From the archive: Peace principles
Janet Scott, in her series on the Friend and the first world war, tells how American Friends reacted when their country joined the conflict
The USA entered the first world war on 6 April 1917 when Congress, in response to a proposal by president Woodrow Wilson, voted to declare war on Germany. He had asked Congress to support a ‘war to end all wars’ that ‘would make the world safe for democracy’. It was a decision that would have profound implications on the course of the conflict.
On 13 April the Friend commented:
Whilst Friends have a testimony to bear against war, it should not blind us to the inherent greatness of President Wilson’s unique speech to Congress on the declaration of war with Germany… Though the decision to go to war will come with deep disappointment to many of our American Friends, they and we cannot fail to recognise, first, that President Wilson has stood for peace with firmness and patience ever since the war began… In the second place, we recognise that President Wilson has been a foremost advocate in urging the formation of a League of International Peace… In the third place, President Wilson made clear in his declaration that he is a warm supporter of human freedom, democracy, and national righteousness, as well as the friend of the German people…
The purpose of the American people in the struggle, he declared, would be… the universal dominion of right by such a concert of free peoples as will bring peace and safety to all nations and make the world itself at last free.
On 11 May the Friend was able to report the responses of some American Friends. Both ‘liberal’ and ‘evangelical’ Friends were clear about the Peace Testimony and recommended alternative service in ambulance work, relief of war victims and aliens, and the production of food. To help with this they set up a committee representing all bodies of Friends in the USA, which became known as the American Friends Service Committee (AFSC). The Friend (Philadelphia) wrote:
We shall not cease to make a firm but loving protest against every invasion of the sacred rights of freedom by the legislative powers, we shall not cease with tenderest consideration to do our little to enlighten those consciences that have not seen how all war is incompatible with the spirit of Christianity… Our patriotism is to be above all for the Kingdom of God.
The American Friend (Five Years Meeting) wrote:
Members of the Society of Friends cannot fight, even for such a worthy cause as the overthrow of German militarism. But they can and will pray… they will be at the front, as they have been in the past, in deeds of mercy, and they will seek to show their fealty to the best interests of the nation by other methods than the killing of men.
In another piece it stated:
…we can repair the waste places, relieve the suffering, bind up the wounds and help bridge the chasm of hate, which are the fruits of war. British Friends have nobly pointed the way.
Sixty-seven members of the American Friends’ Reconstruction Unit arrived in France in September 1917 to work with the Friends’ War Victims’ Relief Committee.
A League of Nations
The Friend commented on a remarkable speech promoting a League of Nations made by general Jan Smuts at Westminster:
Here was the soldier telling us that this catastrophe was… man-made; and that if one-hundredth part of the thought that had been given to this war were given to schemes of peace we should never see another war… At the same meeting Lord Buckmaster’s protest against any thought of excluding Germany from such a League as an equal partner was cordially received; and Lord Hugh Cecil pleaded for something higher than loyalty to one’s country – “namely, an obligation to the interests of all mankind.”
FAU withdraws from hospital ships
On 12 May the Friends’ Ambulance Unit (FAU) withdrew from its work on the hospital ship Western Australia. The authorities had decided to transform the ships into armed troop ships and the Committee was unable to accept this change. A report in the Friend explained the background to the decision:
The ground for this withdrawal is solely one of principle, and has nothing to do with the risks and danger of the work, which have been incurred for fourteen months, and are indeed now, in some ways, less than formerly. On all grounds except that of principle the Committee and the men themselves have been most anxious to continue this service. Both Committee and men, however, are agreed that circumstances have arisen which make it necessary for them to withdraw. They are unwilling to modify the principle that they should serve under the Red Cross, in a non-military capacity, and on the business of life-saving only. The Committee desire to record their appreciation of the service which the men have rendered – industriously, unostentatiously, and with courage – a gallant chapter in the history of the Unit… They know with what acute regret the men withdraw from the ship, in which they have rendered aid to so many thousands of wounded men. The Unit, however, stands for a great principle, under which alone it is prepared to serve.
The spectroscope story
The Emergency Committee for Helping Aliens worked as far as possible with the similar committee in Germany. On 1 June it reported an interesting story of international cooperation. It involved a scientific instrument that takes ‘a ray of light and proceeds to spread it abroad’ – a spectroscope. Bishop Bury had visited the Ruhleben Camp in Germany where British aliens were interned. The Friend carried a report, on 1 June, of his visit. After his return:
…he mentioned in a lecture that some of the science students interned there were very anxious to obtain the use of a spectroscope. The report of the lecture was read by one of the Camp visitors of the Friends’ Emergency Committee, who was a schoolmaster and a scientist. Moreover, he possessed a spectroscope… instead of trying to send the instrument to Germany, he wrote [to the Committee] and suggested that inquiries should be made as to whether any of the schools in the internment camps in England were in need of such an apparatus. If so, he would lend his, and ask our Friends of the Berlin Committee for assisting alien enemies, to try to do the same for Ruhleben. It was soon discovered that a group of men in Douglas Camp would welcome the spectroscope, which was at once sent to them, and the corresponding message written to Berlin. It was not long before a reply was received telling us, as we expected, that every effort would be made, as usual, to carry out such a reciprocal service to prisoners.
After the German War Office had agreed that lenses could enter the camp:
…we next heard that the Berlin Committee, being unable to find a spectroscope themselves, had collected the sum of 900 marks for the purchase of one, and had asked permission for two of the leaders of the “University” of Ruhleben to be allowed out of camp to inspect instruments before purchase… They finally decided upon one offered by Herr H., the head of an optical instrument firm.
Herr H’s brother and his family were in Britain and had been helped by our Emergency Committee in their distressing circumstances. ‘In recognition of the assistance given to his brother, he at once offered to lend to the camp for the period of the war, a spectrometer and prisms valued at 1,650 marks. The 900 marks collected were thus released to be used in other enterprises.’ Herr H also found ways to help his brother. The story continued. ‘Other well-known scientific firms in Berlin have been approached… to provide material for scientific work in Ruhleben, and… an effort [is being made] to provide similar assistance for some men at Knockaloe… in England.’ Thus the light spreads!
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