"WILL YOU AUTHORIZE YOUR NAME TO THE FOLLOWING TELEGRAM TO THE PRESIDENT. THE MEMBERS OF THE WOMAN'S PEACE PARTY ARE PERSUADED THAT YOUR WISDOM CAN DEVISE A NEW WAY OUT OF THE PRESENT DIFFICULT SITUATION, WHICH WILL BE IN ACCORD WITH THE PRINCIPLES OF THE NEW INTERNATIONALISM RATHER THAN WITH THE ANTIQUATED AND WHAT PROVED TO BE FUTILE METHOD FOLLOWED BY OUR NATION IN 1812 WHEN IT ATTEMPTED TO PROTECT BY WAR AMERICAN RIGHTS UPON THE HIGH SEAS. SHOULD A DEMOCRACY NOT ASK THE PEOPLE BY A REFERENDUM VOTE WHETHER IT IS THEIR WISH TO DEFEND AMERICAN COMMERCE BY WAR? SUCH A VOTE IN VIEW OF OUR DIVERSE POPULATION WOULD BE IN EFFECT AN APPEAL TO INTERNATIONAL PUBLIC OPINION. IS IT NOT POSSIBLE TO CALL A JOINT OFFICIAL CONFERENCE OF NEUTRAL NATIONS TO CONSIDER SAFE GUARDING NEUTRAL RIGHTS ON THE SEAS BEFORE THE UNITED STATES IS DRAWN INTO WAR, AND THUS MAKE A VERY GENUINE BEGINNING OF A LEAGUE OF NATIONS."
(SIGNED) JANE ADDAMS
Comments