El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1912-04-15

! w. ASHINGTON, d. c.. April 10
W While many American suf-
fragists. including Mrs Rob
| ert NJ. La Toilette. deplOre the acts Of
! violence committed by the suffragets
in England. there are few suffragist
/ leaders who really understand all of
| the conditions in England who are dis
posed to criticise the English women
harshlv. Mrs. La Toilette said recent
/ ": The English women are following
/ methods which custom and tradition
! warrant and make effective as a cam
/ paign program. When English women
] DEFY the police and break windows and
pester the prime minister they are puF-
suing the policy which men have pur-
sued before them to demonstrate that
they are in earnest in demanding con-
stftutiOnal rights Imagine the con-
I sequences if American women were 20
/ indulge in such belligerent methods in
I protest Of their grievances Aggres-
J sive campaigning for suffrage is as
( legitimate as for other good purposes
! Street paredes, open air meetings.
] where effective in awakening interest,
Z arOusing enthusiasm and educating the
| public, should have our approval but
IN America, there seems no need for
/ resort to militant methods"
Beginning of Militant Move.
The militant movement in England
began in 1905, when the Conservative
government which had been in office
/ Tor some time was obviously about to
lose control OF parliament. The Liber-
al party. which then came into power,
I had always professed belief in dem
CcraCy and government Judged
by its principles and traditions the
women had reason to hope that this
party would include woman suffrage
in its program on which the election
OF 1906 would be fought They were
speedily undeceived- on October l3,
1895. Sir Edward Grey made a speech
at Manchester. and after the meeting
Miss Christabel Pankhurst and Miss
Annie Kenney Tentured to follow the
ttme-hOnOred English custom of ad-
dressing a question to the speaker
The question was. "Wll the Liberal
government give votes to working
women" The Liberal leader refused
10 answer the question and a scene Of
wild confusion ensued in which the
women were first rudely turned out OF
the meeting and, when outside, were
arrested for causing an obstruction in
the streets. Miss Pankhurst was sen
fenced to seven days in prison and
Miss kenney to three days This was
the beginning Of the suffraget move
CheerfuIIy Go to Jail.
Since the Imprisonment Of those two
English, girls nearly. seven years ago
hundreds of English women have
cheerfully gone 20 prison worn the
prison garb and even submitted TO the
'fOrcible feeding" ordered by the pris-
on authorities when some of them. re-
voting against the prison fare re-
fused TO eat The action Of the mill
tnant suffragists or "suffragets" as
they are popularity called, transferred
their question from the parlOr and
club 10 the street and from a theOret-
lCal proposition TO q living issue. The
prison garb became a costume of hon
or and upon their release from impris-
Vnment the women were received with
great OvatiOns- Mrs. Pankhurst be-
/ came the leader Of popular crusade
with Votes for woT9an' as its war
cry.
According to American suffragists.
the recent visit of Mrs. Panknurst TO
the United States has done much to
Drlng about a better understanding OF
the conditions against which the Eng
Ish women are struggling. as we'll as
TO create added enthusiasm in the suf-
rage movement as II is being for
Tarded in tH's country Instead OF the
loud-vOlced, aggressive woman, rep
resented as the typical window SMASH
CT. her audiences saw a gentls-vOiced.
cultured woman who spoke elOQuently
In the support 80 Hcr cause but vet
was IN herself the best refutal Of the
many charges made against the suf-
For . number of~years it was claimed
that there was a majority in the
house Of commons of the English par
lament In favor of woman suffrage.
This majority included men OF all par
ties, Conservative. Liberal. Labor men
and Irish They believe that women
house holders should have vote. In
England a house holder is anyone rent
ing house or a part of a house. even
one room Women hOusehOlders have {
mad municipal suffrage in England for
- years and for over so years a ma ,
so-sty OF the house OF commons was Z
supposed TO be willing to give them +
parliamentary suffrage and a bill last Z
year passed by vote of 255 to IS But /
the militant tactics were carried too 7
FAR and last month the Cancellation 4
Dill. as tie householder vote measure /
was defeated by. - To POS votes It /
H.
ward Grey. whose refusal TO answer /
d question started the militant move
ment. was hearty advocate Of this .
DiI. while premier AsQutth opposed It. +
Although Its defeat was a surprise and /
q shock to the suffragets they point I
out that the unfavOrable majority was /
only Il votes and that UNIVERSAL SUI /
frage is sure TO come.
Summary Of Situation.
me following summary or the stu \
alton in England is quoted from an 4
American suffragist and sympathizer:
The injustice and severity with I
which these women have been treated {
while I'm prison viii 80 down as a blot .
upon the English history of the TWEEN
tieth century. In England. as in all 4
European countries, respect Is shown
to political prisoners. They are
compelled TO wear prison clothes or 70 (
associate with criminals while under
going their sentences The authOri- 4
ties steadily refused to extend these
were placed upon nc ievel with Grim
mails and treated with even less len
iencv.
There seemed no other way for
these women TO show that they really
wanted the ballot than by insisting
upon being heard OF perhaps by fling
ing their message wrapped round "a
stone into a meeting from which they
were excluded. and now that they feel
that the promises made to them have
been broken. there is no means OF
L he HHnen
women who viii go TO any length in
volcinS their protest. facing prison
and even death n need be
Reports Exaggerated
while there is no doubt but that [
some or the suffragets resOrted to
window smashing and other property
destruction most Of the reports OF
suffraget outbreaks have been either
greatly exaggerated OF totally fabri-
Gated. In many Of the cases where
women have been sent TO prison. they
have been victims rather than agrees
sors- Among the newest stories which
have crossed the Atlantic rega riding
the WAY such reuOrfs are Creatpd is ~