New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1918-04-03
p Phillips Launches
New Organization
To Oppose War

Charles Francis Phillips, conscicn-
tious objector, is conscientously at it
again.
Backed by some of the leading lights
of the Peoples Council, young Phillips
has launched a brand-new "anti-mili-
tarlst organization. !.nown-or, rather,
to be known, once Charles Francis gets
properly under way as the ioung De-
mocracy. The avowcd object Of this
body, which has been c..cularzing its
possible friends for the last fortnight,
is the Illustration of "any attempt to
tasten the horrors of compulsory mill
tary training on the young manhood
of this country"
An antl-war magazine to be entitled
"Ihc Young Democracy" and ma
tion-wdc campaign against oppression
IN the schools and administration by
trustees are included in its pro
grammc. Agtators and organizers are
to be sent far and wide. Phillips as
serts, to rally the youth Of the country
in support of the "radical labor move
mont Candidates for local Offices arc
to be run in "elcctions wherever it NAV
seem best, and the cause of the con-
sclentous obJector is to be warmly
championed.
national conference" combining
delegates from all the various pacifist
and alleged radical societies in the
country. is TO be held in New York on
May > and 6. Many prominent speak
crs OF the order Of Randolph Bourne
and Man Eastman arc expected, phillins
says to address the gathering. Re
hocca Shelly a member, with Scott
Nearing, now under indictment, Of tho
executive committee of the People';;
Council and Leila Faye Secor. an
other Official of the pacihst orcaniza-
ton, are at present active in making
arrangements for the conference.
which will probably be staged at Bell,
port, Long Island.
Phillips, who few weeks ago, fol-
loving his dismlssal from Camp Upton
as an undesirable" was ranging the
byways of New York in search of a lob
yesterday refused either to affirm or
deny that the Peoples Council is fur
nlshlng the financial backing for his
latest venture. In other quarters. how
ever, it was said that not ONLY is this
the ease, but that if the Young Dcmoc-
racy gets fairly launched it will take
over many of the activities Of the coun-
Gil.
The text of tho official "cally to the
'- ia ,'ot4 u e'!h'ilE conference came
up 70 Phillips from the printers YES
tterday afternoon. 1t is made up in
iour-page pamphlet FORM and is a
brave and elaborate affair. On The
cover, IN display italics, appears the
legend:
eff militarism and military training
are to be beaten they must be beaten
by the young Then follows the an
nounccmcnt of the conference date
in ff,,.
uh"cr forty years of age, you will want
to attend"
The Call"
1t continues:
"To the Young Men and Women Of
America:
"Yorng people constitute the most
exploited and least consulted portion
of our population. Though SUPPLYING
the urge and vital power of the ma
ton, they have never had any part in
deciding how that power shall be
utllIzeG. They have been expected t,
throwthelr lives and their energy into
the balance without question. Outro-
ing generations old men-have ALWAYS
used and directed this energy.
And now the old are planning for
as, among other things. the discipline
OF universal military training We are
TO pc made the energy and the mass of
a. iuSSlaniZeu Hllltafy machine. Our
lives are to be given out of our control
for good and all. Shall we submit to
THIS. as we have submitted to cvcrv
thlng III the past? Shall we surrender
ourselves without even a protest?
we propose to inaugurate change
We demand that the youths Of our
generation and Of all generations to
follow shall no longer be compelled TO
bear arms at the behcst of old men to
submit to laws imposed by old men, to
tom under the frghtfu conditions
hxed b. old men or to accent an cduca
tonal system dccrccd by old men
The immediate objects of the confer |
ence are set forth under four heads -I
anti military training agitation. in the
course of which, Phillips said yester
day, lobbyists are to be sent To Wash ,
'ngton next month; the case of the
conscientlous objector, Labor stand. |
ards and "educational standards"