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League of Nations Union Collected Records
Notifications
Held at: Swarthmore College Peace Collection [Contact Us]500 College Avenue, Swarthmore 19081-1399
This is a finding aid. It is a description of archival material held at the Swarthmore College Peace Collection. Unless otherwise noted, the materials described below are physically available in their reading room, and not digitally available through the web.
Overview and metadata sections
The League of Nations Union was formed on October 13, 1918 by the joining of the League of Nations Society with the Free Nations Society. The League of Nations Society began in 1916 with the purpose of examining the forms of international organization that would be possible at the end of WWI. It lobbied for an agreement among countries that would serve as a basis for permanent peace by providing for settlement of disputes, mutual defense, and the observance of international treaties. The League of Nations Union was from the beginning a highly influential organization, unlike its predecessors, with an imposing list of supporters. It became one of the most influential peace organizations yet known in Great Britain. The League's purpose was to win public support for the League of Nations by educating the public about it, and by helping to make practical its aims. It maintained a large office in London, and a corps of organizers and speakers toured the country. In addition, its propaganda was distributed to nearly every school, church, social and political group possible. The peak of the League's activity was represented by the Peace Ballot of 1935, when voters were asked to vote on five issues, the most important being those concerning international disarmament and collective security. Over 11 million people participated in the ballot, expressing an unmistakable desire for peaceful negotiation of international differences. The results of the Peace Ballot were publicized worldwide. The influence of the League waned during WWII, and in 1946 it merged into the already formed United Nations Association of Great Britain. Previously the League had been a member of the International Federation of League of Nations Societies, which had its headquarters in Brussels, Belgium.
The Records of the League of Nations Union consists of some correspondence, administrative records, and the main body of the collection-publications issued by the LoNU.
Gift of unknown source.
For the catalog record for this collection, and to find materials on similar topics, search the library's online catalog.
Processed by SCPC staff; Checklist revised by Anne Yoder, January 1999; this version of the finding aid was created by Wendy E. Chmielewski, July 2009; updated by Eleanor Fulvio, August 2010.
Newsletters of the League of Nations Union were removed to the Periodical Collection.
Organization
Subject
- Publisher
- Swarthmore College Peace Collection
- Access Restrictions
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None.
- Copyright is retained by the authors of items in these papers, or their descendents, as stipulated by United States copyright law.
- Use Restrictions
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None.
Collection Inventory
incomplete set
(2 pamphlets)
incomplete set
incomplete set
incomplete set