Innovative means to promote peace during the World War I: Julia Grace Wales and her Plan for Continuous and Independent Mediation Without Armistice

Abstract

At the breakout of the World War I many organizations for promoting peace emerged all over the world and in the United States as well, especially after the subsequent American declaration of war in April 1917. Peace movements began to look for new means for settle the dispute, and a big contribution was offered by women. The World War I gave women the chance to rise their public acknowledgment and to increase their rights through war-related activities. The International Congress of Women at The Hague held in April 1925 demonstrates the great ability of women in advocating peace activities. Among the resolutions adopted by the Congress stands up the Plan for Continuous Mediation without Armistice theorized by the Canadian peace activist Julia Grace Wales. This thesis intends to investigate Julia Grace Wales’ proposal for a Conference of neutral nations for the continuous and independent mediation without the armistice. After having explored women’s activism for peace in the United States with a deep consideration to the role of women in Canada, the focus is addressed to a brief description of Julia Grace Wales’ life in order to understand which are the factors that led her to conceive such a plan. Through the analysis of her plan and her writings it is possible to understand that her project is not only an international arbitration towards the only purpose of welfare, but also the analysis of the conditions that led to war so to change them for avoiding future wars. The thesis aims to reveal how innovative Julia Grace Wales’ plan is by analysing in detail how it should be applied and the relevant advantages that it could offer. Her contribution to global peace can be considered a milestone on the history of pacifism.