PREJUDICE and REASON
some Australian Women's responses to war
two women, two organisations, two journals during WWI
FRONT PAGE - Index
11-13 PREQUEL
11. Two Women, Two Organisations
13. Our Herstory Before WWI
17-18 INTRODUCTION PART 1
WOMEN SUPPORTING WWI
18. The British Empire on Trial
19-20 THE AUSTRALIAN
WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE
19. AWNL - Federal Platform
20. Do Not Seek Place or Power
21-22 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S
NATIONALLEAGE 1914
21. The Empire on Its Trial
23-28 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE 1915
23. World Domination
23. The British Empire on Trial
24. Patriotic Meetings
26. Fight or Work Campaign
26. Patriotic Resolutions
27. What the AWNL has Done
27. Enemy Within the Camp
28. Christmas of Faith and Hope
29-39 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE 1916
29. Appalled
Tades Hall Council
30. Appeal to the Women
30. The Striker and the Shirker
31. I Didn’t Raise My Musket
32. The Prime Minister in England
32. Australia’s Honour at Stake
33. Strikes are Rife in Australia
33. Empire Day Demonstrationl
34. Petition for Conscription
35. 22,000 Signatures Five Days
36. Australia or Germany
36. League Appeal to Women
38. Defend the Empire’s Trade
39. Woman’s Influence
40-43 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE 1917
40. War Savings Patritic Scheme
41. The War Drum of Unionism
41. Australia Finances Two Wars
42. Suggestive Thoughts on Thrift
43. 1917 Petition for Conscription
44-50 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE 1918
44. A Magnificent Demonstration
45. Women’s Vote Responsible?
45. Falling Birth Rate – Nat. Peril
46. Disloyal Utterances
46. Parents’ Consent
46. A War-Time Election
47. The Red Flag
48. Trade Vigilance Committee
48. The Power Behind the Throne
49. The Armistice – and After
51-54 AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE 1919
51. Thankfulness to God
51. Madness that is Bolshevism
52. Those Who Will Never Return
52. Peace Terms
- Versailles
55-56 INTRODUCTION PART 2 - WOMEN OPPOSING WWI
56. War is Women’s Business
57 PART 2: THE WOMEN’S
POLITICAL ASSOCIATION
57.
Vida Goldstein
58-68 WOMEN’S POLITICAL
ASSOCIATION 1914
58. The Woman Voter
59. A Ministry of Peace
60. Settling Intrenational Disputes
61. Women Will Stand Together
61. Women of the World Unite!
62. Shall the Mothers Rejoice?
63. Women, Bethink Yourselves
64. Fighting for Civil Liberty
65. Women of the World are One
66. An Outrage on Civilisation
66. White Australia Policy Done
66. A Scheme Help Unemployed
67. War and the People’s Bread
68. Christmas Message All
69-89 WOMEN’S POLITICAL
ASSOCIATION 1915
69. No Secret Imperial Policy
69. W.P.A. Women’s Bureau
70. Women Seeking Work
70. Proposals for Work
71. The Unemployment Bureau
71. Women’s Farm
72. A Farm Has Been Taken
72. Labour Bureau New Office
73. Women’s Conference Hague
74. A Free Press
75. Women’s Labour Bureau
75. Attempt to Annihilate Bureau
76. Defence of Their Own Rights
76. Cost of Living Deputation
77. Parliamentary Rebuff
78. Members Frightened of Us?
79. Deputation Minister Defence
79. Form a Women’s Peace Army
82. Congress of Women - Hague
83. Mothers Fight
84. Necessitous Women
85. WPA
Requests Prime Minister
86. Asiatic Deprived of Work
86. Tabloid Philosophy - Patriotism
87. Venereal Disease
87. I Didn’t Raise My Son Soldier
88. Peace Mandate
89. Our Bureau at Christmas Time
89. Women Continue to Sing It
90-115 WOMEN’S POLITICAL
ASSOCIATION 1916
90. Soldiers Attack Mr Katz
90. Who Loses the War?
91. War and Rights of Citizens
92. Mr Hughes Incites to Murder
93. Condemns Authorities
93. WPA and the Prime Minister
97. The Little Nations
97. War Profits, Food Prices
97. Not Breeding Machines
98. The Children’s Peace Army
98. Almost Without Bread
98. Peace Proposals
99. Conscription by Proclamation
100. Justice Blind in One Eye
100. Women's Farm
100. Unemployed Women
101. Letter from a Prisoner of War
101. Yarra Bank Meeting
104. Who Profits War? Mining
104. Distress Amongst Women
105. Social Evil Convention
106. Women’s National League
106. Church and Social Questions
106. Women Belligerent Countries
107. State Govt. Compels Women
107. So Mr Hughes Hopes
108. Opposing Conscription
108. Peace Army Leaflets
110. Child Labour
111. Manifesto Peace Army
112. New Premises
113. Colours
114. 6,000 Processionists
114. Persia - New Agreement
114.
