PROCLAMATION OF THE LIBERTY WAR OBJECTOR'S ASSOCIATION

        An intensive propaganda campaign is now being conducted in this country, as it was in the years 1914-1917, to have us prepare to fight on behalf of other nations under the flimsy guise of "saving the world for democracy." And, to a much greater extent than in those years, and with the experience of that period before them, the people of America―with the exception of a small portion who are acting as flunkeys to a war-mongering administration―realize that such a fight is not only none of our business, but that it would claim American democracy and civil liberties as its first causalities.

        Although the successors of the organisations which resisted war in 1917 are now mostly turned war-monger, the anti-war sentiment in America is now stronger than ever, and the "conscientious objector" remains more than ever a characteristic feature of America.

        The promotion of the individual rights of the people of America necessarily involves resistance to war in any form, as war inevitably must destroy those rights and clamp additional governmental rule down upon the people. This applies to any war between nations or between established governments. Anyone who supports any such hostilities, or governments participating in them (whether or not the hostilities are actually called war), cannot be considered as doing anything else than fighting against democracy and the rights of the people; only those who resist war to the utmost, and which their last breath and last ounce of energy, can be considered as truly fighting to save this country for democracy.

        The Liberty War Objectors' Association calls on all citizens and residents of America, men or women, young or old, strong or weak, to organise for the defense of our civil rights against such repressions as result from war, and for the purpose of refusing to perform any war service, military or auxiliary, no matter what the amount of pressure, persuasion, threats, or coercion that may be applied in favor of a belligerent and prospectively belligerent government. War objectors are always subject to be branded an bullied by mob hysteria; they may be imprisoned, branded as supporters of the enemies, kidnapped, tortures, blackmailed; they may be lured by pretexts and specious arguments intended to make them fight for "the lesser of two evils"; but, in the face of all this, the coward enlists, the brave man resists.

Save America for democracy!

Declare a sit-down strike against all hostilities and national hatred.

LIBERTY WAR OBJECTORS' ASSOCIATION

Boston, Mass., U.S.A., May 1, 1939