telephone and not very clearly, she hoped the Socialists When it came to other matters Mrs. Lloyd was equally frank, writing to Lochner and Miss Secor at different times during 1917: I'm "Why can't we wire freely to Germany? hoping and praying for the success of the Russian Socialists. I wired La Follette again about our auditorium meeting. He replied that the legislative situation would prevent. Do you really think he would injure anything there by absenting himself over Saturday and Sunday. Can you do anything about it?" (May 5, 1917.) In Lochner's answers among several things worth quoting are: "The leak in the newspapers was indeed unfortunate, though Socialism just now is getting to be mighty respectable. As you have probably already surmised the ultimate aim of our organization will be to get America out of the war that we were unable to keep her out of." (May 16, 1917.) As for Jane Addams, though she, like La Follette, was always sympathetic to Lochner's plans during the early period of the peace movement, from 1917 on, she was extremely loth to allow her name to appear on his Conference Committee and People's Council lists. It will be remembered that when Lochner began his peace agitation in 1914, Jane Addams helped him, not only with her sympathy publicly expressed, but with the prestige of her name on his letter heads. By 1917, however, when his socialistic program was more boldly announced, Miss Addams persistently refused anything but private co-operation. Some of her concessions at this stage were as follows: "As your plans" (for the Conference) "develop, do keep us informed, and it is possible that out of this meeting a similar organization might be formed.1 . . . I am feeling queer to be going to the conference of foreign relations of the United States, financed it is rumored by the Carnegie people, when you and my other friends will be having a conference on the 30th." Another time, in response to Miss Balch's urgent wire, Miss Addams telegraphed. "Am not as well as usual and not able to preside, but hope to attend conference. Would advise Mr. Tucker as the best man for suggested work." (May 25, 1917.) Later in the summer, (August 22, 1917), Miss Secor wired in reference to the People's Council Convention to Lochner, "Jane Addams in letter to Balch accepts place on program." But as there is not the slightest mention of the name of Jane Addams in the record of the September Convention, she must have withdrawn at the psychological moment. There was, nevertheless, an American Conference for Democracy and Terms of Peace organized in Chicago and delegates appointed to the Convention of the People's Council from Chicago, without the public support of Miss Addams. Also in Philadelphia on July 20, 1917, where the Conference met boldly under the auspices of the Workmen's Branch of the People's Council in the first place, Norman Thomas spoke in high praise of conscientious objectors, and Jacob Panken, after a subtle attack on Mr. Gompers and the American Federation of Labor, said: They (the people) must realize that this war has no appeal to the American Workers, nor are there any principles or interests of the American people vitally involved. It is held out to us that we are to make these sacrifices for democracy and civilization. If it is the democracy and civilization that is sought to be saddled upon us by the government, it were better that democracy and civilization perish entirely." (Bulletin of Philadelphia People's Council.) Jane Addams to Lochner, May 7, 1917. 'From Mrs. Lloyd to Lochner, Aug. 12, 1917; from Mrs. Thomas to Lochner, Aug. 25 and Aug. 26, 1917. Approximately at the same time the People's Council issued a bulletin announcing the dispatch of an open letter to all members of Congress, the gist of which is given as: "We appeal to you, our representatives, immediately to set aside adequate time for a frank and free debate on a resolution accepting the Russian formula as a basis for immediate, general peace, and we urge upon you the advisability of calling into conference in Washington, without delay, representatives to the elected assemblies of all the Allied powers for the purpose of formulating a concrete statement of terms, upon which a just and permanent peace can be arranged. 