The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1917-09-01
Order From Governor Breaks
Up Session After Started.
LOwden Feared Violence and
RiOting Would Be Result.
MAY CHARTER A SHIP SOON
Will Hold Meeting at Sea if Ma
ton Refuses Home.
Still Threaten To Cast Selves
on Steps of Capitol.

Chicago, Sept. 1.-The Peoples
council began it's long heralded and
much buffeted conference in the west
side auditorium here shortly before
noon.
At Springfield, Governor Frank o.
Lowden at noon ordered Adjutant
General Dickson to prevent any meet
ing of the Peoples Council OF Amer
lea for democracy and peace IN I'M
nois declaring he feared disorder ana
rioting if the proposed meeting was
held.
Governor Lowden was informed by
telephone that the peace meeting had
started in Chicago and he imme-
diately called Adjutant General DICK
son into conference to consider meas
ures to carry out his order, that the
conference be prevented.
Adjutant General Acts
II have received an order from the
governor to prevent the peace meeting
anywhere in the state of Illinois and
will carry it out to the letter. Ad1u-
tant General Dickson stated, following
his conference with Gov. Lowden-
statement issued by Gov Low
den follows in part:
''While the meeting purports to be
in the interests of peace, ii is really
intended to obstruct the government
in the prosecution of the war IN wnlcn
we are now engaged and is calculated
to produce disorder and rfoting in H.
linois The governor will not there
for, permit this meeting to be held IN
Illinois. Troops would be sent to the
hall to halt the session If necessary.
he said.
Fear Interference.
The hundred odd delegates at the
meeting speeded up the preliminarfes,
openly admitting their fear of inter-
ference by the police.
Secretary Mour Stedman, general
counsel for the Socialist party, who
was elected temporary, chairman, told
the ''peacers'' they must hurry. as
this conference may be interrupted
at any minute"
Louis p. Lochner. executive secre-
tary of the council, was elected tenn
porary secretary of the conference
Elect Organizing Committee.
A resolution was hurriediy intro
duced and as hurriedly adopted. de-
cIaring that should this meeting be
dissolved. prohibited, interrupted or
abandoned as the result of action by
the authorities. then the chairman.
shall constitute an executive commits
tee with full power to act"
The following permanent organizing
committee was elected:
Sara Bard Field, California;; Crys-
tai Eastman. New York: Frank Stew
ems, Delaware; J. Pankin, New York;
]. A. Maurer. Pennsylvania: J. w.
| Works, Milwaukee, and Mrs. w. 1.
| Thomas. Illinois.
Meeting Is stopped.
On receipt of news that Governor
| Lowden had ordered the peace meet
| ing stopped, it was Immediately de-
| cided that the various state delega-
| tions would hold quiet hotel meetings
at their hotels and each state elect
| delegates to comprise a national COM
mittee. In this manner interference
. by the state authorities was expected
to be avoided while a working organ
| ization was being perfected.
A special meeting of the city coun-
| Gil has been called by eight aldermen
| to request Governor Lowden to issue
a proclamation preventing the peace
| delegates from holding their meetings
in Chicago The council meeting was
set for Tuesday.
To Meet at Sea.
Officers of the council said that II
] the peace conference is barred from
Chicago and ruled out of the national
ca pital by official Washington a
| deliberations held on the high seas off
the New England coast.
I'VE still have some freedom of the
seas and if necessary we will resort to
these rights said Charles F. Kruze,
! president of the International Broth
+, erhood Welfare association and an ac-
| tive member of the arrangements
committee. Louis p. Lochner secrs-
| tary accompanied by more than q
score of members. arrived today and
went into conference almost imme-
| diately with leaders from the east Mr.
: Lochner declared that it depended en-
4 tirely upon the sentiment of the east
ern delegates whether the conference
would be held in Chicago. He said:
/ Appeal to President.
( "If We do not meet here, we viii
continue to Washington probably
/ Sunday morning, and put the issue
squarely up to President Wilson and
| congress, basing our contentious who'll
/ ly on the freedom of speech"
| The west side auditorium. the scene
of many labor meetings, on the west
side, was obtained and upon Mr.. Loch-
ner's arrival. the delegates proceeded
to that place.
1t was stated that the meeting was