Daily capital journal. (Salem, Oregon) 1903-1919, 1917-04-24
FRIENDS PAC|FISTS
But NOT PASSIVISTS
While Unwilling to Bear Arms
VIII! Do Anything Else to
Help Country

RlcHlnuhu, lhu., April 1S.-Ameflcan
Quakers are pacifists, but not passivists,
according to q statement from the cen
tral office of the five years meeting OF
Friends in America, issued here today
by Walter c. Woodward, general secre-
taTy. The Friends may be expected
to maintain their historic position
against war, he declares, both as a
matter Of principle and of policy. They
are none the less loyal to the govern
ment and will be found doing their bit
! in ways consonant with their convic-
tions. Attention is called to the heroic
and sacrificing service rendered
by English Friends in Belgium, France
| and Russia, as indicative Of the practi-
| cal constructive service that may be
expected of the disciples of George Fox
On this side of the Atlantic A nation
wide organization OF Friends toward
this end is projected The statement
of the general secretary fellows:
Are Not Dtsloyal.
"The Friends in America enter Wig
orous protest against the tendency in
the present crisis to identify pacifism
with disloyalty. There may be disloyal
pacifists, but we maintain that the his
tury of Quakerism should place its pa
cifism above above suspicion. We
Friends are pacifists, but not passivists.
| We believe all war wrong as a matter
Of principle and wrong as a matter of
policy, and must therefore refrain from
bearing arms We are conscientious
| objectors," but we are more. We do
not propose to stop with objeeting.
Though against war, Friends are for
the nation and humanity, for which they
are prepared to suffer and to sacrifice
They are ready to prove their patriotism
no less than their pacifism.
Gas proof that this has been their
record in the past, Friends point to
their course in the Civil war Though
they could not as body enter the mill
tary service, they rendered invaluable
aid to the government in other ways
and no people were regarded as more
loyal. In the present war, the English
Friends, through various kinds of con
structive relief work, both at home and
on the continent, and financed and
manned by themselves, have commanded
the respect and commendati0n of the
world. Their loyalty is beyond perad
venture of doubt
Organizing to Help.
"As a national organization we are
already taking steps looking toward
Quaker Mobilization; not TO the ac
compartment of drum and oratory, but
with a quiet conviction none the less
impressive and effective because less
spectacular. The young men of oul
colleges are being called upon, some fol
hospital service ana for relief work
Others win serve in the fields of in.
dustry and agriculture, yet others in
the Y. M G. A. at the front. A sys
| tematie canvass of the church win be
made to secure adequate funds for va.
rious phases of war relief, to be carried
on both here and abroad. Since with
Friends this work is matter of con.
science. and since they cannot directly
or indirectly participate in war, such
service as the majority Of them render
cannot be performed under the auspices
of the military branch of the govern
ment. The fundamental doctrine OF
| Quakerism is that of the inviolability oil
| the individual conscience. We do not
therefore presume to tell our members
| what they shall do or not do, as individ
uals, but in the assurance that in the
present as in the past, Friends win rem.
| der their full measure of devotion,
we confidently pledge the Friends in
America to this, their immediate task.
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