The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1919-05-16
p1Fl FOR WOMEN VICTIMS OF
HUNS

Five Million Americans Ask That
They Be Regarded as Wounded in
War.
plea that all Allied women who
we're brutally attacked by German
soldiers in the occupied zones shall
no regarded as wounded in war" in
stead of being the objects Of disgrace,
il made in a petition, signed by 5,OOO,-
OOO American women, which was pre-
sented to Premier Clemenceau by Mrs.
Charles Fl. Farnam. Mrs. Farnam
acted in the name of the committee
On the protection of women under
International law.
The resolution in full follows:
Whereas, there is overwhelming
evidence that, in the present war, the
armies of the Central European Pow
ers and of their allies have been per-
mitted and encouraged to commit
and, officers and men en- masse, have
actually and persistently committed,
every form of sexual offense against
the country they have entered.
Whereas, such offenses are crimes
as we'll under the laws of war as I'M
der the laws of peace, as well under
the commonn laws of nations as I'M
der the municipal law of every nation
which is even specifically civilized,
and under The Hague convention:
Whereas, such crimes, besides
their mOnstr0us insult to the dignity
of womanhOOd, strike at the heart of
society, the home, and the deliberate
wholesale authorized commission Of
them by the Germans and their Allies
COnfronts society accordingly with
the alternatives either of acquieScing
in its own destruction to allow the
violation, the mutilation,> the slavery
and compulsory prostitution of women
and girls to become established by
force Of precedent as permitted
custom under the laws of war; or,
Enthusiastically to destroy that prece-
dent:
And inasmuch as more than ,OOO,-
900 French women have unitedly ap-
pealed to the women of all countries
to Join them in denouncing this in
famous and sinister attack on the
common life of humanity through its
wOmankind
Therefore, we, the women of the
United States, hereby:
a. Associate ourselves with the
women Of France in their protest and
appeal which is annexed hereto.
y. Demand that any officers, SOL
nv 81 &c
ers or their allies who have been
guilty OF any sexual offence against a
woman or girl of France or her allies
Id the course of the present war be
punished, if possible, especially in
hagrant and notable cases, and that
measures be taken by the nations in
conference that in any further wars
Che commission of these dangerous
ana degenerate villainies be absolutely
forbidden and denounced and ade-
qaate penalties with proper methods
OF enforcing them be carefully pro-
"ded and promulgated.
g. Declare our own deliberate
teellng, Judgment and position to be
taat all women injured by a despic-
ape enemy ought to be treated and
regarded, not as shamed, but as
wounded in the war. And we implore
Uur allies to confer that status on
men, both officially and in the pub
lie mind.
furthermore, we direct our com
nlttee IN charge to deliver these
aeSoluuons, duly authenticated to
oacn OF the governments (including
our own government allied against
ny or all of the Central Powers and
- toer allies in the present war, and
" ~ each OF the societies associated in
~ tne appeal Of the French women, and
I'LL, arrange, so far as possible, for
tries" TAAiiou oohn