Highlights of Special Collections

The Margaret Burton Collection

The Margaret Burton Collection, recently inventoried by the University of Chicago Library, contains the papers of Margaret Burton, daughter of University president Ernest DeWitt Burton. Ms. Burton, apparently a well-traveled graduate of the University, was a missionary to China and Japan in 1909 and published several books on the subject.

 
Margaret Burton

This collection contains some of her correspondence, one example of which shows that Ms. Burton made some very high-ranking friends in her travels. The envelope that the letter came in, marked “From the Headquarters of the Generalissimo,” is the most arresting sign of its importance.

The letter itself, written in 1937, is written by none other than Madame Chiang Kai-shek. It reveals that she and Margaret Burton were close friends and corresponded regularly at the time. The letter is also notable for the almost eerie comments made on the international situation at the time. She writes: “…out in this part of the world the ambitions of the Japanese Army leaders are likely at any time to start a conflagration the result of which there is no foretelling. The day of treaties seems almost to have passed… but I must confess that I have lost a lot of faith in what is called international justice, as well as in the sanctity of treaties.” The letter gives valuable insight into the sense of foreboding that prevailed before World War II, as well as the close friendship shared by Margaret Burton and Madame Chiang Kai-shek.

Discovered by Laura Alagna

Comments

[learn to surf]

Great work done by Margaret Burton really great work. The passion towards then collection was great and the letter the stuff was so nice the friendliness between the Margaret Burton and the Madame Chiang Kai-shek was beautiful really fond of seeing the blog thanks for the blog keep posting the blogs like this thanks for the blog...