Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-03-08
BARS NIGHT b|RDMEN
England Enacts Law Prohibit
ing Specified Areas.
AGREE ON SUFFRAGE BILL
Liberals United on Question-Pre-
mier Asquith Not Soon
to Resign.
AGREE ON SUFFRAGE Bill

to Resign.
LONDON, March 1. 1913.
A popular pastime nowadays with con-
tinental aviators would seem to be flying
trips by night over England. Daring air
pilots in Germany or France leave their
moorings at dusk, speed over the chan
mel, and then circle over the British cities
and forts, flashing their lights to mystify
and alarm the people below them. With
the first indications of dawn the adven-
ture comes to an end. The proving
birdman heads for home, houses his ma
chine before the sun is well up. ana
leaves the officials Of England to report
his Incursion to the war Office in London
Reports of these night visits became so
general. and were at the same time SO
disconcerting. that the government final
~ took official action and passed a blu
prohibiting the passage of aircraft over
certain specified areas. Aircraft violat-
ing this regulation will be fired on and
otherwise warned away. The bill was in
troduced into the house Of commons by
Col. Seeley, secretary of war, ana II
passed through all its stages at one Sit
| ting, without discussion. It went to the
that house just as hurriedly.
Enforcement Is Question.
| How the measure is to be enforced has
aroused considerable interested specula-
| ton. The bill authorizes the proper Off
tcers, after giving a prescribed warning,
to fire at any aircraft infringing this
law, and to use any and every other
means to prevent infractions. The gov
eminent is providing SKY guns" to re-
pei these aerial trespassers. and 1t will
also have the services Of the navel aero
planes and hydroplanes and the flying
feet Of the army. which consists OF
about a dozen aeroplanes and three
small airships.
| Experts have very grave doubts wheth-
err these precautions will be sufficient to
prevent the midnight visits. Col. Seeley.
in introducing the bill, said it was not
aircraft belonging to foreign governments
| that were aimed at, but mischievous pri-
vate persons. possibly from overseas.
there are combustfble stores. to the great
inconvenience Of the people OF the coun-
try
| What gave rise to the action OF the
government were reliable reports. IN
some cases from army officers, that air.
craft had been seen over Dover. Sheer
ness. Portsmouth and Liverpool. and on
at least two occasions as far west as
| Cardiff. always at night. The. first visits
were paid in October. and they have
continued up to the present time. At
| first there was an inclination TO make
light of them or to ascribe the moving
lights and the noise of the propeller to
some airship privately owned In Eng
could not be, and now the government
places the blame on privately owned for
eign airships.
May Be From Germany.
| Some people. however. discard this as
sumption and declare that at least one OF
| the aerial visitors came from Borkum,
the German fortress nearest the English
coast. From Borkum 1t would be very
simple matter for modern airship TO
pass over the North sea and even right
across England, as in the case OF the
ship that few over Cardiff. and be back
at her base before morning. Those who
claim to have evidence that this hight
was made from Borlxum go further and
say that the German government has
/ several airships at Emden, and tnat
when a fight over England is projected
one of these crafts is taken to Borkufn
and the start made from there.
| According to official returns. Germany
had twelve. airships of large dimensions
at the end of 1912 and it is believed that
she has added to this number since.
There also are ten privately owned air.
ships in Germany. Against these England
has three airships of very small dimen-
sions. and one large airship now under
construction in Germany. England has a
greater number of aeroplanes than Ger
many, however. and when a prospective
battle in the air is discussed British OFF,
GERS argue that an aerOplane. acting as a
DESTROYER. could very easily put night
prowling airship out of business.
| Agree on Suffrage Bill.
Those liberal members of the house Of
commons who support woman suffrage
have agreed upon bill which will be
introduced at the next session Of par
lament, but they have not been success
full in getting the unionists and laborites,
who also believe in giving the vote to
women, to act with them. In fact. there
/ is a very wide difference OF opinion
among the suffragistS as to how broadly
the franchise should be extended in the
case of women.
The bill of the liberal suffragists would
confer the parliamentary franchise on %
women, whether married or unmarried
| who. IL they were men, would be entitled
| to be registered and to vote in respect or
household qualification. e.. as in
| habitants or occupiers OF dwelling houses,
and C2) the wives of such inhabitant oc-
| cupiers, residing on the same premises
| as their husbands The bill would re-
| strict the franchise to women over
| twenty-five years Of age. This bill would
receive the support OF those members OF
| the cabinet who support the vote Tor
| women.
| or the other suffragists in the house, the
| unionists would not go so far as the lib
| erals and the laborites would go farther.
The former support what is known as
the conciliation bill, which confers the
vote on woman property owners or wom-
EN- who occupy houses independently.
i The labor party is out for adult suffrage
/ for both men and women 1t IS pointed out
that either of the other bills would shut
| out thousands of working girls and Wom-
| en- who reside with their parents. or at
| any rate have no Independent place OF
| residence. -,
| The liberals intend to frame their Dill
SO that amendments can be introduced,
and the house given an opportunity OF
| deciding which, IL any, form OF sunrage
i 1t wishes to extend to women !
Asquith Not Soon to Resign.
The report has again been revived that
Mr.. Asquith is preparing to resign the
premiership and that before long he will
return to the house of lords. There Is no
| doubt that he would like to resign and
| get out OF the turmoil of politics. but 1t
| is lust as certain that he will not give
| m unless. of course forced to do SO, un-
| I'll the home rule bill finally becomes law,
| which. except for accidents. 1t should do
| in May, 1914. Mr.. Asqutth mas pledged
| himself to do his best to give Ireland self
! government and besides he Is anxious that