The Ontario Women's Christian Temperance Union During the First World War: Fair-weather Pacifists or Strategic Activists?

Previous work on women’s involvement in the Canadian temperance movement has examined the intermingled feminist and religious convictions of these activists. An underexplored element of this movement is its commitment to pacifism. Focusing on the activities of the Women’s Christian Temperance Union (WCTU) in Ontario, this presentation will use the group’s monthly newsletter, The White Ribbon Tidings, to situate peace activism within the context of the WCTU’s maternal feminist outlook. Many contributors to The White Ribbon Tidings believed the evils of war, caused by the brutishness of men, would be eradicated when women were granted suffrage. The Ontario WCTU’s pacifist stance underwent a transformation through the course of the First World War. Despite initial vocal critique at the outbreak of hostilities in 1914, by 1917 the group had rallied behind the war and come out in support of conscription. The purpose of this presentation is to explore the nuances and implications of this transformation. I will contend that this dramatic shift is evidence of pragmatism amongst female activists in a male-dominated wartime climate. By downplaying their pacifist convictions and being actively involved on the home front, members of the WCTU could still be seen as loyal citizens. This loyalty loaned credibility to their voices as they petitioned the province for wartime prohibition and woman suffrage. The presentation will be shedding light on this understudied component of the temperance movement’s value system and wrestle with the legacy of early twentieth-century feminist activists.