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Jane Addams — Part 4

67 pages · May 10, 2026 · Broad topic: Civil Rights · Topic: Jane Addams · 67 pages OCR'd
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the same terms for aygand that free access shall be given to ra aterial, with an enforce- ment of demands by other means than military pressure or food b ockade. A woman’s char- ter and an educational program were drawn up. The name was changed to Women's Inter- national League for Peace and Freedom, and Geneva, the seat of the League of Nations, was chosen for headquarters. Miss Addams was re-elected international president; Miss Emily G. Balch became international executive secretary. The first meeting of the United States Section held after the Zurich Congress took place in Philadelphia in November, 1919. An amendment to the constitution was adopted, regional vice-chairmen were appointed, and the name, “Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom, Section for the United States” (abbreviated to “W. 1. L.”) was chosen. Mrs. _Anna Garlin Spencer was elected national chairman; local organizations were encouraged, but all dues were to be paid into the national treasury, thus securing direct communication between individual members and the national office. In January, 1920, a delegation was sent to W ashington to present in person to the State Department our protest against “the blockades” and the seizure for deportation and exile of those designated as “reds’’; against “compulsory military training as a feature in the plans for reorganization of the United States Army”; and also our “Appeal for the release of polit- ical offenders and conscientious objectors and our appeal for the release and return to their homes of all prisoners of war in all countries.” ; The wuik of the seasun 1919-20 was donc largely through cummittees : the Oricntai Rela- trons Cummittec in California, Free Trade and Legislative Committees, Pan-American Rela- tions Committee; all worked hard and handed in live reports at the annual meeting held in Chicago, April, 1920. At this Chicago meeting important resolutions were adopted, among them the following: That the United States Government be urged to recognize the de facto government of Russia. That in Mexico we favor a constructive,co-operative policy of friend- liness between our government and the Mexican government. That we declare unaltcrable opposition to measures tending toward armed intervention. A strong international educational program was drawn up at this time for the purpose of establishing a basis for a new human civilization; everything to be excluded from text- books that could arouse hate and scorn for foreign peoples ; physical culture, not military drill, to be used as a means of physical development and an acquaintance with the literary master- pieces of other countries to be used as a means of arousing admiration for other nations. This educational program resolved itself into a great campaign against military training in the schools. Articles were written by leading educators and circulated by the thousand. At the executive meeting in September, 1920, Mrs. Spencer insisted that she must resign as chairman and Miss Mabel Kittredge was elected in her place. Mrs. Henry Leach became treasurer and Mrs. Lucy Biddle Lewis secretary. During the preceding summer and the win- ter of 1920-21 there was a steady increase in membership; from 494 in April, 1920, to over 1,300 the following year. Groups naturally formed in different states, state chairmen became a necessity, and at the annual meeting, April, 1921, regional chairmen were given up and it was decided that membership dues should be paid to state treasurers, a certain per cent being turned over from the state to the national treasurer. The reports given at the 1921 s»=eting showed large and active groups. To tell of the -gmusual organization work i cf* 5u.te OF the largest membership in another or the fight for justice for aliens ir. a third wont ecem to eorlerestimate the possibly harder struggle of an- “edeere’ Ue CORE Wiis teow ptcarcaiey ‘ as ao As a whole the United States section helped “fight the famine,” one collection resulting in $2,757 for the Hoover fond, while Miss Addams’ single effort for the children amounted to many times that sum. _ Direct communication with President Harding was held regarding the demands of the majority of the W. I. L. If we entered the League of Nations, membership must be opened on equal terms to all nations, the United States should not be bound to enforce decisions by military force or such blockade as cuts off from any nation the necessities of life, and the League should not be used to enforce the treaty of Versailles. Delegates from seventeen states attended the annual meeting and a report of membership came from thirty-nine states. The unanimous vote for the program of work for the year 1921-22 was that the United States section of the W. I. L. organize an intensive campaign for disarmament, working through congressional district groups So that the voice of the women might be heard clearly in Washington ; also that we co-operate with all other organizations working for the same end. The 1921 annual meeting was international in character; England, Japan, Ireland, Mexico, and Russia had representation, and as men and women of dificrent nationalities spoke at public meetings and talked together it was made plain that a common purpose tends to make national lines disappear. to all states; that if; iate reduction of armament and final one shall be on
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