66 The letter was written immediately following the speech of Senator Borah in which he urged that the nation deserves to know more definitely and more specifically the terms and conditions upon which we were fighting and the terms and conditions upon which we would cease to fight.' "The letter also called attention to a recent similar utterance upon the part of Senator Lewis and one of Mr. Asquith in the English House of Commons, in which he said 'it cannot be stated too clearly that this is a matter for the people rather than for the governments.' "This is but one of the activities of the organization committee of the Council. In conjunction with the Legal First Aid Bureau and the Civil Liberties Bureau, 70 Fifth avenue, New York City, it is providing legal defense for conscientious objectors. It is also urging throught its branches agitation for the repeal of conscription act. "In conjunction with the Workmen's Council, which is the labor wing of the People's Council movement, the organizing committee arranged a great mass meeting of protest against the suppression of the labor and radical press by denial of the use of the mails." (Press matter, People's Council, August, 1917.) It was towards the central convention set for September 2-6, 1917, that Lochner and his colleagues both at New York headquarters and in the field now devoted their energies. Miss Freeman for instance was particularly active, traveling from Seattle, August 13th, to Everett, Wash., August 17th, then to Deer Lodge, Mont., August 22d, and finally to Butte, Mont., on August 27th, agitating constantly for the People's Council. We quote passages from her voluminous letters to Lochner: From Seattle, August 13, 1917, in reference to the San Francisco meeting of the People's Council she wrote: "The man Thompson you see on the program is a member of the I. W. W. and made a wonderful speech." . From Everett, Wash., describing the Seattle meeting where Kate Sadler "a a splendid live soul but very radical" was arrested: I leaped on the table and started to speak-most of the crowd remaining. I told the purposes of the People's Council and something about the Russian democracy. . . . Then Colonel Wood of Portland came and I closed. Just then eight policemen came up and declared they would arrest me. A great shout of indignation went up but they seemed very determined. . . I jumped from the table and a policeman caught hold of my arm. . . . People surged in between us, the hand suddenly loosened and I slipped into the crowd easily and back to the hall, in time to do my usual job of asking for the collection. The I. W. W. situation here is one to be reckoned with. They are very powerful here, and our meetings were rather swamped owing to the lumber strike. . . . The screws are getting tighter. 'These are great times for democracy.' . . . By the way get in touch with Lincoln Steffens. From Deer Lodge, Mont., August 22, 1917, to Miss Alice Park of the Woman's Suffrage Party: "The situation here is vastly different from the Seattle vicinity. One has to soft-pedal very much. The splendid boys who formed the committee had worked very hard and were very anxious. They feared the least radical remark would upset the apple cart. I made my speech in the form of questions; and so got by with many statements. . . I am leaving here tonight. see you in Minneapolis." From Butte, to Lochner, August 27, 1917: Will "I haven't done anything to speak of here. The situation is most delicate. Mary O'Neill will handle it. . . . She is very deep in it all here and so is Miss Rankin who, by the way is at her home in Missoula, Mont. Mary is her first lieutenant in this State, and very wise and careful. "Great Falls are planning to go out on a sympathetic strike, and it means careful handling." In view of these letters it can perhaps be said without any exaggeration that Miss Freeman did her bit in the way of spreading radicalism through People's Council propaganda, in this country during the war. Among the agents organizing in the field during the summer of 1917 for the People's Council were Irwin St. John Tucker who co-operated with Mrs. Lloyd in Chicago,' Grace Scribner, of Boston; S. A. Stockwell, of Minneapolis; M. A. Brantland, of Ada, Minn.; Thos. Vollom, Erskine, Minn.; Olof M. Grover, Mentor, Minn. ;5 and C. A. Ryan of the World Peace Association, Northfield, Minn.,* were also active. One of Lochner's aides who did particularly effective work was James Maurer. He wrote in August 20, 1917, submitting his expense account to the People's Council: "On my tour I spoke at the following places: Denver Trinidad Kansas City Granite City 1 meeting 1 meeting 1 meeting 2 meetings 1 meeting 1 meeting 2 meetings (Union men only) 3 meetings (1 to Union men only) 1 meeting All told twenty-five meetings. All excepting two were very well attended. Meeting at Seattle was broken up by soldiers, after I had spoken just one hour. The meeting at Pocatello 1 Telegram, Tucker to Lochner, Aug. 21, 1917. 'June 19, 1917. C. A. Ryan, soliciting funds for People's Council, Aug. 17, 1917. 3 Aug. 4, 1917. |