Shoshone journal. [volume] (Shoshone, Idaho) 1884-1931, 1919-01-03
The Woman'S
Peace Party
n
By HARRIET CHAPEL
OF The Vigao1fes

Oh the European war INC w Ofiidu
Peace party undertook the noble wOr
Of curing the worlds war sickness
They attracted my attention by an
ncuncing q two weeks course Of lee
lures which promised vast enliglsten
ment. On their list of speakers wer
notable names. / remember hearing
Professor Hull, Professor Nasmith
Norman Angel, Madeline u. Doty anG
Crystal Eastman.
| attached myself to them with grea
hopes. l thought, NOW 1 shall hear
! OF substitute for war, effective
enough to check evil doers," for l had
a Philistine feeling that there were
eyildoers yet about.
Daily listened to those lectures and
even timidly put my questions when
the proper time for question came.
They were nice people, those friends,
and l am very grateful for the oppor-
tunity of study which they afforded
me.
But my first question, Suppose some
evil-minded nation is really bent on ag-
gression, what means can be used for
curbing it without warfare?" never re-
ceiyed direct answer. That was be-
cause they blandly assumed that all ma
lions are really bent on peace and wars
arise purely from misapprehensions I;
therefore what is needed Is agreements
to arbitrate and to boycott fretful ma
lions. So simpleI
Might Be Sinner Nations.
My supposition that there might be
sinner nations must have seemed
frightfully crude, but somehow 1t lin
gers with me yet. Their plans, based
on international agreements and eco
nomic penalties, appeared to me so re-
mote and so conditional upon the good
VIII Of the parties-which good viii
would keep the peace anyway-that
grew doubtful of their practical value.
But a second problem there was,
which might bring to light remedy
for war. 'In case an aggressor APP
pef.red, would he be disarmed by nom
reslstance?" 1 thought. Perhaps a ma
ton Of willing martyrs, ready to be
stripped of land and life rather than
fight, would shame the world into
peace. But" thought I, "what an
of educating it will take to
tune the minds of a whole people to
this self-sacrificc. Perhaps these
friends seek to do that work of educa-
tong
But no. They scarcely admitted the
case OF invasion of an unresisting peo-
pie. Neither did hear advice to en-
lure all that might be inflicted by a |
zoe. Friends might persecate pacifist, |
out a foe-hardly. Since that time
Russia's con6agration has illuminated |
he idea, but even Russians have not
,een consistent martyrs. They have
lone some lively fighting when antag-
,nists have proved to be not altogeth-
r harmless.
Finally | thought, although they
AVE neither a practical substitute for
var, nor holy teaching OF non-resist-
NICE. perhaps still they offer the clear
st, swiftest leadership we have. and
n little while they will, perhaps, for
'rulate the practical remedy" But a
bird time l was disappointed
Could Not Follow Them.
As the current of events swept the
United States toward war, these people
night have Joined in the needed work
4 the hour, making themselves useful
IS Norman Angel has. and deferred
heir teaching of ideals until the peo-
lie returned to a teachable mood. In
uch coarse they would have shown
'ractical leadership and good peda-
pgy. Instead they persistently forced
heir cry for peace" upon a nation
ngrily conscious of throttling hand
Il its throat. They did more. They
rent to Washington and hung upon the
kirts Of sorely-tried government with
be aim of hampering its action And
heir / broke with them.
Regretfully I wrote to them saying
could no longer follow a leadership
o lacking In propriety, so out of touch
nth the actual American spirit, so
ominated by fantastic theories made
n Germany. But 1 had to resign a
econd time before they could under
tand It.
They are. however, well-meaning peo-
lie and very earnest In the pursuit of
he ideal, and am grateful for the
pportunity for study which they Of
cred In this institute. Bnt--I wonder
Eow. In the light of recent history.
hey have discovered that much-want-
d substitute for WARP
Or-that there may be sinner ma
Ions?
Or-if they are ready now for the al
of non-resistance. as In Ar
lenia?
Or--lf they have discovered the
.merican principle of cooperation and
eigllborly solidarity. as an adequate
ocial method In place of socialism,