Disloyal Mothers and Scurrilous Citizens: Women and Subversion during World War I

by Kathleen Kennedy

Kennedy's unique study explores the arrests, trials, and defenses of women charged under the Wartime Emergency Laws passed soon after the U.S. entered WWI. These trials became important arenas in which women's relationships and obligations to national security were contested and defined.

Genres: Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

First published October 1, 1999

Reviews

[Aisha Manus · Rating 3 out of 5]

The problem with “older” history books is the over use of academic language which makes interesting subjects harder to read and in a sense gatekeeps it from readers. This book is one of them. Heck the title alone uses a “$10 word” needlessly. The subjects themselves are interesting but I think there could have been more. Also the damn text was tiny. But it’s important history. Government censorship, forced patriotism, deportation of “others”. A reminder that America is capable of doing it again as history repeats itself if we don’t know our history.

My favourite quotes:

“ The kind of patriotism that we represent is the kind of patriotism that loves America with open eyes” - Emma Goldman

“ no government, which is for the profiteers can also be for the people, and I am for the people while the government is for the profiteers” - Rose Pastor Stokes

“ war is a byproduct of capitalism, we say, and will pass away with it. teach the workers their economic interest, and they will not fight; destroy capitalism, and only then will war be abolished” - Jessie Wallace Hughan

[Homerun2 · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.75 stars

[Becky · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fascinating book! It discusses the Wartime Emergency Laws for WWI (sedition/espionage) and the women who got prosecuted for being anti-war. I love the concept of "republican womanhood" where women were just viewed to produce and raise soldiers for the country. Its so creepy our country reduced the image of women to their basic function. Hopefully this concept never gets applied again during wartime.