The Humanitarian League was an organisation formed in England in 1891 by Henry Salt who was also the General Secretary and Editor. Other founding members were John Galsworthy, Colonel W. L. Blenkinsop Coulson, and Edward Carpenter. Its aims were to enforce the principle that it is iniquitous to inflict avoidable suffering on any sentient being.The League opposed both corporal and capital punishment. Its other objectives included the banning of all hunting as a sport, and it was also strongly opposed to vivisection. The HL thus anticipated the modern animal rights movement. Notable supporters of the HL included Keir Hardie, Thomas Hardy, George Bernard Shaw, Bertram Lloyd (1881–1944) and Christabel Pankhurst.
The League closed down in 1920.
Famous quotes containing the words humanitarian and/or league:
“Man made one grave mistake: in answer to vaguely reformist and humanitarian agitation he admitted women to politics and the professions. The conservatives who saw this as the undermining of our civilization and the end of the state and marriage were right after all; it is time for the demolition to begin.”
—Germaine Greer (b. 1939)
“He will deliver you from six troubles; in seven no harm shall touch you. In famine he will redeem you from death, and in war from the power of the sword. You shall be hidden from the scourge of the tongue, and shall not fear destruction when it comes. At destruction and famine you shall laugh, and shall not fear the wild animals of the earth. For you shall be in league with the stones of the field, and the wild animals shall be at peace with you.”
—Bible: Hebrew, Job 5:19-23.