Stop the War Committee facts for kids

The Stop the War Committee was a group formed in 1899 that was against the Second Boer War. It was started by William Thomas Stead. The group's leader was John Clifford, and other important members included Lloyd George and Keir Hardie. Many people thought the committee supported the Boer side in the war.

What Was the Stop the War Committee?

The Stop the War Committee was an organization that strongly disagreed with the Second Boer War. This war happened a long time ago, between 1899 and 1902, in South Africa. The committee believed the war was wrong and wanted it to stop.

Who Were Its Key Members?

The committee had several important people involved.

• William Thomas Stead was the person who created the committee in 1899. He was a well-known journalist.
• John Clifford was the president of the committee. He was a respected religious leader.
• Lloyd George later became a very famous politician and even a Prime Minister of the United Kingdom.
• Keir Hardie was another important politician who helped start the Labour Party.

These people worked together to share their message against the war.

How Did They Spread Their Message?

The Stop the War Committee worked hard to tell people why they thought the war was wrong. Around the time of the 1900 election, they printed and gave out millions of posters, cartoons, and special newspapers called broadsheets. They even handed out leaflets to people traveling on trains. This was a big effort to get their ideas out to as many people as possible.

What Were Their Ideas?

The committee's ideas were often based on strong moral and religious beliefs. They had a hopeful vision for a better world, which some people called "utopian." This means they imagined a perfect society. The group brought together different kinds of Nonconformists, who were Protestants who did not follow the official Church of England. These members had different views on how society should be organized, but they all agreed on stopping the war.

Did They Succeed?

Even though the committee had strong moral messages, they found it hard to get support from everyday working people. Their very strong and emotional way of speaking sometimes caused more disagreement than other groups, like the South African Conciliation Committee, which used a calmer and more logical approach.

See also

• Anti-war
• Opposition to the Second Boer War
• List of anti-war organizations
• List of peace activists

References