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The Springfield Republican
ESTABLISHED IN 1824 BY SAMUEL BOWLES
DAILY - - - SUNDAY - - - WEEKLY
SPRINGFIELD, MASS.

March 11. [1928]

Dearest Mummy:

I have neglected you shamefully, but I have been awfully busy. Perhaps you remember when you were here last summer, the D.A.R. were attacking Jane Addams and other similar harmless humanitarians. Well, the Maude Royden business to which you refer is related to the same thing. There are throughout the country allegedly patriotic organizations which carry on a large business in defamation of character of all who do not agree with their own political and social views. In Boston they tried to suppress Maude Royden's appearance. In other places they actually succeeded in doing so. Well, I was down in Boston for about a week hunting up dope about these activities, which really mean suppression of free speech in this country if successful. And I am now engaged in writing a series of articles for the ed. page on the subject, as well as trying to do all my other jobs at the same time.

I have been busy today writing a lot of letters on the subject to all kinds of people. In between times I made some brownies and did some cooking which Louis and I ate. Yesterday afternoon I went with Jeannette Marks to North Brookfield to see the sister of one of the workers on the Sacco-Vanzetti defense committee. Mary Donovan was arrested in the Pennsylvania coal mining district and held for four days incommunicado in direct violation of the Bill of Rights in the constitution. I am becoming increasingly alive to the dangerously intolerant and repressive spirit in this country. And you may yet be disgraced by having a socialist in the family. Miss Marks may drive down to Pennsylvania soon and wants me to go with her. I certainly shall, if I can. I want to learn all I can about this hit-and-miss world I live in.

I just measured my windows. The middle one is 31 inches across and the side ones 17. The length in 59 inches; that clears the sill by about half an inch. So much soot blows in that it is much better to have the curtains clear the sill easily. My idea is that a width of theatrical gauze cut in two will do for the center window, and a width will make the two side curtains. I would like them very simple, just a narrow hem at the bottom and the same width hem at either side, so that they can be interchangeable. As for the top just a plain hem, also, for the rod, which is round, to slip through. I should think that the changeable gauze sounds very nice, a quite light orchid is what I'd like. No one else seems to think that is a good choice, but it is the complementary color of yellow and the walls and woodwork are cream and ivory and my furniture is a dull tan, so I don't care.

My red dress I bought here at the Woman's shop. It is crepe or something of the sort, the skirt pleated and diagonal pin tucks running across the waist. It has a red and gold belt and I have some gold beads Eleanor gave me for a valentine to wear with it. My evening dress is very simple, a jade green, with a few silver beads on it.