Secret Mission to London
115. Proclamation Annulled!
115.
Women for Permanent Peace
116-122 WOMEN’S POLITICAL
ASSOCIATION 1917
116. Women’s Terms of Peace
117. WPA and
Russian Revolution
118. War is Out of Date
119. Workers Never Wavered
120. Raid on Parliament
120. The Strike
121. WPA Established a Commune
122. We Lead - Conscription No!
122. Hugely Successful Meetings
123-126 WOMEN’S POLITICAL
ASSOCIATION 1918
123. Press, Pulpit Purse
124. It is with Great Regret
124. The ‘Shirker’ Class
124. Meeting Guild Hall
124. Protest against Profiteering
125. President Wilson’s Speech
125. The Dawn of Peace
127-140 WOMEN’S POLITICAL
ASSOCIATION 1919
127. WPA Peace Buttons
127. Women’s Peace Congress
127. Delegation to Europe
129. Starving Babies of Germany
130.
Peace Congress Zurich
131. Rule of Force and Spoilation
131. Old Order is Not Changed
132. Peace - Unspeakable
134. Hatred Treaty of Versailles
134. Colour Caste’s a Lie
134. Pagan Rites Ended
135. It is War, It is War
135. Congress Deep Regret
136. Zurich and Versailles
137. Old-Time Despotism
138. Order Out of Chaos
139. The World is Sick unto Death
139. Misunderstanding and Hate
140. Not Enough Return Passage
140. This Publication Ceases
141-143 INTRODUCTION to
PART 3
144-148 SEQUEL
144
Women in Black
145 Beyond the Garden Gate
149-177 APPENDICES - 1 to 9
178-180 INDEX
Pages 23 to 28 Women Supporting WW1 PREVIOUS PAGE NEXT PAGE
AUSTRALIAN WOMEN’S NATIONAL LEAGUE 1915
AWNL - World Domination
The Woman, 1 January 1915:
Eva Hughes - To ring in the New Year with gladness and hope is well-nigh impossible where hearts are rung with sorrow and suffering, and grief sits on many hearthstones.
War and Hate, not peace and goodwill, have the human race in their grip today … Sacrifice and courage are what the New Year demands of us – sacrifice to give and suffer for the great principles of Liberty, Righteousness and Justice, for which the flower of British manhood and of the allied nations are now laying down their lives on the battlefields of Europe; and courage – courage to see the stupendous conflict through to the bitter end – to fight the good fight until these great principles so dear to the British race and so vital to civilisation are vindicated.
This is a war of spiritual against material forces for world domination. It would be a false peace indeed that was purchased at the sacrifice of honour. Our men are surely doing their part, and doing it nobly. Are we women doing all we can to lessen the horrors and to alleviate the sufferings of the New Year? ... the task before us is a stupendous one, our very national existence is at stake, and the New Year demands of us still greater sacrifices than we have made in the past.
AWNL - The British Empire on Trial
The Woman 1 February 1915:
No more enthralling and inspiring page has ever been written in the annals of history than the marvellous and phenomenal rise of the British Empire - an Empire that stands in stately grandeur without a parallel in the records of time.
From that little green island, the cradle of our race, set like an emerald in the Northern Sea, Britain has stretched forth her borders until they reach to the uttermost parts of the earth and encircle the globe ... For more than a decade the world has been asking the question, “Will the British Empire stand the test of time?” The hour of its trial has now come ... The Empire is indeed on its trial, fighting for its very existence. Only if we make our sacrifice complete can we consummate the victory that means so much to the human race.
