The Washington herald., 1908-07-01

Aondon. June SO-Modern London has
never witnessed a more extraordinary
spectacle than to-nighrs demonstration by
the sunragettes
For three or four hours vast multitude
Of men and women besieged the House of
Commons. Five thousand policemen had
their energies tested to the utmost TO
protect the precincts of Westminster
from the invasion. A small fleet Of police
boats was stationed ON the Thames 10
ward of attacks by water. The land
forces. including all the mounted men of
the metropolis. had the warmest time
since the Trafalgar Square riots. twenty
years ago.
1t was the largest assemblaEe seen in
Parliament Square and vicinity within
LIVING memory. 1t was not a violent dem
Onstrauon. but those who took part in
st were so persistent that some rough
work was unavoidable, and the air was
filed from time TO time with the shrieks
ana screams Of women who were being
crushed by the charges OF the police.
afoot and mounted.
There were many arrests. Those held
7umbcr tventy-niue. all women. Two are
harged with breaking windows in Pre-
.lier Asquiths official residence IN Down
ing street The others are charged with
obstructing the police.
Caused by Mrs. Pankhurst.
This elimination Of the militant suf-
fragette partys agitation was the out
come Of Premier Asquith's suggestion
that the women OF England had not
shown any intense desire for the suffrage
Mrs. Pankhursts cohorts replied that
they would prove the contrary. They
met az CoNton Han .lis afternoon and
sent a delegation of twelve women, Ms.
Pankhust az their head, 20 see Prime
Minister Asqulth. He refused 20 see them
and sent word to them tc put their de-
mands I'm writing. They returned TO the
haI with grim determination showing in
their faces and hot words on their
tongues.
Irs. Pankhurst declared that the hour
had come 20 show their strength.
Break All Records.
Mrs. Pethick Laurence said i'm an inn
passioned speech that women had broken
all records. In 1897. women presented the
greatest petition Parliament had ever
known. on June Is. Of this yea-. they
had held the largest public meeting in
Albert Hall that had ever been held. and
on June p they organized the most i'm
pressive demonstration that ever appealed
20 any people or any government. She
added that they would produce another
record tonight They Kept their word.
They went 10 Parliament Square not
in procession. for that would have been
a breach Of the old statute and subjected
all participants TO a penalty of three
months Imprisonment. They joined the
great mass of their sympathizers. who
We're already couverging on the square,
but they found a forest Of black helmets
and battalions of mounted police await
ing them. The mob grew as by magic
until it not only packed the great square
but filled Westminster Bridge as far as
the Lambeth bank. blocked Whitehall TO
the Horse Guards. the army headquarters.
packed the Victoria ombankmeut. and
thronged Victoria street for several
blocks
All streets Packed.
AS far as the eye could reach all the
minor converging streets were simply
dense masses Of humanity. u was, IN
fact, crowd stupondous and unparalleled
among human assemblages, comprising
as it did, n large proportion OF women.
sunragettes mingled with the crowd
trying to !eaven it with their propaganda
but the question Of votes for women
seemed to be the last thing the majority
were concerned about. They were at
tracted by the prospect of a scrimmage
Now and then. however, the su6ragettes
were able to show that II was really a
vote seeking demonstration. groups Of
them shouting unltedly, Votes for
women or starting to harangue the mob.
Their reception was sometimes enthusias-
tic. sometimes dcrisive, but always good
humored and never hostile.
Police Dash In.
Whenever these Incidents happened. the
police dashed in with smiling but un-
conquerable inslstence, and dragged out
the demonstrators. while the crowd cheer
ed or hooted, as the humor took them.
Some of the arrests were dramatic. as
when a woman strobe 10 the police sta
tlon between constablcs with the air OF
martyr going 20 the stake. but others
were rather pathetic for some OF the
women. who were in the tumult for the
first time. looked frightened and their
lips trembled.
So far as can be ascertained, the leaders
did not enter the crowd, keeping care
fully clear so as 10 be free to control
future demonstrations Only one suf-
fragette managed 20 enter the actual pre-
cincts OF Parliament. She Joined a group
Of mattresses bound for the House of
Continued on PAGE 4, Column q.
FfI.OO NinEarn Fails Excursion. July n