New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1912-10-01
MRS. 0. H. P. BELMONT
SAYS It RIGHT OUT
Condemns Public Opinion as to
Suffrage, Using Shorter
and UgIier Term.
REOPENS LUNCHR00MS
Defends British Militants as
Hundreds Eat, and Wishes
Women Here Would Do
Something Drastic.
Damn public opinion!"

Damn public opinionr'
That Is what Mrs O. II. P. Belmont
who reopened her suffrage lunchrooms
Yesterday at Nos 10 and Is East 41st
street thinks and says. She said it yes
terday-yes. right out. But she didn't
mean It I'm the sense a certain man once
meant when he said, The public be
damned
No. 1t was hot shot aimed at the per-
sons who criticise militant suffragists
and say that Mrs. Pankhursts followers
have alienated public opinion from the
cause.
Mrs. Belmont found time TO make a few
remarks on that head yesterday IN the
intervals Of watching the hundreds of
girls and q few men who visited the
lunchrooms make way with the roast
lamb. spinach, mashed potatoes. soup,
sausage and chocolate pudding with
whipped cream.
The men seemed few because they were
sort OF engufed I'm the feminine influx.
but really they weren't so few. At one
time thirty-twO masculine profiles bent
shyly over the long, hardwood tables re-
served for their sex. Exceedingly shy
they looked. One pretty suffragette said
II did ner heart good to see bunch OF
men all blushing so. Not that they need
ed TO blush, but you have TO wait on your
self at Mrs. Belmont's lunchrooms, and to
VIC Of laY
ing girls with a plate OF soup in one hand
and plate Of fishballs and a cup of
eoffee in the other, and some rolls and
your napkin and knife, and fork and
spoons under your arm is, If you're
mere man, somewhat disconccrting.
But about seventy-fve men did it with
fair success, and dropped only one plate
Of soup between them.
Why He Dropped the Soup.
And the man who dropped 1t was really
TO be excused. for he had Just overheard
an energetic young thing in a blue hobble
skirt say what an excellent training
school this was for future husbands Of
sufiragette wives.
Mrs. Belmont said that preparations
were made TO feed a thousand. and they
could easily handle that many In the
course of one lunch hour. At 1 o'clock
yesterday more than six hundred had
come, eaten and departed and they were
Still coming.
The rooms, which take up the whole
second floor Of the two buildings, are
really very airy and pretty, with gleam-
ing. white tables-except for the men,
who have dark tables in mission effect
The serving room. TO which the food is
brought by elevators from the kitchens
down below, has its walls panelled in a
sort Of dark wood, and is equipped with
all modern appliances for hustling your
luncheon to you piping hot, including
some extremely up-to-date young women
in cunning aprons.
The prices OF the different dishes are on
a white bulletin board that greets you as
you enter. Yesterday you could get roast
lamb or roast beef with potatoes and
spinach for % cents. country sausage or
lamb stew for IL cents; coffee and dessert
for q nickel.
The suffrage room downstairs Is thrown
In. II is n quiet room. furnished with
quaint benches and tables and books that
tell about woman suffrage. You don't
have to go in. but II you don't go in you
inhict a sad disappointment upon the
mild eyed woman who stands at the door
OF the suffrage room and wistfully
watches the crowds that pour upstairs
in search OF food
"Of course" Mrs. Belmont told The
I'll. ,,xI
10 give working women and men good.
clean things to eat, but II is also designed
10 boom suffrage. We hope that the peo-
pie who come here or some OF them, will
see or hear something-posters or books
or snatches OF talk-that will make them
think about suffrage if they haven't yet"
Concerning the Jersey Lily"
Some one asked Mrs Belmont IL she
vas going to see Lillian Langtry in the
suffrage skit, For the Cause" in which
she is appearing In New York this week.
II hadn't heard Of It: but IL it's play
about suffrage shall see 1t, even
though" said Mrs. Belmont. Mrs.
Langtry has been criticising the English
militants who have done so much for the
cause
''she thinks" said some one in far
corner, that they ALLEVIATE public opin-
ion"--
Damn public opinion" observed Mrs
Belmont in clear tones. There was
pause.
81 have never" continued the president
OF the Political Equality Association
worried much about public opinion
What is the use? Public opinion Pub
lie sympathy, What good have they
done us?"
THE plank in the Republican plat
form ventured the voice in the far
corner.
Mrs Belmont smiled q sarcastic smile
what does IL mean?' she demanded
"No; we women have got TO fight for the
vote. Mrs. Langtry has other means or
influencing men. Not all women have
those means We must fight, and It's
time we did something worth while
Shall you" painted the reporter go
out breaking windows?'
1T would be silly TO break few win
dows in New York. And conditions in
this country are different from condi-
tons in England. But we ought 10 do
SomethinR drastic and concerted--Such 81 S