Chicago Tribune
PACIFISTS HERE PREPARING
FOR NEW CONFERENCE.
———
Democracy and Terms of Peace Meeting on July 7-8
Pacifists and prospective members of the proposed "People’s Council" met last night at K of P hall in Pullman and with fiery speeches made plans for the "second American conference on democracy and terms of peace." Another meeting will be held at the Carl Schurs High school Tuesday night.
At the meeting last night Irwin St. John Tucker, Seymour Stedman, and Mrs. William I. Thomas spoke with vehemence.
The "second American conference," according to an announcement, will be held in Chicago on July 7 and 8 at the Auditorium recital hall. And a $50,000 "peace fund" is asked.
Will Meet on Coast.
A week later a similar meeting in San Francisco is planned. Mr. Tucker is named in the official announcement as chairman of the coming Chicago peace conference. He says that the purposes of the council are:
To secure an early democratic and general peace in harmony with the principles outlined by New Russia, namely: "No forcible annexation; no punitive indemnities; free development of all nationalities.
To urge international organization for the maintenance of world peace.
To induce our government to state concretely the terms upon which it is willing to make peace.
To work for the repeal of the conscription law.
To safeguard labor standards.
To preserve and extend democracy and liberty within the United States.
Want Money by Aug. 4
The request for the $50,000 is accompanied by the plea that it be in hand before Aug. 4, "to launch the People’s council and enable it to do effective work."
Headquarters of the Chicago conference is given as room 504, 116 South Michigan avenue, and the call for the assembly is signed by Irwin St. John Tucker, chairman; Arthur Fisher, secretary; Seymour Stedman, William H. Holly, Mary O’Reilly, Mrs. William I. Thomas, Catherine Waugh McCulloch, Jenkin Lloyd Jones, Ald. John C. Kennedy, and many persons from other cities.
The call explains that any organization, international, nation, sectional, state, country, or local, including local organizations of the People’s Council consisting of fifty members or more and indorsing the principles of the People’s Council of America for democracy and peace, shall be entitled to representation.
Attached to literature sent with the call is a blank with the notation that any one who signs the blank and pays $1 membership fees "is a constituent at large of the People’s Council, and is expected to give his active cooperation."
The idea of the People’s council grew out of the first American conference for democracy and terms of peace held recently in New York.
"The persistent efforts of Russia hold out strong hope of a speedy peace if we but stand by her," says the prospectus. "Let us not fail our courageous sister democracy."
