With the beginning of World War One in 1914, the Socialists of Snohomish County, Washington transformed their Labor Day picnic at the Edmonds City Park into an anti-war demonstration. Includes detailed photos of participants. It is moving to see the faces of our past comrades.

‘Monster Anti-War Demonstration and County Campaign Picnic’ from The Washington Socialist. No. 190. August 27, 1914.

DON’T MISS IT THE EVENT OF THE SEASON

Monster Anti-War Demonstration and County Campaign Picnic. Edmonds, Wash., Labor Day, September 7, 1914.

L.E. Katterfeld, state secretary of the Socialist party of Washington, who will be one of the anti-war speakers. Come and hear him. Labor Day, September 7. 1914. is going down as a big mark in the history of the Socialist movement. On Labor Day in Edmonds, Washington, the Socialists from all parts of Snohomish county are going to hold a monster anti-war demonstration and county campaign picnic. It will be the first great gathering of this kind and one that will never be forgotten. On Labor Day the Snohomish county Socialists are going to boom the first gun in protest, against the wholesale murder and slaughter of their comrades and fellow workers in the interests of capitalism. It is going to mark the grand opening of the county campaign. We have won in Everett, let’s win the county. Say, why not?

L.E. Katterfeld, state secretary of the Socialist party; Mary McNamara, Socialist educator and lecturer, and Maynard Shipley, editor the Washington Socialist and member of the American Academy of Political and Social Science, a trio of the best speakers in the state, will address the anti-war demonstration. The county candidates of the party will also be introduced and will make short speeches.

Return trip fare, 40 cents; children under ten years, free. The steamer Alverene and launch Ruby Marie will handle the big crowd with ample accommodations. Bring your family, enjoy the beautiful trip upon the Sound among the scenic islands and along the picturesque mainland. Boats will leave the Everett City Dock at 8:30, 10 and 11:30 in the morning and 1:30 and 4:30 in the afternoon. There will be speaking, music, dancing, games and refreshments. Bring your family and enjoy the day.

The Washington Socialist was a weekly newspaper of the Socialist Party of Snohomish County published in Everett, Washington and edited by Maynard Shipley. Closely aligned with the Industrial Workers of the World, who were strong in the Pacific Northwest’s lumber industry, the paper ran for only 18 months when it was renamed The Northwest Worker with Henry Watts as editor in June, 1915, and again Co-Operative News with Perter Husby as editor in October, 1917. Like virtually all of the left press, the Co-Operative News was suppressed in June 1918 under the Federal Espionage Act.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/washington-socialist/190-aug-27-1914-WS.pdf