Wald
had been labeled a "radical" on many occasions—for
her peace work during World War I, for her endorsement
of Socialist candidates, for her association with radicals
like Emma Goldman, for her defense of
immigrant "aliens" and even for her neighborhood's
celebration of the success of the Russian Revolution.
In 1919, however, in the wake of the American reaction
to the rise of communism, Wald, with sixty-one other
women and men, was listed in a document presented to
the U.S. Judiciary which pointed to those who
supposedly supported the German cause before WWI.
The “Who's Who in Pacifism” cited Wald as an
“undesirable citizen” who was suspected of
“pro-Bolshevik” sentiments. Nevertheless,
Wald accepted an invitation to see communist Russia
for herself. In 1924, she and several colleagues
visited Russia as guests of the government to discuss
public health and child welfare. She returned with a
strong suggestion for the U.S. government to formally
recognize Russia, as “a
step of vital importance in our hope for better
understanding and cooperation between the nations
of the world.”
|
