Document 3: April 27, 1943 letter from Florence Kirlin to Mrs. C.R. Smith.  Folder: Correspondence, State-National, Personal, 1939-1947, Box 19, League of Women Voters of Iowa papers, Iowa Women’s Archives, University of Iowa Libraries, Iowa City, Iowa. 

 

Introduction

This is Florence Kirlin’s response to Bernardine Smith’s letter of April 14, 1943 (Doc. 1).  Kirlin was the League Congressional Secretary at the national level. Her response spoke to the doubt that the Iowa League expressed regarding the ERA broadside’s effectiveness.

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April 27, 1943
Mrs. C.R. Smith, President
Iowa League of Women Voters
Onslow, Iowa

Dear Mrs. Smith:

Thank you very much for sending in your report from Iowa members of Congress on the Equal Rights Amendment.  I was interested in the comments from League members regarding the effectiveness of the broadside.  As you know, the broadside was designed for special distribution and the way of treating a subject was designed for the particular group that we wanted to reach by it.  More members of Congress have committed themselves in opposition to the amendment as a result of the broadside than have ever done so in response to other approaches.

I shall keep in mind what you say about Representative Cunningham.  He seems to be a pretty close friend of the Woman’s Party.  He has been interviewed several times by representatives of organizations opposed to the Equal Rights Amendment and his usual reaction is one of surprise that any woman could be against it.

Sincerely yours,

Florence Kirlin

Congressional Secretary