Transcription: Geneva, October 4th, 1941. P1/10 (17) Personal Dear Arthur, [Sweetser] I have this morning received two letters of yours dated September 20th and as always I was glad to get them. 2 - I am leaving aside for the moment the document presented by you to some "conservative inside group", although I intend to read it and may comment as you ask. On this point I understand perfectly the need for adjustment in your method of approach according to the particular body concerned, especially if it is not a public declaration which commits the Secretariat. 3 - What I wanted to say a word about immediately was your letter on publicity. This, has come in a very timely manner. Incidentally I was glad to get again the summary of your own activities which have been widecast and particularly valuable. As to the general question of publicity I agree with a lot you say but could discuss one or two other points. It is amazing how soon one forgets or puts into the background a situation which was most critical and dangerous and look back on it in the light of easier times. You have many advantages over there which make your opinion always of interest to me, but when I think of the twelve months from April 1940 (about the toughest in my experience) I cannot help thinking how much has been saved in comparison with anticipations and how much has been spent (I don't mean money) in bringing through the kernel of the organization that remained. The S.C. you say talked about publicity. If so it seems extraordinary considering the difficulty I have to get enough money to carry on, in the most conservative economic way, vital technical activities. The more efforts have been made for economies (and they have been tremendous) the more they demand. Two entirely different standards have been applied to the ILO and the Secretariat; they are comparatively comfortable and well off, the Secretariat is chivvied; and the more reductions made the more are demanded; then a moment will come when I shall be calmly asked to provide staff and studies which may be impossible. I think a tremendous amount of difficulty has arisen from the separation between the S.C. and myself. 4 - You are quite right when you say that two things are needed for publicity: one is work or results and the other is an adequate press service. The second is absolutely useless without the former and it would be entirely out of keeping with the resources left at my disposal to dream of anything more than the most scrappy press service when I am fighting for the life of more vital things. Naturally everything that can be done is all to the good. You know how much

Transcription: Left page   Tuesday, September 2nd 1941 Luncheon with Feldmans and also the Latvian Minister at Vichy, as well as Jeen Martin of the Journal de Genève. Feldmans, like most Baltic people, had for months been awaiting with anticipation the German attack on Russia, which was to give them freedom again. The enthusiasm with which they greeted the beginning of this war at the end of June has disappeared. When the German troops entered Latvia, the occupation of which was facilitated by the opposition of the people to the Russian regime, they did a thing which he said had scarcely been done for hundred years: they threw flowers under the feet of the advancing troops. Disillusion however followed rather quickly. One of the principal streets in Riga had been named "Rue de la Liberté" after the independence of the country was established; it had been unchanged under the Russian occupation. The Germans however have changed it to "Rue Adolf Hitler". Another street named after a famous Latvian patriot has similarly been called after Goering and so on with about fifty of the principal streets. The Latvians take this as an indication of the future fate of their country. Feldmans looks for some consolation in it; if the Germans had been intelligent, he says, they might have had their people ready to join in the war in Russia. That was no longer the case. A letter from Roger Mak 5th September, 1941. Personal Dear Sean, I have been dilator meeting of the Superviso well as to thank you for arrived from you. I think the Montre  Right page   Apart from the vast gap created by your absence, the meeting was properly constituted and fully representative. It was thought here that it would be useful for me to go, not least because we fancied we had discerned some rather transatlantic tendencies developing in some of the League agencies overseas, and we were anxious to keep the structure together and make sure that your position and authority was fully upheld. What the meeting in fact did was to ensure as far as possible the existence of the League on its present reduced basis for a period of at least three years. I hope the budget will be agreeable to you. It  is becoming rather a tight squeeze, and I hope you will take any chance you see of an economy, though I know you are getting near the bone. You will observe that there is only a very slight reduction in the nominal budget of the International Labour Office. There is, however, a very strong case formaintaining this budget at its existing level, as any reductions in fact entail a cash loss due to the reduction in contributions payable by non-member states. Phelan showed every willingness to make in practice reductions in his budget. There is also the consideration that the United States Government made it clear that they were not in favour of further reductions in the budget of the International Labour Office. As I was sent for by the Embassy in Washington I took the opportunity of discussing the position of the League with the State Department. I found their attitude extremely sympathetic, and they endorsed the decision to maintain intact as long as possible the  structure of the League during the war. While I do not think that they want any more League activities on American soil, I do not suppose that they would refuse, in case of need, to accept more officials from Geneva. They also spoke approvingly of Alec's work at Princeton. I was not able to go there, but had an There is one point which has arisen since my return. It is the desire of Hambro to set up a Committee on the lines of the Bruce Committee to consider post-war reconstruction. For various reasons we do not think that this is an opportune suggestion. In any case it must be very doubtful whether Hambro, even if he has the concurrence of yourself and the Supervisory Commission, has authority to make such an appointment. I hope therefore that you will gently discourage the proposal when it is referred to you.

