1923 May 8
Cavanaugh, C.S. C., Father John (William):
Notre Dame, Indiana
to Father Dr. John Talbot Smith:
Dobbs Ferry, New York
By this time Smith is back home and all the pains and aches banished. Cavanaugh would have written to the hospital but on Smith's forecast would have been too late. It is possible that these nervous breakdowns are precious intimations that Smith must slow up for a while. For some years Cavanaugh has noticed some trembling in Smith's hands. He wishes that Smith were out with him taking things easy. Diabetes is less of a menace on account of insulin but in his case he would use insulin at once if his condition were desperate but so long as he can get along without it he will await further developments. He has accepted an invitation to talk May 20 at the centenary of the Jesuit establishment in the West at St. Louis, on June 12. He will speak at the Golden Jubilee of the Dominican nuns of Springfield, Illinois. There are other engagements. People seem to begrudge him the good time he is having. At a mass meeting a daily paper was launched—five times a week—on campus. The faculty doubts and hesitates. He will send Smith copies if they come out. It would please his former secretary John (J.) Cavanaugh if Smith would send a thundering letter of approval and admiration. Some Notre Dame people know the boob priest who shot Father (Henry) O'Neill at Kalamazoo and say that he is crazy. Not an unpleasant word between them the day of the tragedy. No important news on campus. Professor (George) Shuster has a novel at Macmillans accepted with some reservations. Father (Charles) O'Donnell (C.S.C.), "our young Provincial", is expected back from Europe. Fathers (James A.) Burns and John (C.) McGinn are "sprawling over Ohio, BigDriving." Father (Daniel E.) Hudson spent about a month in the infirmary threatened with mastoid. He did not have mastoid but that would have been a rare opportunity to inject "some elasticity into his head." The Middle West seems to be the battleground of the devil. Notre Dame had its Tiernan; Northwestern has had two boys killed under criminal circumstances; South Bend had a league of boozefighting lads in high school. Cavanaugh hopes that Catholics will not speak of such things among their non-Catholic neighbors, for many reasons, including Kalamazoo. He hears that they have $200,000 of the second million. This is not bad considering that the easy things were snapped up for the first million. Tolerance, the official organ of the Unity League and enemy of the Ku Klux Klan has listed the head of the Chemistry Department as a K.K.K. He is a good Catholic. The campus is divided about him but the Tolerance people do not make many mistakes. They have listed several prominent Knights of Columbus.
I-1-h - Typed L.S. - 2pp. - 4to. - {12}
1923 May 3
Lawless, M(argaret) H.:
Toledo, Ohio
to Father John Talbot Smith:
Dobbs Ferry, New York
Smith's letter has been forwarded to her. She will avail herself of Smith's promise to read and criticize her verse since he plans to publish a book. She is glad that Smith had a long vacation and she hopes to see the fruits in publications. She has ordered copies of Smith's books, "Saranac," "The Black Cardinal" and "The Man Who Vanished." She read them at Christmas and enjoyed all, especially "The Black Cardinal." She quotes Smith as saying that if he started again he would write for the world, not for Catholics. If he meant that he would publish in secular pubishers, Lawless would agree and she has so written to Benziger Bros. If Catholic publishers were to advertise as MacMillan who published "Maria Chapdelaine," the fame of the Catholic writers would spread and the publishers would profit. If Smith meant that he would write like James and Howells, Lawless says that she would find that this would be dust and ashes. She was never a student of Shakespeare or the Bible, except the Gospels. Her admiration is for Longfellow, then Scott, then Tennyson. She likes Smith's description of poetry. She has been publishing in Magnificat, Rosary and St. Anthony's Messenger. The editors of Catholic World and Ave Maria have closed their doors on her. (She encloses) a verse "Mary's Month of May", from St. Anthony's Messenger, May.
I-1-h - Typed L.S. - 3pp. - 4to. - {1}
1923 May1
Spearman, Frank H(amilton):
Los Angeles, California
to Father (Daniel E.) Hudson, (C.S.C.):
(Notre Dame, Indiana)
The review of "The Marriage Verdict" was most generous. Like "Kimberly" it is to some extent, Hudson's story. It was a penitent of Hudson's whose situation first suggested the dramatic possibilities involved in the Pauline privilege. It was Mrs. Marmon. Spearman is not surprised that the Ave Maria has reached a circulation of more than forty thousand. Spearman is sorry to hear Hudson has been ill. He must cease writing in longhand. Even Mr. Brownell has come to the dictated letter.
X-4-i - T.L.S. - 1p. - 4to - {3}
1923 May 25
Schulte, Cardinal C(harles) J(oseph):
Cologne, (Germany)
to Father Daniel E. Hudson, (C.S.C.):
Notre Dame, Ind(iana)
Schulte thanks Hudson for the $100 check as stipends for Masses.
X-4-i - T.L.S. - (German) - 1p. - 8vo. - {1}
1923 May 30
Britten, James:
Brentford, (England)
to Father (Daniel E.) Hudson, (C.S.C.):
(Notre Dame, Indiana)
Britten thanks Hudson for the article about the Catholic Truth Society's publication. He is no longer secretary nor editor. The Society has departed from the objects for which it was established and has restricted the amount which is allowed to the production of literature. It has taken expensive quarters in Victoria Street and funds have been diverted to this place. The enclosed open letter shows the weak financial state. It is a great sorrow to him to see the work to which he has devoted his life change its direction. The new Secretary Stephen Harding is doing his best to increase publications.
X-4-i - A.L.S. and Printed L. - 3pp. - 4to. - {3}
1923 May 25
Stumpf, Jos(eph):
Bensheim, Germany
to Father (Daniel E. Hudson, C.S.C.):
(Notre Dame, Indiana)
Last year Hudson sent them an alms; now Stumpf turns to him again. He cannot provide for his family. A loaf of bread costs 3000 marks. Stumpf sends a musical composition which he composed.
X-4-i - A.L.S. (German) - 2pp. - 8vo. - {1}