Document 6: Francis Ralston Welsh to Professor Emily Greene Balch, 21 November 1924, Swarthmore College Peace Collection, Hannah Clothier Hull Papers (Microfilm, reel 5, section 3).
Introduction
The following letter from extremely anti-Communist Francis Ralston Welsh (see also Document 21) apparently replied to correspondence from Emily Greene Balch, Vice-Chairman for the U.S. Section of WILPF, asking Welsh to refrain from repeating "false or libelous statements" about the organization.
FRANCIS RALSTON WELSH
INVESTMENT BONDS
20 South Fifteenth St
Philadelphia, PA
November 21, 1924.Professor Emily Greene Balch, Vice-Chairman,
Women's International League for Peace and Freedom,
1403 H Street, N.W., Washington, D.C.Dear Madam:
Your favor of the 20th instant has been duly received and contents noted. I have also read the platitudinous and unconvincing enclosure, which sets up [a] straw man to be knocked down, but carefully avoids the [more] serious facts. Even in this enclosure it is interesting to note that the one "statesman-like" man in and out of office name is Senator Borch, author of the utterly mendacious speech in the interests of communism at the Chicago meeting gotten up two years ago by the Communist American Civil Liberties Union. This speech gave great comfort to the Communists and other enemies of the country, and its mendacity was freely quoted by them in support of their aims. Senator Barah had every opportunity to correct this mendacity, but did not do so. I would have had no doubt that the WILPF would find an ardent sympathizer in him. Both play into the hands of the Russian Communists. I note, too, that you refer to the red "New Republic," which I would also expect to support the WILPF.
I have no intention whatever of repeating any "false or libelous statements" about WILPF. I have made none and shall make none. That matter had already been taken up with their local counsel, Mr. David Wallerstein, and I invited him to follow up his threats with a suit in court, but that is where the WILPF does not wish to go, for the consequent exposure would be more than it would care to face. It is of interest that this same counsel of theirs should have been one of the National Popular Government League, gotten up to help Louis F. Post to nullify the laws of the United States in reference to the deportation of anarchists, Communists and agents of Lenine and Trotsky. It is also of interest that leaders of the WILPF, including Professor Emily Greene Balch, have been associated with one or another of these organizations whose actions have tended to undermine our free institutions and play into the hands of the Communists, who would bring about a red revolution in America and overthrow our Government by force. It is interesting under these circumstances, to note how the leaders of the WILPF flocked to the standard of LaFollette as did the Communists and their representative, the American Civil Liberties Union, -- better known as the Unamerican Criminal License Union, -- whose leader, Roger Baldwin, was one of that old Berkman anarchist organization, the League for Amnesty of Political Prisoners, gotten up by Berkman while in jail.
Since I entered the fights for patriotism and sound sense against Communists and anarchy, and, for a time, Gorman, and now Soviet spies, I have gotten quite used to receiving threats -- directly and indirectly.
As for the chart to which you refer, it simply gave a list of names of people with organizations to which they belonged, and was a very useful document and is still in quite broad use. I know of none who has destroyed their copies. The errors in the chart have not, as far as I know, been pointed out. Certainly, the War Department did not undertake to do so, but apparently merely accepted the statement of Mrs. Park. It was requested that copies of this be withdrawn because people were under the impression because that it had been issued by the War Department, and it had not been, and the statements made about it by various members of the WILPF have been grossly misleading.
Needless to say, I shall continue to oppose and expose the unpatriotic ends and service to the Communists which are the effect of the actions of the WILPF. I know that many sincere and honest patriots have been misled into joining it. I also know that many of them have had their eyes opened and have resigned and are now among its strongest opponents, frankly saying that they had been entirely misled by statements not in accordance with the facts.
Yours very truly,
C-P(Signed) F.R. Welsh.