Transcription: Left page   Tuesday, September 2nd 1941 Luncheon with Feldmans and also the Latvian Minister at Vichy, as well as Jeen Martin of the Journal de Genève. Feldmans, like most Baltic people, had for months been awaiting with anticipation the German attack on Russia, which was to give them freedom again. The enthusiasm with which they greeted the beginning of this war at the end of June has disappeared. When the German troops entered Latvia, the occupation of which was facilitated by the opposition of the people to the Russian regime, they did a thing which he said had scarcely been done for hundred years: they threw flowers under the feet of the advancing troops. Disillusion however followed rather quickly. One of the principal streets in Riga had been named "Rue de la Liberté" after the independence of the country was established; it had been unchanged under the Russian occupation. The Germans however have changed it to "Rue Adolf Hitler". Another street named after a famous Latvian patriot has similarly been called after Goering and so on with about fifty of the principal streets. The Latvians take this as an indication of the future fate of their country. Feldmans looks for some consolation in it; if the Germans had been intelligent, he says, they might have had their people ready to join in the war in Russia. That was no longer the case. A letter from Roger Makins. 5th September, 1941. Personal Dear Sean, I have been dilatory in writing to you about the meeting of the Supervisory Commission in Montreal, as well as to thank you for the letter which recently arrived from you. I think the Montreal meeting was a success.  Right page   Apart from the vast gap created by your absence, the meeting was properly constituted and fully representative. It was thought here that it would be useful for me to go, not least because we fancied we had discerned some rather transatlantic tendencies developing in some of the League agencies overseas, and we were anxious to keep the structure together and make sure that your position and authority was fully upheld. What the meeting in fact did was to ensure as far as possible the existence of the League on its present reduced basis for a period of at least three years. I hope the budget will be agreeable to you. It  is becoming rather a tight squeeze, and I hope you will take any chance you see of an economy, though I know you are getting near the bone. You will observe that there is only a very slight reduction in the nominal budget of the International Labour Office. There is, however, a very strong case formaintaining this budget at its existing level, as any reductions in fact entail a cash loss due to the reduction in contributions payable by non-member states. Phelan showed every willingness to make in practice reductions in his budget. There is also the consideration that the United States Government made it clear that they were not in favour of further reductions in the budget of the International Labour Office. As I was sent for by the Embassy in Washington I took the opportunity of discussing the position of the League with the State Department. I found their attitude extremely sympathetic, and they endorsed the decision to maintain intact as long as possible the  structure of the League during the war. While I do not think that they want any more League activities on American soil, I do not suppose that they would refuse, in case of need, to accept more officials from Geneva. They also spoke approvingly of Alec's work at Princeton. I was not able to go there, but had an You have certainly found a tough and rather thankless job, and it must seem a bit discouraging at times. But as we see it here, you are performing an essential task, and we want to give you all the support we can. Incidentally I think we have now finally squashed the Bermuda censors, I can assure you that your case was far from being their worst gaffe! Please give my regards to Mrs. Lester. Yours ever,

Transcription: Heidelberg, war ich in 2 Tagen daheim.Bei der ersten unklaren Kunde von der Revolution in Kiel,hielt man die Gefahr für eine Weieterverbreitung noch sehr entfernt.Plötzlich erfuhr ich am Vorabend einer nach Konstanz geplanten Reise, dass auch in Lahr die Truppen mit roten Fahnen meuterten und die 113er sich ge- weigert hatten einzuschreiten.Am Freitag ging ich noch in Uniform durch die Stadt und wurde noch teilweise gegrüsst, am Dienstag wurde in einer Versammlung auf dem Karlsplatz ein Soldatenrat eingerich- tet.An Weihnachten bekam ich noch das E. K. T. (eingegeben nach dem 2. September, vom Kaiser verliehen noch im November)Jm April kam mein Gepäck aus dem Feld an. Meine Entlassung hatte ich im November durch den Erstatztruppenteil (Rastatt) bewirkt.

Description: Hierarchie: Großherzogliches Familienarchiv (Eigentum des Hauses Baden) und Markgräfliches/Großherzogliches Familienarchiv: Nachträge >> Einzelne Angehörige des Hauses Baden >> [13 A] Luise Großherzogin von Baden (1838-1923) >> Familie, Hof, Regierung >> Soziales, Wohltätigkeit >> Badischer Frauenverein >> Geschäftsberichte >> Berichtserien >> Dr. Sophie Sautier [Präsidentin von Abteilung V]

Description: Hierarchie: Großherzogliches Familienarchiv (Eigentum des Hauses Baden) und Markgräfliches/Großherzogliches Familienarchiv: Nachträge >> Einzelne Angehörige des Hauses Baden >> [13 A] Luise Großherzogin von Baden (1838-1923) >> Familie, Hof, Regierung >> Soziales, Wohltätigkeit >> Badischer Frauenverein >> Geschäftsberichte >> Berichtserien >> Dr. Sophie Sautier [Präsidentin von Abteilung V]

Description: Marriage certificate Autograph album || Family brought along just a marriage certificate and an album and drawings.

Description: Hierarchie: Großherzogliches Familienarchiv (Eigentum des Hauses Baden) und Markgräfliches/Großherzogliches Familienarchiv: Nachträge >> Einzelne Angehörige des Hauses Baden >> [13 A] Luise Großherzogin von Baden (1838-1923) >> Familie, Hof, Regierung >> Erziehung, Schulen >> Victoria-Schule und -Pensionat >> Berichtserien >> Emilie Göler von Ravensburg [?-?, Oberin des Viktoria-Pensionats Karlsruhe und der Filiale Baden-Baden 1917-1920/1923]

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