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. . To @ e ” a 5 . AN OUTLINE HISTORY OF The Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom Section for the United States The beginning of the Woman's Peace Party came soon after the outbreak of the war. Mrs. Pethick Lawrence of England and Mme. Rusika Schwimmer of Hungary cance over to the United States and addressed meetings from one end of the country to the other; a convention was called in Washington by Miss Jane Addams and Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt January 10, 1915, three thousand people attending ; addresses were made by Dr. Anna How- ard Shaw, Mrs. Catt, Miss Addams, and others; the Woman's Peace Party was organized. 4 ringing preamble, written by Mrs. Anna Garlin Spencer, was adopted with the following demands: . os , ) _ The immediate calling of a convention of neutral nations in the interest of early peace: " Limitation of armaments and the nationalization of their manufacture. The further humanizing of governments by the extension of the suffrage to women. " «Concert of Nations” to supersede “Balance of Power.” " The substitution of economic pressure and of non-intercourse for eye and orm oo navies. . Removal of the economic causes of war. . . . The appointment by our government of a commission of men and len with an adequate appropriation to promote international peace. . Miss Jane Addams was elected national chairman. Other officers were Apesy7mina Gar- lin Spencer, Mrs. Henry Villard, Mrs. Louis F. Post, and Mrs. John Jay Whi at s. Lucia Ames Mead was appointed national secretary and Mrs. Wm. I. Thomas field Saasmtary and easurer, and sas Head- 2 o: Mrs. Eleanor Daggett Karsten executive secretary. Miss S. P. Breckenridge, fr Mrs. Glendower Evans acted as organizer and chairman of the financial committe quarters were established in Chicago. At once a call was sent to twenty thousand persons for a National Emergency, Confer- ence to be held in Chicago, February 27, 1915. This conference was presided Bver*by Miss Addams; leading members of the Woman’s Peace Party and men and wome n other organizations took active part. This was followed by many large mass meetings at each the call was urged for a conference of neutral nations. . About this time an invitation came from Dutch, German, British, and B omen for an International Congress of Women to be held at The Hague. Miss Adda hered a body of forty-seven women from the United States and they sailed for Holland ip-¥pwl, 1915. pig International Congress Worpen met at The Hague April 25, 1915, & ddams being umiitmously wetted et rial ‘airman. In spite of the fact that the Worf@,was in Ps “1 .} . Of SDSL Ort Aly t ofsal wag tne fou ollowing nations were’ arnt Le any, United States, Mine fourteen, foto, Spain, Brazil, D i d, Italy, Austria-Hungary, en, and Norway. ; ; " “a At voting members were required to be suffragists and to believe in the 3 nt of international disputes by pacific means. This remarkable cone though consist Zo men TS belligerent as well as neutral nations an with two thousand persons in ef , vas srotjucted with solemnity, efficiency, and scrupulous courtesy. All discussion ° auses of the war and its conduct was prohibited. Professor Emily G. Balch of ellegjey Co cee who was a delegate, wrote: “\What stands out most strongly among a : my im eso those thrilling and strained days wT Gared is the Sense Of sort of difficult) to empress of the brave, self-controle women who dar C | ev ulty i i tent with patriotism, but transcen ing 1 ; a passionate human sympathy, not inconsis a ee egolutions ending sbodied The International Congress of Women drew up } pom resolutions Wie ints. died he principles afterwards expressed by President Wilson in his Fo 1 many of rrotested against the madness of war and the destruction of so much that humanity has labored through centuries to build up. The congress urged the governments of world tu come to an agreement throu egotiation. 11a fo~. gh arbitration and to begin peace n territory be transferred without the consen a in emnocracy wat autonomy jul represe” - of the inhabitants ; that autonomy and democratir contro! should not be refused to any people; tion of men and women.