Arizona republican., 1913-04-24
England and Her Suffragettes
(The Outlook)


 The conviction in London last week of Mrs. Pankhurst on charge of melting and encourag- ing lawess acts brings again the puzzling ques- tion, What shall be done with women break the laws in order to help as they wrong -headedly believe their political purpose, and then attempt 10 starve themselves in prison? Mrs Pankhurst after her conviction and her three-year sentence, declared that she would at start hunger strike, and it is reported that the British govern ment in her case. will not undertake forcible feed ing, but will take advantage of the bill just to become law, and after few days of 'starva- tion' will release Mrs Pankhurst a tificate; she will then be ticket leave subject to arrest at any time. At this distance all this seems a weak way to deal with serious situa- tion The assertion of the suffragetes is that they would endure punishment quietly if they classed and treated ordinary criminals whereas they assert they are really political offenders. In the recent discussion this in the house of commons opinions differed greatly.
 Lord Robert Cecil was of the opinion that the government should treat these ordinary criminals. He said: .Forcble feeding is disgust ing and indefensble I agree that should be left with plenty of food and allowed to starve if they like, do I agree with the idea of letting them out license and rearresting them. I recommend that the should be deported for a considerable period, they danger to the
 Sir Arthur Markham took opposite view, saying: Let them die if they won't take food or deport them to St. Helena Scottish sland, whereupon the home secretary asked what would be done in the of hunger strike board ship. MT Kier Hardie urged that "the only rem
 
 CTS and give them the yote' k
 Sir Frederick Banbury sad Put food in the cell but have no forcible feeding If they want to commit suicide, let them do it. If died, there would be no more deaths. Which is bet ter, to allow the to be made mockery to let one woman suffer the penalty for her foly?'
 The home secretary, MT McKenna, said that his intention to get power to release all prisoners only on license so that after recovering from hun- ger strike they may be arrested and imprisoned One method proposed is that the British authorities should treat these women as mental defectives. unsolved, unless thorough going change for the better instituted for the treatment of all who mentally defective or disturbed The riotous at the close Mrs. Pankhursts trial were a disgrace to the concerned and to modern civilization also the renewed threats of fur ther and serious violence. Mrs. Pankhurst's defense for the whole militant movement-f 1t can be called defenSe-was this: T deliberately broke the law, not historically. emotionay, but for serious purpose and because I honestly be- lieye it is the only way The movement will whether I live die. These women will go until have obtained the common rights of citizenship, they shall over the civilized world before this movement is done The law of divorce alone enough to justify revolution by the Wo men" the burning of buildings belonging to innocent people. the destruction of mail matter, the silly smashing of windows, the campaign of insult and screaming is "the only way" attract attention to mooted questions in England it will not be long before Macaueys New Zealander stands on the ruins London Bridge. To make such assertion refute it; maintain it is to give evidence of hysterical dementia