Evening journal., 1913-03-05
CONGRESS TO
The help OF
SUFFRAGISTS
Senate Adopts Resolution Call
ing on Major Sylvester
to Explain ROWdyiSm
WILSON TO GET
COPY OF RESOLUTION

WASHINGTON, March 5-Major
Richard Sylvester, superintendent Of
the Metropolitan Police, and the
Board OF District Commissioners are
TO be Investigated by the Senate Com
saittee on the District of Columbia as
result of the disgraceful scenes
which attended the parade of the suf-
fragists Monday
4 resolution was adopted by the
Senate yesterday calling for a report
from the Commissioners and Super
intendent of Police as to why the re-
solution OF Congress authorizing the
stopping of traffic and street cars on
Pennsylvania avenue at the time Of
the parade had not been enforced. In
presenting his resolution to the SEN
ate, Senator Nelson said.
THE failure of the Washington
police to preserve order during the
parade Of the suffragists was a most
disgraceful affair It is discreditable
to the police force of the capital
Senator Jones, who also put in a
resolution, said:
81 am reliably informed that actual
conditions were a disgrace to our civ
ilization and that the police were
negligent"
Crowd JOstled Legislators.
Representative Hobson of Alabama
told the House that the Congressional
section of the parade led by Repre-
sentative Rucker of Colorado, com
prsing a score OF Senators and Re-
presentatives and starting at arms
length apd four abreast, finally were
crowded into single fle by spectators,
and that the police 'scoffed with the
rufiians"
Il have been called over the tele-
phone," said Mr.. HObson, "and told by
a lady that her daughter was on one
cf the floats in the parade and that a
uiiian climbed on the float and in
suited her daughter
Representative HObson declared
later he intended TO ask for an inyes-
tigation of the. Police Department dur
ing the extra session of Congress.
Major Sylvester declared that the
inability OF his force to manage the
crowd was not due to any wilful
neglect of duty by any of the men,
He said he did the best he could with
the small force at his cOmmand-63l
disciplined privates. In addition there
were "a large number of specials.
IL gave the sunragists the same
protection that will be afforded the
inaugural parade he added What Il
needed is a larger force here"
Suffracists 20 Protest to Board.
4 delegation of sunragists will ap
pear before the District Commission
ers tomorrow TO add their protest 4
those heard in Senate and House
The opinion is general at suffragis
Headquarters that Major Sylvester il
directly responsible for the failure o
the police TO preserve order They de
clare he was opposed TO the parade
from the very first
Major Sylvester placed every OBJ
stacle i'm our way said Miss Alice
Paul. secretary of the suffragists "H'
did not want us TO be permitted tC
parade up Pennsylvania avenue and
failing in this, he did everything IL
his power to prevent orders being
issued to have the cars stop running
during the parade. We did not get ;
single concession from either MaJo
Sylvester or the Board of Commits
sioners. Everything we did get cam'
through Congress. It required spe
cial resolution to have Pennsylvania
avenue closed to traffic during GU
parade
"Whon the question of parade wa
first agitated I made a personal visi
TO President Taft. to the Secretary o
War and to the District Commission
crs. I thought that United State
troops might be necessary to preserv'
order. Major Sylvester. however. as
sured the Commissioners and the Sec
Rotary of War that his men could be de-
pended on to see that our parade wouli
not be interfered with by the crowds
He promised to preserve order AM
give US all the assistance in his power
and just how he carried out hi
promises is well known to every citi
zen who Witnessed the disgracefu
scenes of Monday The suffragist
hold Major Sylvester personally re
sponsible for this outrage, and we ar
not going TO allow it to pass un