The Montgomery advertiser., 1908-01-12
WILL BE AN END TOFREE SPEECH Declare the Women Who Would Vote. RATS BREAK UP A MEETING Disgraceful Tactics Employed by
 Enemies of Suffrzges.
 ----e---- Women Say People should step farh- ias Loose Rats At Their Meet-
 iss. and Police sheuias
 Protect Them.

| Protect Them. | Br ROBERT BRODERICk. Londen. Jan. 1.-The champions of l women suffrages in England are accus- ing the cabinet and their followers of using unfair means to discourage the movement of equal political rights for the two sexes and especially so they condemn the attempts which have been made by some of their opponents to break up their meetings by turning loose scores of rats.
 | In an interview, the Secretary of the Woman's Freedom League says, that: If these disgraceful tactics are kept | up we shall no doubt take legal ad- vice. When the rats were turned loose In the meeting room there was. of | course, terrible commotion, but | must say that at least as many men as women were afraid of the rats and were just as quick to stand on chairs until the rodents had been caught. We appealed in vain to the police. but it appears that they are not al- l lowed to enter hall excepting when a free fight is in full swing and some one has been half Killed. If this sort of thing goes on, free speech in Eng land will be impossible" Miss Pankhurst, of the Woman's So- cial and Political Union was equally in- dignant.
 There will be an end to free. speech If this conduct is allowed to continue. she said. "If some of the offenders who turned loose such dangerous anf. mals as rats and throw pepper about in Epublic halls were to De ifnprisoned for a short term. we should hear no more of such behavior which will of course make not the slightest difference to our movement. In fact, 1t has already gained for us many syinpathizers.
 Coal Goes Up. Because the European governments are laying up stores of coalsin antici- patton of a naval war, coal has gone up In price so much that 1t has caused a serious crisis In the shipping trade. At recent meeting of representatives of British ship owners in all parts of | the country. 1t was decided to lay tip q percentage of all oil ships because with l the present coal prices it is impossible l to run the boats at a profit. This means that thousands of men l will be thrown out of employment within the next two weeks. but this is not all, for from all parts of the coun- trv considerable stores of factories crippled are forced to suspend because of scarcity of coal. Really one-fourth of the factories at. Shehield are affected and the pinch is also felt throughout | Scotland.
 Nearly all the governments of Flu rope get their coal for naval use from the British Isles and this year the German goyernment alone hes orderAl two million tons more than last year. while the orders of the English govern ment have increased with sevenf mil. lion tons.
 Magnificent Club House. The most magnificent club house in the world is to be built in this city by the Royal Automobile Club, which has secured a long time lease of the old War Office site in Pall Mall Julian orde. Secretary of the Club. says that it is going to be the most up-to-date club house that it is possi- bIe to be built on the site
 The area is more than twice that of the Carlton Club. It has a front of 22s feet to Pall Mall. and & depth Of 145 feet. The building will extend tho whole length and from the foot path line in Pail Mail back to within twen- ty-five feet of Carlton House terrace. That will leave a garden twenty-five feet wide along the back.
 "The club will be the finest in Lon- don. We are bound by the lease to build 1t of Portland stone, and to spend not less than &5o0.000. We may spend more.
 'There will be a swimming bath, r,l~kfsh bath, and a gymnasium. The dining room will be arranged, prob ably to accommodate no fewer than 200 to 25O members. It is intended, if possible. to have 150 bed rooms for the use of members"
 Poor AIexandrlan Season.
 There has been a real plague at AIex- andria, which has kept many people from going to Cairo this winter, but as as matter of fact, tbe scare was groundfess and consisted of only two or three native cases. The season, however. for various reasons, will be a poor one.
 Mrs, Mackay and her sister, Countess Telfner. intend to go up the Nile, and before starting will be entertained by Sir Eldon and Lady Gorst, the new "Kfng" and "Queen" of Egypt, at Cal TO- Mrs. Mackay will take the body Of her late mother. Mrs. Hungerford, to New York next March for re-tnter- ment.
 Would Rather stay.
 Princess Patricia, of Connaught Is dreading leaving England for Malta, where her father the Duke, Is to be in command for some years to come. The young Princess will. of course. have a gay time at first at Malta, but the iE- land affords little amusement except for the winter months.
 Princess Pat" will greatly miss her ,rnerican friends Miss Jean Reid. Miss Padelford. who is to marry Mir. Gros- venor on February i. and Miss Frewen. Meanwhile the Duke and Duchess of Connaught and Princess Pat" are en- towing a last informal fling for the Christmas holidays at >Clumber as the guests of young Mir. W, Astor and Mrs. Astor. Lady Maxwell (nee Bon ynge) whose husband is in at tendance on the Duke. will join the connaught family at Malta about a month hence. and will act as cheerful companion for Princess Pat" who is devoted to her.
 The young Princess. by the way. has more than once told her friends that she will remain am old maid rather tban marry any German Prince who may be selected for her. and her fa- ther entirely agrees with his favor fts daughter
 British Naval Activity.
 The cruise of the American battle- ship squadron to the Pacific has caused the branch admiralty to plan for a large increase. of the English fleet in American waters.
 It has been decided to establish 8 Pacific and North American squadron. which Is to consist of the present