Exhibit A: Features of a Nation-Wide Campaign
Title
Exhibit A: Features of a Nation-Wide Campaign
Creator
Boyd, William R. (William Rufus), 1885-1959
Identifier
WWP25469
Date
[1918 November 15]
Description
Efforts to ratify the League of Nations in the US.
Source
Library of Congress, Woodrow Wilson Papers
Publisher
Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum
Subject
League of Nations
World War, 1914-1918--Peace
Contributor
Danna Faulds
Relation
WWP25466
WWP25467
WWP25468
WWP25470
WWP25471
WWP25472
Language
English
Provenance
Document scan was taken from Library of Congress microfilm reel of the Wilson Papers. WWPL volunteers transcribed the text.
Text
EXHIBIT A.
PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF A NATION-WIDE EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN WITH THE OBJECT OF CRYSTALLIZING AND BRINGING TO EXPRESSION PUBLIC OPINION IN BEHALF OF A LEAGUE OF NATIONS SO AS TO INSURE RATIFICATION OF A TREATY BY THE SENATE AND SUPPORT OF A LEAGUE, WHEN ESTABLISHED, BY THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.
______________
“War Won for Permanent Peace: (or League of Nations) Conventions
The outstanding feature of the proposed campaign is a series of state, county and national “War Won for Permanent Peace” conventions. Conventions would be held in every state, the states being divided into six or eight groups where conventions will be held in series two or three days apart. The principal speakers in each speaking team would be expected to assist in the whole series on which they entered.
It is the purpose to hold a series of county conventions in each state, these county conventions to be of similar nature and to cover the state.
It is the further purpose to hold a great national convention probably in the City of Chicago at the close and as a culminating feature of the convention campaign. The time of this national convention should be chosen with reference to its strategic influence upon the United States Senate and should be fixed in consultation with the Administration and Senate leaders.
2. “War Won for Permanent Peace” (or League of Nations) Addresses
The speaking at state and county conventions, as well as addresses arranged by the Speakers’ Bureau before organizations of every nature would center on the idea that the permanent objective of the war is the creation of a League of Nations. The speaking campaign would be of a character calculated also to awaken the people to the importance of the whole program of democratic reconstruction made necessary by the war, and to further such program.
3. Organization of States and Counties
The state conventions above referred to would be used as occasions for completing or strengthening the organization of the states in which they were held and of naming county committees where such have not already been organized. The county conventions would in like manner furnish occasions for strengthening and completing the city, town and precinct organization of counties. Twenty states already have League organization in nearly or all counties.
4. Expression of Public Opinion
State and county conventions would culminate in the adoption of resolutions addressed to the President and Congress calling for the creation of a League of Nations, as would also mass meetings and conventions addressed by League speakers.
The Information Department of the League would take advantages of all such occasions to secure favorable discussion in the press and would classify and use such news and editorial expression for the political ends of the League.
The national convention would be organized along the lines of our recent Philadelphia convention but larger. Official and semi-official features obtained at Philadelphia through the presence of Governors and the appointment of delegates by Governors and Mayors would be made still more important and conspicuous. Delegates from labor unions, agricultural and commercial organizations would be made important features. Delegates would also be secured from the large number of state and national societies with which the League is in cooperation.
The closing banquet might with advantage be addressed by representatives of the Administration, the House and the Senate rather than by the representatives of Allied nations as at Philadelphia.
(b) Through State Legislatures:
The legislatures of nearly all the states will meet in January, 1919. Sixteen legislatures have already adopted joint or concurrent resolutions favorable to the establishment of a League of Nations. The effort to secure such resolutions from the other thirty-two will be continued vigorously. The state and county conventions contemplated in our plan of campaign will be of great assistance in securing them, as will also the state and county branches now existing or hereafter established.
(c) Through State and County Leagues:
The existence of state and county branches throughout the Union might well be the determining factor that would finally influence the Senate to ratify a treaty establishing a League of Nations. The number of resolutions, letters and telegrams addressed to members of the Senate that would be obtained through such an organization would be very great.
5. Organization of Group Influence
The work of the Other Organizations Committee has brought the League into friendly relations with all the great national groups. It is proposed immediately to take advantage of openings thus obtained by employing secretaries from several of the most important groups for work with the units and members of his own group. Organized labor, organized agriculture, organized business and organized women should manifestly have special work carried on in this manner. Plans to this end are well advanced and among women’s organizations a secretary has been for several months at work.
The National Committee on the Churches and the Moral Aims of the War organized jointly by the League and the Church Peace Union has been working among the churches since the beginning of the year and will probably continue to do so until the terms of peace have been finally agreed upon and ratified.
The Other Organizations and Speakers Bureau Departments will continue their work with state and national societies of every kind as heretofore.
The secretaries for labor, agricultural, business and women’s organizations will work under the general direction of the head of the Extension Department. In addition to crystallizing sentiment for a League in their respective groups, they will be able to mobilize support of those groups behind state and county organizations and conventions and the culminating national convention.
6. Publicity
The Information Department plans to inaugurate a service to the more important weekly and small daily papers by furnishing plated news and editorial matter at frequent intervals. It will, of course, continue the valuable work hitherto conducted.
