Evening star., 1937-05-01
WOMEN'S LEAGUE
FIGHTS TO RAISE
LIVING STANDARDS
Seeks "DeCent" Level as
Basis for Activities for
Peace Abroad.
ECONOMIC INEQUALITIES
OF PRESENT ATTACKED
Organization Deplores Violence in
Strike-Breaking-War Bill
Assailed.

Conedmning the "ineuualities of the
present economic system" and use of
violent methods of breaking strikes
and preventing organization of work.
ers, the Women's International League
Tor Peace and Freedom, at its annual
meeting today in the Washington Ho-
tel, broadened its peace activities to
nght Tor decent standards of living in
tne united States as basis for peace
activities abroad.
we recognize that there is close
connection between peace and a decent
standard OF living for the people of the
world Mrs. Eleanor Fowler, new labor
secretary to the league, said in her
annual report. unanimously adopted at
today's session.
The league approved program re-
quesung the cooperation of labor in
its peace work in return for co-opera-
ton by the league in the efforts of
LABOR organizations ito gain the eco
nomlc and social conditions which we
recognize to be fundamental to peace" "
II Committees Established
During the last four months, the
league has established II labor COM
mittees, which now are functioning in
various parts of the country, and is
undertaking creation of similar COM
mittees in every State.
An attack on the pending War De-
partment military appropriation bill
was made by Miss Dorothy Deter,
national secretary to the league, who
characterized it as the dreadful Army
bill She asked that the league de-
mand that Congress eliminate S25.-
100000 increase in the Nations mil
itary expenses.
At the opening session yesterday
afternoon the group heard Miss Ger
trude Baer, head of the international
headquarters Of the League at Geneva,
denounce the Hitler and Mussolini
governments and call on the women
of the world to make greater sacri-
fees for peace than ever have been
made in history"
Warning Given on Spain.
Miss Baer, political refugee from
Germany, warned her listeners that
Spain must not become a second
Ethiopia, for the fate of Spain is the
fate of Europe"
Tonight. at May day dinner, the
delegates will plunge into the domes-
tic strike situation, with Gov. Frank
Murphy of Michigan, storm center in
the Detroit labor wars, speaking on
"Non-Violent Techniques in Labor
Disputes" In announcing that this
dinner and part of the business ses-
sionS will be devoted to combating the
use of violence in labor disputes, Off
GERS of the league condemned our
domestic economic system as being
shot through with force, injustice
and actual violence"
The threat to peace in that field
is as much concern of the w. I. l..
as the threats to peace in the inter-
national arena" it was explained.
To Attack Fascism.
The league, at its annual meeting,
which will continue through Monday.
plans to attack all forms of fascism
and dicta torship, with their contempt
for democracy, both as an aim and a
method, and their naive and uncritical
belief in violence" it was announced.
Miss Baer, who came to Washington
to speak at yesterdays opening session,
said there can be no hope of media
ton in the Spanish civil war so long
as German and Italian troops are sent
into that country. The Spanish rebel
forces would have been defeated "long
ago. she said, had it not been for
this foreign support. Nor can there
be peace so long as there exists in
the heart of Europe a German Reich
which constitutes a standing military
and economic menace" she said.
Our policy must be that the world
is one unity which can exist only
through mutual loyalty among peo-
pies Miss Baer said. There is no
international isolation against the
menace of war"
She said that "it is understood per-
fectly" in Europe that the United
States does not want to be drawn into
another European war, and assured
her hearers that public opinion in
this country "has a very great weight
with War-mongers in Europe"
Group to Call on Hull.
A deputation of II officers of the
league will call on Secretary of State
Hull today to request his support
of the body's international peace pro-
gram. In the group will be Miss
Helolse Brainerd and Miss Sarah A.
Moore of Washington.
This afternoon the delegates will
be entertained by Mrs. James Roose-
velt at a garden party in the White
House grounds.
Two other speakers at tonight's
dinner will be Josephine Roche, as
sistant secretary of the Treasury, who
won wide attention for her handling
of workers relations in her Colorado
coal mines, and A. j. Music, labor
secretary of the Fellowship of Recon-
ciliation.