The Olneyville times. (Olneyville [Providence, R.I.]) 1887-1917, 1917-02-23
Meeting in Boston Repudiates
Pacifists
RESOLUTIONS ARE ADOPTED
II We Do Not Fight Now We
Will Later, and Then
Perhaps Alone.

anti ldtluSl approving
the Presidents severance OF relations
with Germany. denouncing the I'm
sidious propaganda to divide Ameri
can sentiment and undermine the sup
port which the executive must have
from Congress and people; branding
as "treasonable" the pacifsts' en-
deavor to pledge young men not to
enlist. denouncing endeavors to tier
fere with the flow of supplies to that
western front which may soon be-
come the advance line of our own de-
fence against the Hohenzollern tyran-
n.y.; denouncing Germany's sinking OF
neutral merchant vessels without
warning, and her blockade of American
ports, and pledging support to tho
President in measures to break tho
blockade "and protect from German
frightfulness the lives and interests
of Americans upon the seas"
All the speakers, Joseph A. Conry.
Russian consul. who presided; George
Haven Putnam, president of the
American Rights League; Clarence f.
Carr of New Hampshire, DR.. Rich
ard c. Cabot, and the Rev. William II.
van Allen. who presented the resolu-
tions, were enthusiastically cheered.
Mr.. Conry, referring to the day being
the Sunday Immediately preceding
the beginning of Lent said:
"No more appropriate day could be
selected to give expression to the
views Of the people of Massachusetts
regarding the solemn situation con-
fronting us through the conduct Of a
country with which for two years we
have been nominally at peace, coun-
try that, during these two years, has
violated every law and ordinance OF
God and man, canonical, ecclesiastical.
statutory, national or international;
that has practiced a war Of brutality,
bestality and outrage worthy OF Attila
or Ghenis Khan; starved, maltreated
murdered unarmed men, women and
children aboard defenceless mer-
chantmen, and with sacreligious
mockery, pinned cross on the
breast OF the one who did
the deed, while we, with the cries OF
the victims Of Belgium and the Lusi-
tania still penetrating brain and soul,
have sadly but perhaps in patient per-
plexity, said to ourselves, We are
neutrals; we are at peace All, what
self-deception! We were far from be-
ing at peace, even with ourselves
The speaker declared: There are
those who wish that the President
had taken positive action and that
the country had declared war two
wears ago at the time of the sinking
OF the Lusitania.
president Wilson is to be credited
for his forbearance. II war comes.
history will credit this country with
having taken every honorable course
which could be adopted to avoid war.
II war comes. it will be a war for the
freedom of the seas and the perpet-
uation of civilization"
Mr. Conry denounced Germany for
fencing in so large a portion Of the
ocean, saying that apparently there
is no limit to the zone in which she
may sink without warning neutrai
merchant ships. but she makes one
exception-if an American ship Will
dress itself as a barber pole 1t may
sail once a week" He read Presi-
dent Monroes~ announcement OF the
Monroe doctrine, and quoted from
President John Quincy Adams's mes
sage TO Congress on Dec. 5, 1875, to
prove that Russia was the first Euro
pean country TO subscribe TO the
Monroe doctrine.
Must Fight "Now or Later"
Mai. Putnam deplored the division
among American citizens. but said
there was the same doubt and con-
fusion at the outbreak OF the civil
war. He contrasted the prompt de-
votion to their foster country shown
by Slovaks in New York, whom he
recently addressed. and who prom.
ised TO raise a regiment TO fight Ger.
many, with the passive seltshness
shown in San Francisco and other
newspapers, in which such express
sions have appeared as This war is
no concern of ours"
Clarence r. Carr told OF what pa"
tylotic societies in New Hampshire
have been doing in arousing public
sentiment TO the need for action and
TO appreciation OF the fact that this
is "a struggle for the freedom Of the
world. between democracy and de-
spotism. the idea OF Caesar and the
I idea OF Jesus"
Mr.. Carr quoted Sherman. at st.
/ Louis in 1861: "'The trouble with
/ the country has been a leniency and
timidity that has paralyzed all our
actions" and added. 1T Is said that
II we get ready for war we shall get
war, but that is not the question.
/ The question is-if we don't get
ready. what shall we get?"
In conclusion he said
We will not make war but
will accept war rather than submit
to long-continued and unproyoked
wrong.