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Correspondence from Karl Germer to Gerald Yorke
[EXTRACT]
[Leipzig]
[10 June 1932]
Indirectly a message reached me yesterday that you intend to place all your money into trustees' hands. Cora [Cora Germer] herself is far distant and I think action to be taken to prevent a step which might be irremediable, and which would harm a woman, who has sacrificed herself and her money for a cause for which you yourself stand. I myself feel a great responsibility in this matter. I have agreed, and tolerated that Cora agreed, when one security which was given to Cora originally, after another was taken away from her. Now, where she is at an age when a woman should be provided for, when she stands alone, not having any money of her own left to live on for more than 2 or 3 months, it is the duty of those who have directly or indirectly benefited by her sacrifice, to stand up for her to their capacity. (As you yourself stand for the cause—you benefited by her; etc.)
You are the only one to have any money left. The duty therefore falls on you in the first place. It falls on you from every aspect. You were responsible for its distribution then. You have a moral obligation as a member of the Order; as a younger man towards a woman, and last, but certainly not least, an obligation connected with the honour of a man.
I realize that it may not be easy for you. But then many things have not been easy for any of us. It has certainly not been easy for Cora to cable for one thousand dollars after another, to sell one stock after another, to get rid of a capital, accumulated for a security in old age, and partly just left to her by her brother, to be sacrificed for a cause in which she did not believe, to which she is not in any way tied, as you are.
Cora has got to be helped financially, and quickly too. I cannot believe that you should actually contemplate, even for a moment, a step as has been indicated to me. I had been under the impression, from a note by you to her, which I mailed on to Cora several months ago, that you were going to do something. In any case, I wish you would write me immediately what the facts are and what you intend to do for Cora. I take this matter very, very seriously and would not hesitate at anything to prevent an abuse of Cora's confidence and helplessness.
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