April 28, 1915 — International Congress of Women, Great Hall of the Dierentuin, The Hague, the Netherlands

With mourning hearts we stand united here. We grieve for many brave young men who have lost their lives on the battlefield before attaining their full manhood; we mourn with the poor mothers bereft of their sons; with the thousands of young widows and fatherless children, and we feel that we can no longer endure in this twentieth century of civilization that government should tolerate brute force as the only solution of international disputes.

Although our efforts may not shorten the present war, there is no doubt that this pacific assemblage of so many nations will have its moral effect upon the belligerent countries . . .

Those of us who have convened this Congress, however, have never called it a PEACE CONGRESS, but an International Congress of Women assembled to protest against war, and to suggest steps which may lead to warfare becoming an impossibility.

Source: Report of the International Congress of Women, The Hague — The Netherlands, April 28th to May 1st, 1915, President’s Address, Resolutions Adopted, Report of Committees Visiting European Capitals (The Woman’s Peace Party).