Evening star., 1914-08-07
UNITE IN PROTEST
AGAINST BIG WAR
Equal Suffragists Call Upon
Civilized World to Condemn
European Conflict.
WOMEN AND CHILDREN
CLASSED AS VICTIMS
Appeal for Peace Issued by Associa-
tion Headed by DR.. Anna
Howard Shaw.

Appeal to all the women of the civilized
world to arise in protest against the Eu-
ropean war and to demand peace is made
In plea sent to organized suffragists in
twenty-six countries by the officers of the
National American Woman Suffrage As
sociation, of which DR.. Anna Howard
Shaw Is president
This appeal points out as an injustice
that the curse of war should be arbitrarily
thrust upon those who for a century
have made sacrifices and labored for the
betterment of humanity. 1t calls upon
the women to show the men who are re-
sponsible for the war that 1t is the wona-
en- and children who are the innocent VIC
TINS of their ambition and upon whom
the Industrial burdens must fall, and that
war means the destruction OF all that is
best In civilization.
Text Of the Appeal.
The text OF the appeal follows;
The cloud of a great international war
darkens all Europe and the shadow of
the conflict hangs over all the nations of
the world. insuring disaster to all people
and the turning back of civilization for
a century to come.
During the past hundred years women
have given their toll not only to mother
hood and the cares OF family life, but
also to the building up of the great in
dustries Of every country. They have de-
voted thought and energy and have made
great sacrifices to develop education and
establish reforms for the betterment of
humanity Hundreds of thousands have
sacrificed their lives to the life-giving vo-
cation Of motherhood.
Yet without one thought of the suf-
.Ix<N
have reared sons. or of the tremendous
industrial burdens that war will i'm
pose upon women. who will have to do
their own work and the work of the men
called to the field of battle; without con-
sideraton of the little children who will
have to be taken from school or from
play for industrial toll thus wantonly i'm
posed upon them by the government.
whose duty il is to protect and shield
them; this curse of medieval war is
thrust upon those whose will and wish
have not been consulted.
Burden of War on Women.
rs it that hundreds of thousands of
their sons may go down to death before
the terrible machinery of modern war
that the nations call upon women to give
their youth. their years of toll and their
labor for a higher civilization? Have
tT0y ISdI0u SOhS olliy " pctO1He prey "
the ambition of kings and exploiters?
Shah the strongest and noblest of the
races Of men be sacrinced and only the
weak and MANNED left to perpetuate
mankind?
Tho sufrragists of the United States
call upon the women of the world to
arise In protest against this unspeakable
wrong and TO show war-crazed men that
between the contending armies there
stand thousands of women and children
who are innocent victims of mems un-
bridled ambitions: that under the heels
Of each advancing army are crushed the
lives. the hopes. the happiness of count
less women whose rights have been
ignored. whose homes have been blighted
and whose honor will be sacrificed If
this unholy war does not cease and rea-
son and justice take the place of hate,
revenge and greed.
Not National Issue.
'-This Is not a national issue; it In
wolves all humanity.
Let the women of every nation in
voived In war make their men understand
that the highest patriotism lies in con-
serving life. wealth and energy; and that
war means not conservation, but destruc-
ton Of all that Is best In civilization"