Call Number:

DG.036

Repository:

Swarthmore College Peace Collection

Extent:

1.25 linear ft. (15 linear inches)

Preferred Citation:

[Identification of item], in the Sydney Dix Strong Papers (DG 036.), Swarthmore College Peace Collection

Date:

1890-1938 (inclusive)

Creator:

Allen, Devere, 1891-1955, Annes, A.B, Baldwin, Roger N. (Roger Nash), 1884-1981, Denton, Mary, Greenfield, George H., Holmes, John Haynes, 1879-1964, Hughan, Jessie Wallace, 1875-1955, Jones, Paul, 1880-1941, Kimball, Frank, Leo, Ernest, Sayre, John Nevin, 1884-1977, Wentworth, Lydia G., 1858-, and Strong, Sydney, 1860-1938

Abstract:

Sydney Dix Strong (1860-1938) was an outspoken pacifist and strong supporter of disarmament, war resistance, and organized labor. He was the pastor for churches in Ohio and Illinois and did settlement work in Chicago. For his peace stance made him unpopular during WWI and in Oct. 1917 he was expelled from membership in the Municipal League of Seattle because of a speech he had given before the National Council of Congregational Churches, in which he praised the I.W.W. (International Workers of the World). Strong published many articles and sermon series, as well as his book Rise of American Democracy in 1935, and from 1921-1938 was associate editor of Unity magazine. Other activities included a campaign to collect signatures for a "Peace Letter to the President" in 1926, while he was Secretary of the Seattle Peace League and of the Seattle group of Peacemakers; the development of a "2%" button, based on comments made by Albert Einstein that if 2% of those who were supposed to do military service would resist, the government would be powerless to go to war; heavy involvement with the Disarmament Conference (Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments) of 1932, which included trips to Geneva (Switzerland) as an observer and freelance correspondent during 1931-1934; leadership of the "Bury the Hatchet" campaign calling for Seattle to becoming a peaceful city; and, promotion in 1934 of a constitutional amendment providing for total disarmament. In addition, Strong was interested in the court case (1925-1927) surrounding ten year old Russell Tremain, who was removed from his parents' influence because they objected to his public school which required him to salute the flag. Strong's correspondents included Devere Allen, A.B. Annes, Roger N. Baldwin, Mary Denton, Washington Gladdin, George Greenfield, John Haynes Holmes, Jessie Wallace Hughan, Rev. Paul Jones, Frank Kimball, Ernest Leo (C.O. at Camp Cody), John Nevin Sayre, Charles Sheldon and Lydia G. Wentworth. Strong's daughter was Anna Louise Strong (1885-1970), a writer and editor on issues relating to Russia and China.

Sydney Dix Strong (1860-1938) was an outspoken pacifist and strong supporter of disarmament, war resistance, and organized labor. A graduate of Oberlin College, he pastored churches in Ohio and Illinois and did settlement work in Chicago, before pastoring the Queen Anne Congregational Church in Seattle (WA) from 1908 to 1921. His peace stance made him unpopular during WWI and in Oct. 1917 he was expelled from membership in the Municipal League of Seattle because of a speech he had given before the National Council of Congregational Churches, in which he praised the I.W.W. (International Workers of the World).

Strong published many articles and sermon series, as well as his book Rise of American Democracy in 1935, and from 1921-1938 was associate editor of Unity magazine. Other activities included a campaign to collect signatures for a "Peace Letter to the President" in 1926, while he was Secretary of the Seattle Peace League and of the Seattle group of Peacemakers; the development of a "2%" button, based on comments made by Albert Einstein that if 2% of those who were supposed to do military service would resist, the government would be powerless to go to war; heavy involvement with the Disarmament Conference (Conference for the Reduction and Limitation of Armaments) of 1932, which included trips to Geneva (Switzerland) as an observer and freelance correspondent during 1931-1934; leadership of the "Bury the Hatchet" campaign calling for Seattle to becoming a peaceful city; and, promotion in 1934 of a constitutional amendment providing for total disarmament. In addition, Strong was interested in the court case (1925-1927) surrounding ten year old Russell Tremain, who was removed from his parents' influence because they objected to his public school which required him to salute the flag.

Strong's correspondents included Devere Allen, A.B. Annes, Roger N. Baldwin, Mary Denton, Washington Gladdin, George Greenfield, John Haynes Holmes, Jessie Wallace Hughan, Rev. Paul Jones, Frank Kimball, Ernest Leo (C.O. at Camp Cody), John Nevin Sayre, Charles Sheldon and Lydia G. Wentworth.

Strong's daughter was Anna Louise Strong (1885-1970), a writer and editor on issues relating to Russia and China.

The collection contains the correspondence and writings of Sydney Dix Strong.