Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-04
SENATE ORDERS PROBE:
HOUSE ALSO MAY ACT
Hobson Declares Men in Uniform
Joined in Jeering Women.
BLAME Is PUT ON SYLVESTER
Opposition of Police superintendent
to Holding of Parade Now Cited
Against Him.

Demanding congressional invest;ga-
ton to fix the blame for the overfiowing
OF huge crowds into Pennsylvania avenue
during their great procession and the dis
graceful scenes attending the affair. the
leaders and marchers i'll the suffrage
pageant of yesterday afternoon gathered
in Memorial Continental Hall, following
the votes for women" demonstration,
and for more than an hour criticised the
policing of the city during the parade.
While the women were denouncing the
''idiotic incompetency of the police ar
rangements.' as they described them
members of the House of Representatives
were equally free at the Capitol with
their scathing criticisms of Maj. Sylvester
and his force. In the House a congress
sional investigation was demanded to
learn why Mai. Sylvester, superintendent
of police, had disregarded a joint resolu-
ton of Congress providing for adequate
police protection.
In the Senate a joint resolution intro
duced by Senator Nelson was adopted
calling on Maj. Sylvester for an explana-
tiOn of the entire affair, and another
resolution, introduced by Senator Jones'
was adopted. providing for the investiga-
ton asked for by the women. The Jones
resolution does not require action by the
rouse Oh REPRESENTATIVES,.
Denunciation of Police.
From every side yesterday and today
came the most bitter denunciations of the
police protection afforded the suffra-
gists. The statement said to have been
made by Mai. Sylvester last night that
"the pageant was given the same protec-
ton that will be given to the inaugura-
ton parade was greeted with jeers. a
member of the Senate, on hearing of this
remark. declared that il this is the case
Washington would have new superin-
tendent Of police before sundown today.
Miss Alice Paul. chairman Of the pro-
cession committee. with other leaders, to-
day called attention to the fact that they
had spent their entire time Saturday and
Sunday pleading for better protection.
During the reception Of Gen. Rosalie
Jones, they said. they realized that the
police were not trying to give protectlon,
and they asked Secretary of War Slim
son and several governors of states for
assistance.
Dr. Anna Howard Shaw. president of
the National American Woman Suffrage
Association, and other leaders announced
Immediately that they will hold another
procession in Washington four years
hence and at that time demand better
police protection. They also announced
that permanent congressional headqnar-
ters will be maintained here to work for
woman suffrage on a national basis.
Women Overcome Obstacles.
Despite the fact that at points the
suffrage marchers had to push their way
through obstinate crowds the procession
program was carried out in every detail.
During the last few blocks of the march
the suffragists passed crowds which
cheered constantly. After cavalry from
Fort Myer had been rushed to the rescue
there was little disorder.
Dr. Anna Howard Shaw led in the crit
icism of conditions under which the suf-
fragists were forced to march. She said
she was never so proud of suffragists
and never so ashamed of the National
Capital.
III any of the women here left home
faltering suffragist, they will never falter
again. said DIR. Shaw. The terrible
treatment we have received shows how
badly we need the ballot. IF Washington
women had been put i'll charge of the
streets today we would have been better
protected. Women are better able to gov
ern this city than it has been governed
today.
On motion of Oswald Garrison Vii
Hard, editor of the New York Evening
Post the following resolution was unan-
imously adopted:
Resolution of Censure.
Resolved, That this meeting unquali-
fiedly censures and denounces the shame
full conduct of the police during the suf-
frage page4nt just ended, which denied
to the marchers for suffrage their rights
to parade freely and unmolested in the
main streets of the capital, and subjected
them to frequent ribald insults from the
crowds which all but overwhelmed them
To these insults the police in many cases
listened without effort to repress. as they
were but mildly interested when the
marchers were compelled to go in single
file. Such mismanagement would have
been a disgrace in any city. but it is
doubly End trebly a disgrace in the Ma
tional Capital. which belongs to our cit
iZens. men and women alike
DR.. Shaw continued her speech after
the resolution had been passed. and said
there was consolation in the fact that all
the men who insulted the women were
anti-suffragists. and that anti-suffraglst
policemen made no attempt to stop the
disorder.
Try Again in Four Years.
| But il anybody thinks We can be
| frightened by few rowdy anti-suffra-
| gists he is vastly mistaken, continued
DR.. Shaw. I'VE will be back in Wash
| ington four years hence, and by that time
we will have so many suffrage states back
of us that the police will not dare to fail
| to protect us
| Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait. president of
1.-the International Suffrage Alliance, ad-
vocated an immediate Investigation by
Congress of conditions during the parade.
She said that an effort should be made to
| lay the blame. She said that no time
should be lost in having resolutions in
! troduced in the Senate and House calling
| for such an investigation.
Continuing Mrs. Gait spoke of the
| rapid growth of the suffrage move
ment throughout the world, She said
that the growth would be more rapid.
! but that the trouble is that two-thirds
| of the men do not know what Is in the
| Declaration of Independence.
| Speaking again In introducing Miss
Mary Johnston of Richmond, Va, DR..
| Shaw praised the Boy Scouts and some
regAfr soldiers and marines wha