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The East and West Association

Devoted to mutual knowledge and understanding
of the life of the Oriental and the American peoples

Forty East Forty-ninth Street, New York City
         
April 18, 1942

[[left margin]]
Officers and
Board of Directors

PEARL S. BUCK
President

CHARLES S. PHARIS
Treasurer

JAMES G. BLAINE
MANCHESTER BODDY
LOUIS BROMFIELD
MORSE A. CARTWRIGHT
MILDRED B. HUGHES
HENRY R. LUCE
MARGARET MEAD
CLARK H. MINOR
JAMES Q. NEWTON
THOMAS L. SIDLO
JUAN T. TRIPPE
RICHARD J. WALSH
Advisory Board 
(In formation)

ADRIAAN J. BARNOUW
JOHN DEWEY 
C. A. DYKSTRA
ROBERT M. FIELD
OWEN LATTIMORE
LIN YUTANG
MILDRED H. MCAFEE
PAUL V. MCNUTT
GREGG M. SINCLAIR
ELBERT D. THOMAS
JOHN VAN ESS
[[/left margin]]

My dear Mr. Kuniyoshi:

I am writing to invite you to become a member of the Artists' Committee of the East and West Association. For many years I, and others with me have felt that the ordinary peoples of the world must know each other better, and through their mutual knowledge understand each other's minds and feelings. The necessity for such an understanding, especially between ourselves and the peoples of Asia, becomes every day more clear, and the war has, of course, made it more urgent. To this end the East and West Association has been created.

The enclosed memorandum tells of the plans of the organization and the channels to be used in developing its program more fully. Its one purpose is to discover and provide every possible means of communication between the ordinary peoples of East and West. The stress is, above all, human.

Aware as you are of the significance of art as a means of human communication, you will se at once what an important place the Artists' Committee has in such a two-way program. Too often the appreciation of art in our own country has been limited to the European heritage, with complete neglect of the rich art of the Orient. Conversely, our art must be made meaningful and appealing for all the peoples who know nothing about us.

You are busy, I know, as we all are, and yet perhaps in this work you may find added scope. At any rate, we do not expect to make any great claim upon your time. Primarily, we want your advice and interest through an occasional talk and through the mail.

I very much hope to hear that you will accept.

Yours sincerely,
[[signature]] Pearl S. Buck [[/signature]]
Pearl S. Buck

PSB:P
Enc.