Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-11
SAYS SUFFRAGE PARADE
PROGRAM WAS PERFECT
Unable to Account for Failure Of
Plans for Protection.
PREACHER TELLS OF INSULTS
Declares Policemen Only Laughed
When Appealed to to Shield
Women From Obscene
Remarks.

Remarks.
District Commissioner Johnston. testifyl
ing this morning before the Senate COM
mittee investigating conditions surround
ing the suffrage procession March 3.
praised Superintendent of Police Sylvester
''as the best chief of police in the United
States: defended the police force against
the attacks against it. and told of his
own personal efforts to clear Pennsylvania
avenue during the parade.
Gen. Johnston blamed the trouble
during the procession mainly on the
spirit of levity which he said ruled
the crowds along the line OF march.
and he blamed this spirit chiefly on
newspapers which treated the affair
lightly" He said the spirit of the
crowds March and March was en-
tirely different.
Questions His veracity.
Some OF the statements made by Gen.
Johnston were directly different from
those made by the suffragist leaders
This led one OF the women to remark
in the Commissioners hearing, Good
ness. how he can lie" Gen. Johnston's
face flushed as he heard the remark.
but he determinedly kept his temper.
and made no retort.
Gen. Johnston was before the commit
tee giving his testimony until ! O'Clock.
when the hearing was adjourned until 10
O'Clock tomorrow morning. The Senate
was in session this afternoon preventing
the holding OF a meeting.
No Blame for Police.
Gen. Johnston made no effort to blame
any of the police officers or patrolmen
| under him, but instead took every oppor
tunity to defend them, and TO take up the
cudgels for Mai. Sylvester. Every time
a member of the committee asked him
| why he had not made a more serious APP
peal for troops he said that Mai. Ssi
vester had told him everything would be
all right and he accepted his word.
| He said he relied on his chief OF police
| implicitly. Pressed by Senator Jones. he
admitted that the Commissioners recon-
mendation that troops be called out did
| not amount to request Tor assistahce nee
Former Secretary of War Stfmson had
already shown that without such re-
quest he could not order out troops, pre-
paratory to the holding OF the parade
Renewed Interest in Hearing.
There was renewed interest in the hear
ing this morning. and all seats were filled
before the members of the committee ar
rived. The expectation that Gen. john
ston would testify added to the interest.
Senators Jones and Dillingham; Of the
committee began the hearing. but Sena-
tor Pomerene. the other member. arrived
later. All Of the senator's took notes
during the testimony of Gen. Johnston.
Senator Jones opened the hearing by
asking Maj. Sylvester regarding a
statement made by him that he had
been thanked by Mrs. n. Z. Allender,
suffragist leader, for his work during
the parade.
senator Jones said he had letter
thanked Mai. Sylvester. The major
said the incident occurred before and
not after the parade, and the matter
was dropped
of Trade, who served as a member Of
the public order committee for the inau-
guration. told of helping to Gear tie
Avenue for the suffrage procession.
We had some automobiles with police
flags and. with Maj. Sylvester, went
along the Avenue before the procession"
said Mr.. Droop Il heard Maj. Sylvester
tell one special policeman who was not
doing his work that he would dischal Sc
him unless he got busy.
After helping the police at the place
where the parade was formed | went TO
the Union station 10 help receive Presi-
dent Wilson. and then went to Pennsyl-
vania avenue and 14th street The
crowds there were very dense.
"The police generally seemed To be
working very strenuously," he concluded.
Clergyman a Witness.
Rev. James Mythen Of Baltimore. who
led a delegation of men from Mary
land in the procession, told or how
two mounted policemen had given him
wrong directions about how to fnd the
procession.
4
terrible" said Mr.. Mythen. There
were many obscene remarks as the
women passed.
zone of the men with me asked
Policeman No. 454 If he could not pre-
ing obscene remarks. The policeman
only laughed
Later a mounted policeman drove
the crowd back and I noticed Police
man No. 211 laughing at the fun"
Mr. Myihen also gave the numbers
a21 and 175 as being those of police
men who only laughed when appealed
to to keep the e. crowd asS,sad PACK. &C s. s.,,,
of fun" he continued. They did more
harm than good. There were many who
were really trying. but they were not
successful.
more. was walking with a guide. and .
rowdy pulled her away and she was near
ly lost"
District Commissioner Johnston was the
next witness
Cen. Johnston said that his term ex-
pired several weeks ago and that he has
been an applicant for relief ever since.
He then took up his story of the AFFAIR.
Advised Against Parade.
Gen. Johnston said that his connection
With the suffragists had TO do with re-
quest for permit to parade. request for
military protection and a request to have
street cars on the Avenue stopped.
when ! was first approached by the
women l told them that a permit had
never been granted for, another parade
during the inaugural week., said the
Commissioner.
did you try to convince the women
that they should not hold the parade
March 3?' asked Senator. Jones.
Yes. / did" Gen. JohnR1on replied
"I told them they had Psen a bad