The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-04-26

closing of most of the palaces which
had always been open for the inspec-
ton of visitors. Kew Gardens also re-
ceived a visit from the militants, and
some of the most beautiful and rare
plants in the hothouses, including num-
bers of beautiful orchids, were de-
stroyed.
The public recreation grounds at
Nottingham Forest were next de-
stroyed, the lamps smashed, and the
ratings and benches broken. Tele-
phone and telegraph lines in the neigh
borhood were cut, after which the de-
stroyers complacently adjourned to a
meeting of the labor party, and yelled
the speakers down with cries of Chick
en- heartedr' which cries were based on
the act that the labor leaders refused
to embrace militant tactics in parlia-
ment to gain them the suffrage.
Burning of Lady Whites House.
The burning of Lady Whites house
and the destruction of her golf links,
which took place in the latter part of
March, was one of the suffragette per-
formances which attracted wide at
tention because of it's apparent wanton-
ness. No reason for the direction of
suffragette fire upon this particular
mansion was alleged, nor was any rea-
son given why the militants should
be opposed to the owner of the man
sion. Not since the blowing up of the
HILL was there such widespread con-
sternation over militant tactics as that
which resulted from the burning of
Lady Whites house, and for the attack
on Lloyd Georges property there was
at least the excuse that he had OPP
posed the women'S bills in parliament,
a plea of justification, which could not
possibly be made in Lady Whites case.
The first attempt to burn a private
dwelling made by the suffra gettes had
also concerned a cabinet member. This
was the house of Mr.. Lewis Harcourt,
at Nuneham.
The Beginning of Militancy.
The English suffragists had been slowly
and surely gaining ground for years, and
they had acquired various substantial
municipal franchise and the power to
hold, as well as to vote for municipal of
fices. and even greater advantages in all
the English colonies. But the small group
of women, headed by Mrs. Emmeline
Pankhurst and her daughters, were dis
satisfied with the failure to obtain the
parliamentary franchise, and they re-
solved to take up entirely new methods of
dealing with the situation.
The first idea of the militants was that
they would attend the political meetings
and hackle the speakers until they made
some definite promises as to what should
be done for woman suffrage They at
once began to carry out this program.
First Assault on Parliament.
When the parliament was convened the
king made no mention of woman suffrage
in speech, which so angered the
in body, and on being turned back by |
the police, refused to dispense, many of |
them were arrested. So furious were the |
sumraSettes at this turn of affairs, that |
Christobel Pankhurst advised all of them |
who could to march upon parliament and |
should any succeed In getting there, to |
rush into the house of commons, set them |
selves upon the government bench, and |
demand a hearing.
IF possible she cried, 'seize the mace |
and you will be the Cromwells of lie
twentieth century,
The women did not succeed in reaching |
the house of commons, but Mr.. Asqujth |
later received them in deputation and |
told them that the votes for women meas |
ure would not be advanced by the gov |
ernment.
Although the women had given as an |
excuse for the continued bounding of Mr.. |
Asquith that he would not receive them |
and give them a definite reply one way or |
the other, his having done so finally did |
not afford him the slightest relief from |
their Importantly. They followed him !.
peared at his house demanding further |
hearing.
took place when during the sitting of the |
cabinet to decide on the program for the |
coming session some women chained |
themselves to the railing of the official |
residence so that they could not be easily |
removed by the police and began to make |
a speech which could be heard both in
attempt of the police to cut the women's |
chains another suffragette succeeded in |
getting inside the house, from which she |
was speedily elected.
Four women shortly after the claiming |
episode rushed into the kings procession
and tried to present him with a petition.
Fight With the Police.
The next move of the women in dis
orderly direction was the distribution of
handbills before the coming in of a new
parliament, asking all citizens to help
them rush the house of commons. A ter
rifle struggle between the police and the
sufragettes took place on the occasion of
the new sessions opening. Mrs. Pank-
hurst. Miss Christobel Pankhurst, and
Mrs. Drummond were summoned to an
swer to the charge of circulating hand
bills melting to riot. They sought to ex-
cuse the offense by quoting from the die
tonary as to the meanings of rush.,
which they declared suggested nothing
riotous
The Women's Freedom League now
came forward in support of the militant
Methods, and Miss Muriel Matters, with
two other women. chainedd themselves to
the grills in the ladies gallery of the
mouse of commons that they could
speak without being dragged away. They
began their speech, and although the po-
lce rushed for them it was necessary to
cut away parts of the famous old grille
oeIore the women could be removed.
ATs.-