The Woman Feb.1 1915 - Australians off to the Front - “Goodbye”
By kind courtesy of “The Australasian”AWNL - Patriotic Meetings
The Woman 1 March 1915:
Dear Fellow Members, I feel sure we shall all be glad and proud that by the individual efforts of our great body of women in Australia we have been able to send to the front four Motor Ambulances for the use of the sick and wounded, and this aid is nearest our women’s hearts …
Turning to another subject … We have all seen in the papers that our men, in Victoria especially, are not coming forward as freely as they should to offer their services for their country. Therefore, in these slacker times, could we not arrange patriotic meetings (the Central Office will supply speakers, if necessary) in order to discuss the great subject of the war, and to impress upon our young men the urgent necessity of enrolling and enlisting if possible.
I was much impressed the other day when speaking to a young fellow saying “I hoped he had enlisted”. He said “Not I, this is England’s war – wait till it touches Australia. I’ll be there soon enough”.
I am told by so many people living in the country that there is great ignorance and want of knowledge of the meaning of the war, and how if Britain be at war Australia is also. They do not read the papers. Our women in their work of “Educating Women” could also in this direction educate our men …
There is yet one more way in which we can help – let us help our men and boys be temperate in words, in morals, in drink … If we women throw our whole hearts into this movement a change will be made, I believe. Why can we not buy meat, bread, and the very necessities of life after 6 o’clock, when a person can enter a hotel at any hour later and obtain drink, which may bring ruination in its train.
Very gratefully and sincerely, Eva Hughes, President A.W.N. League (6 o’clock hotel closing was introduced in Victoria in 1916, continuing until 1966 - Wikipedia)
AWNL - Fight or Work Campaign
The Woman 1 April 1915:
Brighton “Fight or Work” Campaign - A balance-sheet just issued shows there is £1,794 at the credit of the Fight or Work Campaign. More workers are needed, especially for the making of arm baths, bed tables, and bandage winders. A consignment of 500 pairs of crutches, locally made, is being sent away by the next transport.
The Woman 1 June 1915:
Unemployment - It was reported to the Lord Mayor’s Unemployment Committee, which met at the Town Hall recently, that 1800 men were on the committee’s list as workless, and of that number 1200 were married.
AWNL - Patriotic Resolutions
Argus June 15 1915:
The following patriotic resolutions have been passed by the Australian Women's National League
- That the AWNL makes an offer to the Defence Department of 50,000 gas masks to equip the troops who will be leaving ourselves from time to time.
- That in the event of hands being required in the making of munitions the women of the AWNL would gladly offer their services to help the Government and the Empire.
- That the executive of the AWNL urge the heads of all the churches to do their utmost to stimulate recruiting by directing their clergy to bring before their people the cry of the Empire - more men, more shells.
- That AWNL as a League join forces with the nursing societies.
AWNL Empire Day Demonstration, Melbourne Town Hall,
The Woman, June 1, 1915, State Library of VictoriaWhat the AWNL has done for the War
The Woman 1 July 1915:
Money received for Motor Ambulance and War fund; Lord Mayor’s Belgian fund; Lady Stanley Recreation Hall for the use of the soldiers at Broadmeadows camp; Belgian Babies’ milk fund.
AWNL - The Enemy Within the Camp
The Woman 2 August 1915:
Here, in Australia, there has been much talk of “the enemy within the camp”. In the Labour Press, from the platform, and in Parliament, our Labour orators have described this enemy as “more to be feared” and “worse than the Hun”. He is described as “robbing and exploiting the workers, who are urged to fight to the death the ‘Capitalist’ enemy within the camp”. If, at a time like this, when our Empire is rocking on its base, we have men amongst us capable of oppressing the poor and amassing wealth by exploiting the people, by all means let the law deal with them.
Why should undue war profits not be taxed? Surely if such be found amongst us the Government is slack indeed not to bring them to book; but we fear that this Socialist cry has only been raised as an excuse for the inexcusable act of plunging the nation into the throes of party warfare, while the people cry aloud for Peace.
Who, may we ask, is the enemy within the camp in Australia? Who, indeed, but the men or party, who turn a deaf ear to the cry of the people, and would divide them into two hostile camps to fight each other, instead of leading them as a united people to fight the common enemy ...
Let us set our faces like flint against the “enemy within the camp”, who would prevent our Commonwealth showing the united front so absolutely necessary for a speedy and victorious end to this heartrending war.AWNL - Christmas of Faith and Hope
The Woman December 1 1915:
Until the grave crimes which have been committed upon small nations, upon the weak and helpless, upon all the laws and customs of civilisation, are punished and avenged, and until the spirit of Prussian militarism has been so crushed that it can never again appal and devastate the world, we cannot think of “Peace on Earth”.We owe it to posterity that peace must only be restored on these terms.
