Allow me to thank you heartily for your splendid inaugural address. It was all good: and yet four years pastorate of the Tabernacle Church of Raleigh and eight years at the First Church of Fayetteville have brought me in close contact with the mill-child problem, apart from serving for several years on the State Child labor Committee.

May I say that I have found many an owner and superintendent deplore the indifference on the part of some to what laws we already have, and of course this indifference (some do not even pretend to observe the law in their mills) begets a general disregard. It makes the competition harder for those who would be honest and law abiding as to hours and ages. Someway the enforcement of the laws must be effected.

The great trouble is many desire the protection but not the authority of law. I have seen so much of the debasement, not only of white children, but of women, yea of men by the mill-life in our State that I know whoever brings permanent relief will be both a public benefactor and a champion for the people of North Carolina.

I wish now to ask your attention to another very important matter. I would have written you earlier but I knew you were very busy. I am now arranging for a State Peace Convention, in connection with the American Peace Society, to be held in the City of Raleigh from Friday night Feby 28, when prizes for an intercollegiate debate will be awarded, up to and including a part of Monday March 3rd.

On the Sunday afternoon March 2nd. I am expecting that W. J. Bryan will be with us and deliver an address. We all want you to address us at some suitable time to yourself during the Convention.

The Higher ideal of Nations would be a fine theme and fully in keeping with a part of your splendid inaugural address. But any subject you may select would be gladly received.

Under seperate cover I send you two excellent pamphlets: One by Chief Justice Brewer on "The Mission of the United States in the cause of Peace": this is very suggestive. The other, "International Goodwill"

As I am returning to Atlanta for a little while I have enclosed an addressed envelope to reach me there. I am looking for a great convention. A goodly number of Raleigh's business men and others met a little while ago to attend to the local affairs. Clarence Poe is chairman of that Committee: and with Prof. Blair of Guilford College I am arranging the program. As I have said we all want you and fervently hope you will be with us and address us upon the great cause of promoting the World's Peace.