Worcester Democrat and the ledger-enterprise. (Pocomoke City, Md.) 1921-1953, 1941-03-07
LATENT ANTI-WAR
MOVEMENT MADE
BY IOWA EDITOR

lbs, iowa, ClOoS w Vic = 1855 AONSS
and the plain people of America
touched off the potently latent anti
war sentiment aroused by the grow
ing danger of Americas involvement
IN the European war. That editor
was Verne Marshall of the Cedar Rap
ids Gazette and the movement be-
came the No Foreign War Commit
tee, with Marshall as chairman, which
early in December established Nation
al Headquarters in Cedar Rapids.
AS the news of this movement was
spread abroad, the response soon
overwhelmed the Cedar Rapids Of
fees and a New York Headquarters
was opened about January LIST at 100
last 42nd Street in that city.
Financial aid began to pour in by
mail from all parts of the country
and the many volunteer workers in
the New York Headquarters found
themselves swamped with piles of
Uncle Sans mail bags to open and to
hst the hundreds of contributions,
ranging from $1.00 to $1,000, that
arrived daily.
'SThis movement is finding support
among a large and general cross
section of America" said Chairman
Marshall. "Our committees objec-
tives are few in number and simple.
Our purpose is to prevent the United
States from being sucked into the
current chapter of Europe's interim
Aable, economic, political and ideo-
logical war;"
eve aim," continued Mr.. Marshall
Ito fight to keep this country out of
foreign wars and to defend our ma
tional independence against the wiles
Of foreign intrigue. We are expos
ing and combating all propaganda
designed to lead us into foreign wars
and to do our part toward preventing
political action leading to this gov
ernment's financial commitments to
belligerent foreign powers. We want
to aid in building strong national
defense but will expose and combat
every political attempt that would
weaken our own military defenses for
the benefit of any foreign power"
Mr.. Marsall commented upon the
fact that the women of this country
presented united front for peace ac-
cording to thousands of letters that
reach the New York headquarters.
Said Mr.. Marshall, with the nation
divided into virtually two camps over
the question of whether our aid to
Britain should go so far as war a.
gainst the Axis powers, we find that
women in all walks of life are over
whelmingly opposed to any participa-
ton in foreign war.
Letters from professional women,
housewives farmers wives, school
teachers, mothers and sweethearts
all tell the story of American woman
hood concern over the crisis which
now faces America.
"These women do not want war
their pleas, with one exception, are
keyed in proportion to the possible
involvement of their own sons and
husbands. That one exception, is the
plea of the school-teachers; those who
are not mothers nor wives, but who
are training boys from kindergarten
10 college, and, who are now asking
themselves of what avail is that
training, if the youth they influence
must be blown to bits some day on the
battlefield.
"Here are some samples of the let
ters we are getting by the thousands
every day:
"From a teacher in Louisiana: Il
am not accustomed to writing this
sort of letter and it will not be we'll
done, because I have taught school
all day and have this evening at
tended an Extension Class'-so 1 am
tired. But l cannot go to bed with
out adding my name to the other pro-
Americans who want this country to
stay out of war which may only
lead to many other wars. I would
Ike to feel that the children I teach
will have some chance in the world.
The only war for America which
could be justified would be one in ac-
tual defense. of our own land
"A Wisconsin teacher writes:
AS teacher of young men of
draft-age, cannot bear to think of
their shedding their blood on foreign
soil
"a mother in Illinois writes:
I have son twenty-five years old.
pledge you my whole-hearted sup
port. My husband and believe that,
If there were as many anti-war NOV