The Bridgeport evening farmer., 1917-04-02
WAR AND PEACE
ORGANIZATIONS
INVADE CAPITAL

Nv U1O6 VIII HlE
Washington, April 2.-Pacifst and
anti-pacif1st pilgrims besieged official
Washington today in an eleventh hour
effort to influence Congress toward
their respective views Of impending
war with Germany. Street parading
was denied both by police orders, but
the program of each called for unor-
ganized sidewalk professions to the
capitol where senator's and represent
tatives might be canvassed for their
peace or war ideas.
simultaneously thousands of tel
egrams from all parts of the country
poured upon the capitol and White
House, either praying for peace or
urging drastic action to uphold Amer
lean rights and honor.
Most pacifsts cae here from New
York and other cities under the direc-
tom Of the Emergency Peace fedora
ton. They arranged a meeting this
afternoon to act on resolutions and
petitions and a mass meeting for to-
night. The anti-pacifists, calling them
selves pilgrims of patriotism" came
from a number of Eastern cities
marshalled by New York citizens
committee to neutralize the effect OF
the anti-war forces.
The delegations of pacifists assem-
bled at headquarters Of the Emer-
gency Peace federation and were fur
nished with white arm bands bearing
in large black letters the inscription,
''Keep Out of War;"
They were supplied also with cards
to admit them to the business and
mass meetings and the city addresses
of their senators and representatives.
The delegates were instructed to spend
the morning calling upon their legis-
lative representatives and urging them
to take no action that would lead to
hostilities.>
The instruction list handed to each
delegate called attention to the fact
that both Houses would convene at
noon and that they might be inter-
ested in witnessing the opening" This
was taken to mean that the pac1hsts
were expected to be at the capitol at
II o'clock.
Anti-Pacifists said they, too, would
be at the capitol whenever the paci-
fists planned to be there. They had
instructions similar to those of the
pacifists and long before the time set
for the opening Of Congress the tele-
phone bells Of senators and represen-
tatives in their homes and at their
offices were tingling with calls from
both factions.
Louis P. Lochner, directing the &C
tivities of the pacdfists, said: "If we
should fail to prevent war we will
continue to work for peace just as GER
tain people in England have done all
during this wear in Europe"
New York, April 2.-Several thou
sand militants and nearly q thousand
pacifsts filed a n lumber OF special
trains for Washington which left New
York today beginning shortly after
midnight. The advocates of pace got
away eight hours in advance of the
first train bearing those WHO styled
themselves patriot pilgrims and who
favor war. Each pacifist carried a
white tulip and wore an arm band in
scribed keep out of war;
Professor Ellerw G.. StoweI Of Co
lalmIbia university, who led the war
pilgrims, said he expected nearly 10000
persons would go from New York on
the errand.
Henry L. Stimson. former secretary
of war, and Frederick r. Coudert left
New York yesterday ON a speaking
tour through the middle west and the
northwest in behalf of universal mil
itary training and service. The trip
was planned by the National Security
league.
The war crisis furnished a subject
for sermons yesterday in churches
throughout the city. At Plymouth
church, Brooklyn, the congregation,
after listening to a sermon by DIR.
Newell Dwight FilMs. adopted a res
olution calling upon Congress for an
immediate declaration of war against
Germany. The men OF the co11grega-
ton have started the organization of a
regiment In the event of war both
the church building amid the services
Of the regiment will b0 offered to the
government.
The most notable peace sermon was
delivered fly DR.. John Haynes Holmes,
p9stor Of the Church Of the Messiah.
AT. the close DR.. Holmes offered to
tender his resignation If the congre-
gsation desired 1t. The trustees of the
church met last night but made no
public announcement.
The Navy department, it was an
nounced today, has approved a. plan to
train men for handling quick firing
guns on the haribor defense mosquito
heet by opening schools Of gunnery in
vacant stores.