3rd International Vegetarian
Congress
Brussels, Belgium 1891 (cancelled)
The report of the 1890 International Congress, held in London, stated:
Considerable discussion then ensued upon where the next sitting of
the Congress should be held, Paris and Brussels having an equal number
of supporters. Utimately Brussels was selected and the Congress adjourned
for luncheon.
The Vegetarian Federal Union Secretary's notes in the July 4, 1891 issue
of The Vegetarian refers to the planned 3rd International Congress:
As to the proposed Vegetarian International Congress it was arranged
that Wednesday and Thursday, 9th and 10th of September next should be
the days of the meeting. Inasmuch, however, there was no Society in
Brussels and the information firnished to the Committee showed a great
lack of interest in that city, it was urged that the Congress had better
be postponed to permit of greater interest and sympathybeing created
in Belgium, the more so as there was to be an International Health Congress
in London the preceeding month, which mst undoubtedly handicap the Brussels
Congress.
It was determined ultimately, however, to send out a letter to all
whom it might concern intimating that t was proposed to hold such a
Congress in Brussels on the dates given, provided it was shown a sufficient
number would be present and asking for promises of attendance. The wisdom
of this course is obvious, and as there is no time to spare in obtaining
this information and making the necessary arrangements, it behoves all
who intend being present in Brussels to signify at once the same to
me. I give the fares from London to Brussels by various routes, to which
must be added the fares from the provincial towns to London. [details
of fares followed].
The follow-up was in the August 1, 1891, issue of The
Vegetarian:
I mentioned last month that there were grave doubts as to whether the
International Congress at Brussels would take place for inter alia
reasons then given, but that if sufficient promises of attendance could
be obtained it might still be held. I regret to say that the responses
to my circular letters have been most meagre. Most of the Societies
for divers good reasons are prevented from sending delegates. The time
fixed is apparently a sungularly inconvenient one for most of our representatives,
whilst not a few have doubted whether a Congress in Brussels would achieve
the results desired. Be that as it may, the prospects all round of a
successful conference seemed so unsatisfactory that the Union Commitee
have decided to relinquish the attempt and to postpone the Congress
for this year. All, therefore, whom this may concern, please take note.
What the outcome of the Committee's decision will be remains to be seen,
and will probably be fully discussed at their meeting within the next
week or so. Possibly it may be reserved until the next Union Conference
in Cambridge on October 6th.
It was suggested that the International Labour Congress at Brussels
this year might be of assistance to us should we there meet, but inasmuch
as this takes place early in August, and moreover, is likely to take
up ground somewhat beyond our ken it was deemed better not to attempt
any such arrangement.
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