Balch, Emily Greene, 1867-1961

Overview In 1915 a group of New York pacifists and near-pacifists organized the "Anti-militarism Committee" to combat the war spirit of the time. Activities included lobbying, publishing, a lecture campaign, and the establishment of a Civil Liberties Bureau. The most notable achievements were the work in the successful effort to avert war with Mexico in 1916 and the encouragement of opposition to peacetime conscription following World War I. The office was raided by the government and American Union...

Overview On January 12, 1946, the Committee for Amnesty for All Objectors to War and Conscription was established to seek an amnesty for "all objectors to war and conscription," which included men under army court-martial for their stance against war. The Committee's most widely publicized work was the sponsorship of picketing demonstrations at the White House in May and December 1946 calling for amnesty, but the organization also promoted its objectives through lobbying of Congressional and other...