New-York tribune., 1912-03-05
WOULD Be IN JAIL, TOO
That Is, if She Were in London,
One SuffragiSt Says.
OTHERS NOT IN SYMPATHY
Window Smashers Should Be
Called Not Revolutionists, but
Rioters, Declares an Anti"


Called Not Revolutionists, but
Rioters, Declares an Anti"
A. F. Townsend, who is the husband Of
the treasurer of the Womans Political
| Union and, like all good suffrage husbands,
keeps himself informed on all the develop
ments Of "the cause" telegrap aphed Mrs.
Townsend as follows yesterday from a
business trip he is taking:
Il am sorry TO see that your friend Mrs.
Pankhurst is again In Jail"
To which Mrs. Townsend replied: 'If
were I'm London I'd be in Jail too"
Which represents the feeling OF a good
many New York suffragists. Not" Mrs.
Townsend explained yesterday. that I in
tend to go down Broadway with a hammer
smashing windows 1t wouldn't do any
good here. And must say that am glad
I'm not I'm London, for I wouldn't like to
smash windows and l wouldn't like to go
to Jail. But II were there I'd feel It my
duty to take my hammer and go out with
the rest
This new move of smashing the windows
OF shopkeepers and other private citizens
has been carefully thought out by the Eng
lish suffragists. Up 10 now the fight has
been between the suffragists and the gov
ernment. and the business men, who might
believe In woman suffrage or might not
thought oh. we'll, it's not our fight and
kept aloof But n their property is per-
sstently destroyed by the suffragists they
will have to take notice and compel the
government TO end this state Of affairs
Mr.. Asquith can end ii any time by giving
the suffragists a fair show. Why doesn't
he do It? | think it's because he said a
good many years ago that he didn't believe
women ought to vote. and I've noticed with
men that when they say a thing they think
they simply must stick TO IT, They call it
being consistent"
Mrs Townsend said the English women
were going to keep right on breaking vim
dows. Mrs. Pankhurst is in jail. but
Christabel Pankhurst and Mrs Pethick
Lawrence and the other leaders are not, as
far as 7 know arrested. And Of the rank
and flle-oh! there are thousands ready TO
do duty or course they can't be breaking
windows all the time-they have their
homes to look after. and we suffraStsts
never neglect our household duties. But
the English women won't neglect the ham
mer squad duty. either"
Mrs. John Winters Rrannan, wife of DIR.
Rrannan president OF Bellevue Hospital is
heartily I'm sympathy with this latest move
OF the Woman's Social and Political Union.
The wrongs and injustice done 20 women
and children in England and the trickery
OF the government" she said yesterday,
| have driven English women 10 revolution.
| No matter what steps they may have
| taken or will take in the future they
should be Judged as we Judge all those who
rebel in a righteous cause"
but Mrs. Gilbert Jones. anti-suffragist
and founder OF the League for the Civic
| Education Of Women. says the window
smashing English sufHragists have no right
10 dignity themselves with the name Ct
reyolutionlsts They are just common
rioters and mischief makers-not revolu-
tionists at ALL" she said. They won't
gain anything; women haven't the strength
| TO make a move OF the kind they're en-
barked upon successful II they had some
men TO 90 I'm with them they might win
but women haven't the physical strength
and. then. they haven't been trained fol
that sort Of thing. They lack the dlsci
pine Women are impulsive.
Governmental and constitutional meth
DDS are the best. anyhow l believe In
those. and / believe In being LIBERAL We
are going TO have an English woman whom
I believe Is a suffragist speak at our league
to-morrow-Mrs. J. T.. owen. But as tc
that brick throwing. every one who knows
me knows that | don't approve OF It,
Mrs. Arthur Dodge, president OF the Ma
tional Association Opposed to Woman Suf-
frage. refused to be questioned upon the
latest news from England. I'VE are giving
out d great many interviews upon matters
Of interest" she said. "but about this out
break OF the militant sunragists 1 don't
think il is necessary for me TO express an
opinion. II speaks for itself
There is one English suffragist in this
country who regrets the brick throwing ex-
tremelv. She Is Mrs. Ashton JOnson, who
is over here lecturing She is constitu-
tional suffragist.
"I think" she said that this latest riot
on the part of English suffragists will dc
the cause more harm than anything that
has gone before. The cause needs no more
advertising. Half the Cabinet Is working
LOYALTY. and strongly to get a democratic
1
amendment TO the manhood suffrage bill
and is being supported by all suffragsts in
England with the exception Of the Woman
Social and Political Union, which repre-
sents only a minority.
mo Cabinet would allow itself TO be
shattered over non-party question, there
fore nothing can be gained by the destruc-
tion OF this government. If the ConserVa'
tives came into power they would be just
as dsunited.
81 consider that at the present time, with
all England In the throes OF great nation
aI calamity-the mining strike-it Is
wickedlv unpatriotic of these suffragists
tins to produce anarchy and stir up vio-
lence The woman's cause needs no sucf
means-it Is too great
"The English government Is deceiving us
with It's promises OF woman Suffrage
amendment. said Miss Elisabeth Freeman
the Rrooklyn girl who worked four years
with Mrs Pankhurst I'm England and has
now returned to work with the Woman
Suffrage party in New York. II am heart
and soul with the Woman's Social and Po-
lItIcal Union, and ] long TO be over there
swinging my hammer with them.
81 see that Mr. Asquith is trying TO use
his good offices to settle the trouble between
the miners and mine owners. But he cant
use his good offices for us! The miners