labour conditions and wages in New York. She is the recognised expert investigator par excellence, and employed on all enquiry commissions. The point of view of both these women is identical with my own[,] while their knowledge of facts is perfectly wonderful. They are completely human in their outlook. We are already great friends and have several plans to carry out together, if time can be found. Truly this is a most fascinating world and I’m learning hard.
Greeting to all friends.
(Signed) E.P.L.
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{1} Altered by hand ink from ‘The story of detective [blank] was to me infinitely shocking’. The copyist evidently had difficulty reading the handwriting here.
{2} Comma substituted for full stop.
{3} A slip for ‘offence’.
{4} ‘as … Hoyt’ interlined. Brackets supplied.
† Sic.
Fourways, Gomshall.—Is delighted by her decision to devote herself to social reform, and has communicated on her behalf with representatives of a Club.
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Transcript
Fourways. Gomshall.
Dec. 10. 1942
My very dear Naomi.
Many thanks for your lovely letter. I was particularly glad to get it, as I have been thinking of you much & often, since you brought the light of your dear countenance last Monday {1}. I wanted to send you a line, but did not know where to address you.
Oh yes indeed—you made it quite clear to me—for it needed no words of explanation,—that your heart was full of love for others & that you needed to find the rightest & best way of expressing it in Service. It is a very great delight to me to have you come & talk to me—bringing your gifts of charm & vitality & youth, & giving me the sense of continuity, now that my little day is almost done.
I wrote the next day to Mr Holloway and to Beth Macara. I want you to know the people who could give you the fullest opportunity for knowing all about the Club, so that you can make your decision.
I am so glad that you see what is the heart & essence of any social reform & are not satisfied with mere tinkering & palliating. It takes “a brain” to grasp that idea!
I have the greatest confidence in your ability. You see I know you not from a few conversations only. I knew your parents in their youth—& you as an infant raconteuse! So I have a background!
Also I know something of the difficulties & tests you have had to meet, & your courage & gaiety & unbreakable spirit win sincerest tribute fom me. It is not only brain but character as well as every other qualification—all are needed in this great fight against greed & aggression in High Places.
In fact, dear Naomi, you are just the colleague I should choose to have—if I had any choice in the matter.
My love to you. Yours. {2}
Emmeline Pethick-Lawrence
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The letter has been marked at the head in red biro, ‘From Lady Pethick Lawrence’.
{1} 7th.
{2} The passage from ‘& gaiety’ to the end is marked in the margin with a line in red biro.
Details of adjournments, and all-party notices.
(Mechanical copy of a typed original. An item about a memorial to Viscount Cecil of Chelwood has been marked.)
Ripon Buildings, Madras.—Refers to their recent meeting at Madras, and asks him to help get her daughter into Somerville College or St Anne's College, Oxford.
Ripon Buildings, Madras.—Thanks him for his message (see 1/157), which was read out on the Corporation of Madras’s Inauguration Day.
University College, Oxford.—Hopes that Pethick-Lawrence will be able to join the party going to Russia (see 1/164). The aim is to learn more about the problems of introducing a socialist system, with emphasis on public and industrial finance.
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Transcript
University College, Oxford
16/1/32
Dear Pethick Lawrence,
I was very pleased to get your note, and I very much hope you will be able to go with the party to Russia. I am afraid that, for reasons of health, I shall not be able to go myself; {1} but there will be Leslie, Dalton, probably Cuttall, {2} C. M. Lloyd, Leonard Woolf, Susan Lawrence, H. L. Beales, possibly Somerville Hastings, and one or two others, in addition to Harben. The aim is to make a thorough study, over two months or more, with particular relation to the light thrown on the problems of introducing a Socialist system, and with emphasis on public and industrial finance. Starting late June or early July, and splitting up for investigations. I am in touch with the Soviet Embassy & Moscow now about facilities.
I am away in Oxford for the next week; but C. M. Lloyd or Leslie could tell you all about it, or I could, when I get back. You have, however, most of the information, except that, as soon as we get the group together, and can see our way with Moscow and with enough money to ensure the visit, we want to take on a Russian-speaking secretary and start seriously on preliminary work. But for that we are still trying to raise funds here and get Moscow’s agreement to the visit.
Yours sincerely
G. D. H. Cole
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{1} Cole had recently been found to be suffering from diabetes.
{2} Reading uncertain.
43b Sloane Street, S.W.1.—Thanks him for a copy of his speech in the House of Lords withdrawing his motion (see 1/171). Agrees that nationalised industries require capital investment, but believes there must be some check upon their expenditure.
Sends a copy of Hansard, containing a corrected form of his remarks (on the economic situation) in reply to Coleraine.
107 Albert Bridge Road, S.W.11.—Comments on Pethick-Lawrence’s budget proposals, with reference to his own, and recommends measures to be taken if a capital levy is ruled out for the present.
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Transcript
107 Albert Bridge Road, S.W.11.
15/2/23
Dear Pethick Lawrence,
I have nothing that can be called a criticism to make of your Labour Budget proposals. My own reply to Greenwood was less ambitious, as I made no attempt to estimate, or even guess, the revenue yield next year.
Several of my practical proposals, e.g. to halve all the food taxes, agreed with yours. An alternative, roughly equivalent from the revenue point of view, would be to concentrate on the sugar duty & reduce it by 75%.
The loss of annual revenue consequent on a Capital Levy is not easy to estimate. I have worked it out in some detail, so far as the inadequate available statistics allow, in my little book on this subject which is now in the Press, {1} & I don’t think I am far out of agreement with your estimates.
If Capital Levy is ruled out for the moment, the line to take in the House is, I think, simply the need to shift burdens, i.e. lower food taxes & more generous allowances etc for the smaller income tax payer and, on the other hand, more steeply graduated super tax and death duties.
Yours sincerely
Hugh Dalton.
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{1} Presumably Principles of Public Finance.
Ministry of Economic Warfare.—Responds to Pethick-Lawrence’s comments on his appointment to the Privy Council and his radio broadcast (see 1/196). Has advised Kingsley Wood that Boots ought to be exempted from the purchase tax.
Board of Trade.—Discusses the forthcoming debate on the Clearing Union and American Stabilisation Plans.
5 Carlisle Mansions, Carlisle Place, S.W.1.—Reciprocates his congratulations (on his election to Parliament). Wishes to discuss a parliamentary problem.
185a Ashley Gardens, S.W.1.—Thanks him for his congratulations (on his peerage).
Before going away for the weekend Pethick-Lawrence asked for the enclosed to be sent to Dalton.
Sends an account of his time in Russia. He was with her husband till he (Dalton) left for Magnetogorsk.
61 Warwick Street, S.W.1.—Wishes to discuss money-market questions with him. Encloses a letter of introduction from Hugh Dalton (1/183).