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May no young man ever again be faced with the choice between violating his conscience by co-operating in competitive mass-slaughter or separating himself from those who, endeavouring to serve liberty, democracy, humanity can find no better way than to conscript young men to kill.

— Emily Greene Balch Toward Human Unity or Beyond Nationalism (1948)

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More quotes by Emily Greene Balch

A peace involving annexation of unwilling peoples could never be a lasting one.

Speech at International Congress of Women at The Hague (1915)

All the belligerents want peace, though probably with different intensity; none of them wants it enough to cry "I surrender."

Speech at International Congress of Women at The Hague (1915)

Fear weakens the nerves and distorts the judgment. It is not by fear that mankind must exorcise the demon of destruction and cruelty, but by motives more reasonable, more humane and more heroic.

Toward Human Unity or Beyond Nationalism (1948)

I believe so deeply that the way of war is not the way of Christianity

Letter to President of Wellesley College (1916)

If the disinterested neutrals, who alone are free to act for peace, wait for a moment when neither side has any advantage they will wait long indeed.

Speech at International Congress of Women at The Hague (1915)

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Attribution

Quote text and notes from Wikiquote: Emily Greene Balch (page history), available under CC BY-SA 4.0. Source quality and labels are our own summary of what Wikiquote records.