William C. Allen was born in 1857 in Chester County, Pennsylvania. He was a member of the Society of Friends. Allen was deeply opposed to war and wrote often about the problems of propaganda, censorship, conscription, imperialism, and the munitions industry. He traveled widely, in Asia, Australia, New Zealand, and South Africa, and wrote many articles about his experiences abroad. perhaps Allen championed the rights of native peoples in South Africa. He also worked against conscription in California, was a strong advocate for the temperance movement, and was actively interested in the Federal Council of Churches. Allen established the Peace Committee of the Churches of the Pacific Coast.
