Australian-Soviet Friendship Society, 1938-68

Component identifier:

Series 7

Content Summary:

This series comprises papers the relating to the Australian-Soviet Friendship Society (formerly the Australian-Russian Society) and the Russian Medical Aid and Comforts Committee. Included is correspondence, speeches, lectures, broadcasts, maps, publications, and newspaper clippings.

Jessie Street visited the U.S.S.R during her extensive travels on several occasions. She appears to have been impressed by the absence of sex discrimination in the Soviet Administration. However, she was to suffer considerable harassment at both the official Government level and at the unofficial level. Permission was refused by the Government, for Street to attend the Warsaw Peace Conference in 1950. She eventually obtained a visa after great difficulty and this episode is recorded in the correspondence (Folder 1) and newspaper clippings (Folder 2). Among the correspondents are Vladimir Kemenov, Archbishop Norman Gilroy, Lydia Kislova, James Morey, Ian Maisky, Judith Todd, Professor Pavel Chuikov and J. Terry.

From 1941 to 1945, Street was Chair of the Russian Medical Aid and Comforts Committee, which made available medical supplies and warm clothing including sheepskins, to the Russian Soldiers during the Nazi advance. Papers include a broadcast entitled Russian exhibition and special sheepskins appeal, minutes of meetings and published material relating to the Committee (Folder 3). The Committee received considerable public support and this is reflected in the Accounts of finance, kept by the Committee (Folder 3).

In 1946, Street became the first President of the Australian-Russian Society (Folder 2). Its aim was to promote friendly relations with the U.S.S.R. There is a copy of the constitution, records of meetings and copies of the journal published by the Society entitled Russia and us. She left $10,000 to the Society in her will (1970).

Street attempted to inform the public about her views of the Soviet Union, which were often contrary to the views of the media. Topics of speeches, lectures and broadcasts given by her on this subject include: Soviet Russia's trade unions, wages system, social welfare and economic planning in 1938, World Broadcast from Moscow (1950), Statement of the Communist Party Dissolution Bill (1950) and The position of women and children in the U.S.S.R. (n.d).

Publications are located at Folders 8 and 9 and are entitled: Education in Czechoslovakia (1935), International Conciliation (1937) and the U.S.S.R Information Bulletin (1948). There is also a Russian publication from 1950; The Romania Folk Song and Dance Ensemble of the Bucharest House of Culture (1956), Mother and child welfare in the Romanian People's Republic (1957 1958). Other titles in Folder 8 and 9 are L'Institutclinique de pediatrie Emilia Irsa(1959) and Fundamentals of the Soviet criminal legislation, the judicial system and criminal court procedure (1960).

Maps are located at Folder 10 and are entitled: Ancient States and peoples on the Territory of the U.S.S.R. and neighbouring peoples on the Territory of the U.S.S.R. and neighbouring countries (1000 BC to the 1st Century, AD); Peoples and States on the territory of the U.S.S.R. (9th-10th centuries, AD); Mongol-Tartan conquests in the 13th century; North-Eastern Russia, Late 14th century; Industries of European Russia 1909-13; Formation of the centralised Russian State (second half of the 15th century and first half of 16th century); Russian Empire in the second half of the 18th century; Strike movement in European Russia 1905; Revolution of 1905-07 in Russia; Armed uprising in Petrograd 1917; The Soviet Republic encircled by interventionists and white guards in 1918-20; Administrative map of the U.S.S.R (20th century).

Note: Related series are Series 6 (A.L.P) and Series 12 (Miscellaneous-Folder 3).

Immediate source of acquisition:

Jessie Street's husband, Sir Kenneth Street, donated the papers to the National Library in 1970. Her son, Sir Laurence Street, made a substantial addition in 1972. Further small additions were made to the collection between 1973 and 2001.

Subjects:

Women's rights

Contents

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