The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1913-01-25
CBy Robert f. Wilson,

Washington, Jan. 25.-When the
National Woman Suffrage ASSOCIATION
opened headquarters in Washing toH
about a month ago and announced us
intention of giving a suffrage pageant
and demonstration at inauguration
time which would rival in interest any
other single feature of the big week s
doings the "caVe jewellers" of the
capitai who had witnessed inaugural
parades and professions since We De
gan having them INDUCED themselves
in some pardonable laughter.
That was a month ago, however
From that day to this the suffrage
headquarters has been the busiest
place in Washington; and at least the
beIated inauguration committee mas
tumbled to work frantlcally IN the
fear that the women'S demonstration
of March 3 will overshadow in inter-
est any of the following days events
except the actual administering OF the
oath of office to President Woodrow
Wilson.
Fair Suffragette in Charge.
The women's headquarters was
placed in charge of Miss Alice Paul;
"A Swarthmore college graduate ana
society girl of Philadelphia. Miss
Paul is young, wealthy and proposes
sing in appearance, but very, very
serious minded, and she has devoted
her life to the cause OF woman SUI
frage She is of a Quaker family, and
the style of today permits her to wear
fetching gowns in subdued shades and
demure poke bonnets which do not at
all detract from her appearance
Moreover. she is capable and energetic
and has affected an office morale that
would de credit to business system
expert And she has corps of able
assistants.
Under this mana cement the plans for
the pageant progressed; and as far as
they have been announced they indi-
cate that the inauguration visitors in
Washington are to witness Il novel
and wonderful spectacle. The pageant
is to be the supreme effort of the
equal suffrage movement in America.
Those planning it realize that this in
auguratiOn will bring to Washington
not only the leaders but the working
rank and file of the political party
which may dominate the affairs of the
nation for years, and it is proposed to
send every viistor back with woman
suffrage forever associated with the
scenes of the Wilson Inauguration.
The spectacle will consist OF two
parts linked to each other and stimuli
taneously in progress. One part is
the procession of women which in it
self will be unlike any parade ever
given before. The other part will be
a series of tableauX, a sort of moral
ity play in dumb pantomime deScrib-
ing in fascinating pictures the prog
ress of women all the while the pro-
cession is passing the outdoor stage
on which the actresses will play The
broad south porch of the treasury
building at the western end of Penn
sylvania avenue has been chosen for
the stage. Here the procession will
turn from the avenue upon Fifteenth
street, and the classic Ionic facade of
the building will form an enchanting
and appropriate setting for the Greek
costume of the categorical characters
of the tableauX-
Thousands in Line.
The present indications are that
5000 women will march in the pro-
cession. There may be more. They
will come from many parts of the
earth. The militant women's party of
England will send a contingent
women have already started for
Washington from Finland. New Zea-
land and Australia-countries which
have political equality of the sexes
The new republic of China, which
also gives women equal voting rights
with men, will send a marching corps
to washington. The nine suffrage
states will contribute jubilant regi-
ments And from the states where
woman suffrage is a present day issue
will come fighting cohorts Haunting
their battle flags.
Much of the parade will be uni