7. Guidance of Individual and Group Study
A large and insistent demand has grown up for study-outlines, bibliographies and monographs dealing with the international matters bound up with the establishing and operation of a League of Nations. The meeting of this demand should not be further delayed.
PRINCIPAL FEATURES OF A NATION-WIDE EMERGENCY CAMPAIGN WITH THE OBJECT OF CRYSTALLIZING AND BRINGING TO EXPRESSION PUBLIC OPINION IN BEHALF OF A LEAGUE OF NATIONS SO AS TO INSURE RATIFICATION OF A TREATY BY THE SENATE AND SUPPORT OF A LEAGUE, WHEN ESTABLISHED, BY THE PEOPLE OF THE UNITED STATES.
______________
“War Won for Permanent Peace: (or League of Nations) Conventions
The outstanding feature of the proposed campaign is a series of state, county and national “War Won for Permanent Peace” conventions. Conventions would be held in every state, the states being divided into six or eight groups where conventions will be held in series two or three days apart. The principal speakers in each speaking team would be expected to assist in the whole series on which they entered.
It is the purpose to hold a series of county conventions in each state, these county conventions to be of similar nature and to cover the state.
It is the further purpose to hold a great national convention probably in the City of Chicago at the close and as a culminating feature of the convention campaign. The time of this national convention should be chosen with reference to its strategic influence upon the United States Senate and should be fixed in consultation with the Administration and Senate leaders.
2. “War Won for Permanent Peace” (or League of Nations) Addresses
The speaking at state and county conventions, as well as addresses arranged by the Speakers’ Bureau before organizations of every nature would center on the idea that the permanent objective of the war is the creation of a League of Nations. The speaking campaign would be of a character calculated also to awaken the people to the importance of the whole program of democratic reconstruction made necessary by the war, and to further such program.
3. Organization of States and Counties
The state conventions above referred to would be used as occasions for completing or strengthening the organization of the states in which they were held and of naming county committees where such have not already been organized. The county conventions would in like manner furnish occasions for strengthening and completing the city, town and precinct organization of counties. Twenty states already have League organization in nearly or all counties.
4. Expression of Public Opinion
State and county conventions would culminate in the adoption of resolutions addressed to the President and Congress calling for the creation of a League of Nations, as would also mass meetings and conventions addressed by League speakers.
The Information Department of the League would take advantages of all such occasions to secure favorable discussion in the press and would classify and use such news and editorial expression for the political ends of the League.
The national convention would be organized along the lines of our recent Philadelphia convention but larger. Official and semi-official features obtained at Philadelphia through the presence of Governors and the appointment of delegates by Governors and Mayors would be made still more important and conspicuous. Delegates from labor unions, agricultural and commercial organizations would be made important features. Delegates would also be secured from the large number of state and national societies with which the League is in cooperation.
The closing banquet might with advantage be addressed by representatives of the Administration, the House and the Senate rather than by the representatives of Allied nations as at Philadelphia.
(b) Through State Legislatures:
The legislatures of nearly all the states will meet in January, 1919. Sixteen legislatures have already adopted joint or concurrent resolutions favorable to the establishment of a League of Nations. The effort to secure such resolutions from the other thirty-two will be continued vigorously. The state and county conventions contemplated in our plan of campaign will be of great assistance in securing them, as will also the state and county branches now existing or hereafter established.
(c) Through State and County Leagues:
The existence of state and county branches throughout the Union might well be the determining factor that would finally influence the Senate to ratify a treaty establishing a League of Nations. The number of resolutions, letters and telegrams addressed to members of the Senate that would be obtained through such an organization would be very great.
5. Organization of Group Influence
The work of the Other Organizations Committee has brought the League into friendly relations with all the great national groups. It is proposed immediately to take advantage of openings thus obtained by employing secretaries from several of the most important groups for work with the units and members of his own group. Organized labor, organized agriculture, organized business and organized women should manifestly have special work carried on in this manner. Plans to this end are well advanced and among women’s organizations a secretary has been for several months at work.
The National Committee on the Churches and the Moral Aims of the War organized jointly by the League and the Church Peace Union has been working among the churches since the beginning of the year and will probably continue to do so until the terms of peace have been finally agreed upon and ratified.
The Other Organizations and Speakers Bureau Departments will continue their work with state and national societies of every kind as heretofore.
The secretaries for labor, agricultural, business and women’s organizations will work under the general direction of the head of the Extension Department. In addition to crystallizing sentiment for a League in their respective groups, they will be able to mobilize support of those groups behind state and county organizations and conventions and the culminating national convention.
6. Publicity
The Information Department plans to inaugurate a service to the more important weekly and small daily papers by furnishing plated news and editorial matter at frequent intervals. It will, of course, continue the valuable work hitherto conducted.
7. Guidance of Individual and Group Study
A large and insistent demand has grown up for study-outlines, bibliographies and monographs dealing with the international matters bound up with the establishing and operation of a League of Nations. The meeting of this demand should not be further delayed.
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Citation
Boyd, William R. (William Rufus), 1885-1959, “Exhibit A: Features of a Nation-Wide Campaign,” [1918 November 15], WWP25469, World War I Letters, Woodrow Wilson Presidential Library & Museum, Staunton, Virginia.