Washington Post
NO WAR MOVE FOR HER
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Woman’s Peace Party Adopts Plan Opposed to Preparedness.
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NO MORE WAR EXPENDITURES
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Convention Appoints Committee to Get Resolutions Up to Congress
Demanding Conference of Neutral Nations — Elimination of Private Profit
from Armaments Urged.
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A comprehensive antipreparedness program, which will be submitted to both branches of Congress "for their immediate consideration" was drafted by the woman’s peace party in session yesterday at the Willard.
Besides calling for the appointment of a joint committee "to conduct a thorough investigation with public hearings and report within the next six months upon (1) the condition of our military and naval defenses, with special reference to the expenditures of past appropriations; (2) probability of aggressive action by other nations against the United States with respect to race, trade, national expansion, property holding in foreign lands and other causes of war; (3) possibility of lessening by legislative or diplomatic action the sources of friction between this country and other nations, the program provided "that action be taken to bring about the creation of a joint commission of experts representing Japan, China and the United States, to study the complex and important question at issue between the Orient and the United States and make recommendations to the various governments involved."
Against Preparedness
Before the final passage of the program, Miss Jane Addams, of Chicago, chairman of the peace party, discussed the platform of the party, and urged the adoption of the antipreparedness program, "which should be supported by every peace-loving citizen of the country."
The program as adopted further provides that no increased appropriations for war preparations be voted during the present session of Congress; that action be taken by this government to secure the immediate calling of a conference of neutral nations in the interest of a just and early peace; that action be taken to provide for the elimination of all private profit from the manufacture of armaments; that action be taken to provide Federal control over unnaturalized residents, and that action be taken to convene a third Hague Conference at the earliest possible moment and that all voting American delegates shall be civilians who represent various important elements in the country, including elements in the country, including, if possible, the business, educational and labor interests, and women, and that the delegates from the United States be instructed to advocate world organization and peaceful settlement of all international difficulties.
Delegates Sent to Congress
Miss Addams has made arrangements for the following delegates to appear before the foreign relations committee of the House this morning at 10:30 o’clock, and urge the consideration of the program: Miss Addams, Mrs. C. E. Benedict, of New York; Miss. S. P. Breckenridge, dean of the Woman’s College of Chicago University, and Mrs. Lucia Ames Mead, of Boston. The same delegation will appear before the foreign relations committee of the Senate this afternoon at 2:30 o’clock.
As one delegate expressed the attitude of the party of peace: "The moment of panic is a bad time to decide any matter, and whatever danger of attack to America there has been in the past none can be anticipated at this time when all her hypothetical enemies are exhausting their resources elsewhere."
For this reason, the peace party is desirous that Congress go slow in its action on preparedness and wait for the calm deliberation of the people it represents who will have to bear the brunt of the preparedness cost.
At the afternoon session, Miss Addams was reelected chairman of the party to serve for another year. Other officers elected are honorary vice chairman, Mrs. Carrie Chapman Catt, New York; vice chairmen, Mrs. Anna Garlin, Pennsylvania; Mrs. William Kent, California; Mrs. Louis F. Post, wife of the Assistant Secretary of Labor, and Mrs. Frederick Taussig, Missouri; secretary, Mrs. Lucia Ames Mead, Massachusetts; executive secretary Mrs. William I. Thomas, Illinois, and treasurer, Miss. S. P. Breckinridge, Illinois.
Just before adjournment was taken yesterday afternoon, a lively debate arose over the question as to whether the party would go on record as favoring a resolution which provided that "effective suffrage legislation" be urged upon Congress instead of the Susan B. Anthony amendment. The resolution, which was introduced by miss Laura Clay, of Kentucky, was adopted.
The suffrage plank in the peace party platform declared for "the further humanizing of governments by the extension of the franchise to women.
Congressional Union Outvoted
Members of the Congressional Union who are delegates to the peace party convention opposed the resolution offered by Miss Clay, but they were outvoted. They contended that inasmuch as the Susan B. Anthony amendment had already been reported out of committee and had been on the floor of the House and Senate, no outside action should be taken to harass its ultimate passage.
Other matters taken up at the sessions yesterday were reports of the general secretary, the executive secretary, treasurer, Constitution and party work in the different States.
A short meeting was held last night, at which time a recommendation from the New York branch, providing that all branches in the country hold antipreparedness mass meetings on Washington’s birthday, was adopted.
The report of the art committee contained recommendations that an organized effort to appeal to artists, writers and musicians be made, so that their support "of an ideal of peace, which has always been the theme of so many works of literature and art," be obtained.
Matters to Be Investigated
Mrs Jessie Hardy MacKaye, of this city, in speaking for the Washington branch, introduced the following resolution, which was passed:
Be it resolved, by the women’s peace party, That the Congress of the United States, instead of providing for increased armament, should appoint a joint committee to investigate and report to its next session upon the following question: (1) The possibility of aggressive action by other nations toward the United States, and by the United States toward other nations, by reason of antagonisms with respect to race, trade, national expansion, property holding in foreign lands and other causes of war. (2) The possibilities of eliminating private interest in war through government manufacture of all arms and munitions. (3) The possibilities of "economic pressure" in lieu of military force in compelling nations to do justice toward their neighbors. (4) The possibilities of a mutual reduction of armaments at the close of the war.
On motion of Miss Janet Richards plank 9 in the party platform was changed by unanimous vote to provide for economic pressure instead of an international police as a substitute for rival armies and navies.
