Page:Women and war, an appeal to the women of all nations.djvu/5

 AN APPEAL TO THE

WOMEN OF ALL NATIONS.

Fifth Quinquennial Meetings of the International Council of Women (which now represents twenty-three National Councils) were held at the beginning of May in Rome, under the presidency of Lady Aberdeen. The following resolutions on the subject of Peace were adopted:—

1. That the International Council of Women, protesting vehemently against the odious wrongs of which women are the victims in time of war, contrary to international law, appeals to the next Hague Conference, to consider how a more effective international protection of women may be secured which will prevent the continuance of the horrible violation of womanhood that attends all wars.

That this resolution opens the eyes afresh to the brutality of war is incontestable. The sufferings of women through war and militarism are seldom dwelt upon. Books and treaties dealing with arguments against war almost invariably omit to mention the damage done to one half of the human race by this remnant of barbarism.

There are several aspects of this question. The physical and mental, the direct and indirect suffering. These embrace a great host of women. The physical suffering includes