The Barre daily times. (Barre, Vt.) 1897-1959, 1913-03-06
SENSATION
ON PARADE
Suffragettes Are Pushing
Their Investigation at
Washington
MAY REACH THOSE
HIGH IN AUTHORITY
Police Are Called a Disgrace
to the National
Capital

i Washington, March G.--Scnators Jones
Dillingham; and Pomerene, the Senate
committee named to investigate the re-
sponsibility of the police for the riot
Gus scenes which marked the woman's
suffrage parade on March 3, prepared
yesterday to begin their investigation by
giving hearings to which witnesses have
been summoned, A similar investigation
is to be made by the House.
The women suffragists of the country
now located in permanent headquarters
in Washington, are equipped with an
issue upon which they will campaign
to the limit and which they may be able
to bring to head in congressional
! investigation. The issue is summed up
in this question: "Why were the streets
of Washington kept clean on March 4
for procession Of armed men, while
unarmed women on March 3, parading
under express permission of Congress,
were not only obstrueted and jostled by
disorderly crowd, but were even wan
tonly insulted?"
Miss Alice Paul, chairman of the suf-
frage committee in charge of the re-
cent activities, has promised to bring
the matter to the attention of Pres-
dent Wilson himself "There is no ques-
tion," she says, that the police had
the tip from some power higher up to
let the rough characters OF the city
through the police lines and try to break
up our parade"
Resolutions were introduced into the
dying sixty second Congress calling upon
the more responsible authorities TO ex-
plain ther eason for Tue disorder. This
disorder has been universal topic of
comment in the capital during the last
two days. Whether the blame can be
fixed upon some one individual or upon
group of individuals or upon the pub
lie order system of the District of Co
lumbia will be brought out later.
The bare facts of the case are these:
When the "hikers" reached Washington
on Friday the police authorities fur
nished about six officers to protect them
from the crowds. This number was alb
surdly inadequate to deal with the
throngs that packed the streets. On
Friday afternoon after the suffragists
appealed TO the secretary of
war to protect them in their pageant
on Monday, the permission was refused |
but il was intimated that troops would |
be held in readiness should any trou
BILE arise. On Monday afternoon the |
police were unable or unwilling to keep |
the crowds back Of the ropes. The re-
suit was that Pennsylvania avenue, de-
spite the resolution of Congress which /
ordered the superintendent of police OF
the District of Columbia 'to prevent any |
with the suffrage procession
was chaotic mass of human beings. |
The pageant marched with difficulty !
through thousands Of people, and, some
where near Tenth street, it was abb
solutely blocked. A troop of cavalry
rom Fort Meyer finally appeared upon
he scene and cleared the way. Mean
line the vilest kind of language was
employed by the crowd to express its
'iews on women and woman suffrage
soldier who grossly insulted one wom-
IN on horseback received cut across
he face from her riding whip. A po
ice officer whose number is known beat
boy scout who tried to protect some
women from group of ruffiians.
The superintendent of police, Major
sylvester, states that his men did the
'est they could but that Congress had
ot allowed him the number of men he
cit was necessary. The secretary of
var, Mr.. Stimson, states that he had
rected that troops be held in readi-
ess. The suffragists have their own
heory of the matter, but they insist
hat whoever is to shoulder the blame
nally, the fact remains that they were
treated on the streets of
he national capital. This fact is de.
led by no one.
One particularly unfortunate incident, Q
| this connection. occurred in connec-
on with Miss Helen Keller. She was U
,heduled to speak at Memorial Cont
entail hall after the pageant and the b
llegory on the treasury steps. She be- 5
,me so physically and nervously ex-
austed after having forced her way
trough the crowds that she was I'M C
bic TO fulfill her engagement at the Y
st moment and retired. 8