The watchman and southron. [volume] (Sumter, S.C.) 1881-1930, 1915-12-29
PEACE PARTY DISSEnSIONS.
MRS. BOISSEVAIN DESERTS FORD
EXPEDITION.
Bethea Leaves Party, Personal Busi.
ness Calls Lieutenant Governor -
Well known Woman Sees Failure
Ahead.

Stockholm (via London), Dec. &c,
A meeting of the members of the
Ford peace committee last night re-
suited in a disagreement over the
mode of procedure and Mrs. Inez
Milholland Boissevain announced her
withdrawal from the expedition. Mrs
Boissevain explained that she was
to abandon the peace trip
and would leave Immediately for
home.
Andrew j. Bethea, lieutenant gov
ernor Of South Carolina, will leave the
expedition tomorrow on account of
personal business. Mrs. Boissevain
time.
Henry Ford 81 departing for
America, had y Gnted several dele
gates to ca' = n the work Of the
expedition. ; Sc delegates elected
the Rev. = Lloyd Jones chair
man, who o lounced his plans with
out refe' 5; to the general meet
ing. N /oissevain protested. She
denou' the peace plan as nebulous
and and said that when the
peae .p left New York Mr.. Ford
hao definite plans, but she hoped
later that one would develop. This,
she said. had not materialized and
instead there were dissensions and
Misunderstanding She expressed the
belief that the expedition was DOOM
ed to failure because Of undemocratic
principles of small group, including
Mime. Rosika Schwimmer, in controll-
ing opinion.
I'VE have appeared to the public
what We are, in fact, a confused mass
of amiably intended persons of vague
thinking and no plannig," Mrs. Bois-
sevai said. Continuing, she accused
the leaders of the party with having
arrived in Scandinavia without any
plan convincing to the people whom
it was sought to win over to peace.
Mrs. Boissevain's statements caused
CONSERVATION in the meeting. Mem.
bers :; iupaRsa ls t2 J. their feet aslsinE that,
ghe expedition proceed WIIfi9 6fll 3
urged harmony Dr. narses Ala
pleaded that an shoaid adhsrs to the
original plan OF Mr. Ford. Mrs. Bois-
sevain said in reply that she was
compelled to abandon the expedition
and WAS ieaying Immediately. R
Mrs. Boissevain presented TO a pub
lie meeting OF the delegates today
statement Of her reasons for doing
SO and for believing the project was
doomed to failure
THE undemocratic method employ
ed by the managers of the expedition
Is repugnant to my principles," she
said. Instead of all the members
formulating plans the work has been
confined to a few specially selected
persons. When the party embarked
I took it for granted that the rather
vague opinion Of the. body of dele
gates would be- hammered into ef-
fectiye shape by group action and
constructive thinking throughout the
voyage. M "A =
An organization was not formed
until three; days before the end Of
the voyage. To that fact trace all
Misunderstanding dissensions. mis-
takes in policy, inefficiency and ina
bility to get the idea of mediation
peace congress- in comprehensive
shape before the publics
THE organization when finally
formed was abortive. The Scandina-
Wan public which expected clear
thinking and a definite programme
were skeptical about the serious
mindedness of the delegates At the
meetings the discussions have been
purely private with the result Of i'll
feeling, suspicious and condemnation.
For the reasons stated, 1 am unable
to continue with the party"
CASTOR P. Lantiff. the personal rep
resentative of Mr.. Ford requested Mrs.
Boissevain to remain with the expe-
dition, but without avail.