Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1913-04-02
Bryan Seeks Facts Regarding
American Woman Held in
British Jail.
is URGED TO ABANDON
HER STARVATION PLAN
British Embassy Joins Sufragists in
Securing Release of Miss Ward
at Boston.

Having obtained the release from the
Boston immigration authorities yesterday
of Miss Florence Ward. the English suf-
frag1st. detained because she smashed
windows in London. the officers Of the
congressional committee Of the National
American Woman Suffrage Association
today began efforts to assist Miss Zelie
Emerson of Detroit. who is in Jail in Eng
land for window smashing.
According to accounts received by the
suffragist leaders here. Miss Emerson is
being subjected to "forcible feeding in
order to Illustrate her design to starve
herself. Miss Alice Paul. chairman of
the committee here, declared today that
the treatment Is barbarous, and should
be stopped Immediately. People have been
killed by 1t, she said, and one man driven
insane.
An appeal has already been made to
President Wilson and Secretary OF state
Bryan on behalf of Miss Emerson, and
report Is being awaited from the Amer1-
can embassy in London.
Action May Be Semi Official.
Secretary Bryan's call on the Lon
don embassy for a statement of the
facts In the case of Miss Emerson is
stated to be a necessary condition
precedent to the exercise of the good
offices of the United States in behalf
of that young woman in the event 1t is
found that the facts Justify such ac-
ton. From what Mr.. Bryan has SAID
unoffcially il is clear that he main
tains an open mind being DESTROYS to
learn the precedents for representa-
tions to the British government should
he decide to make them.
1t is not uncommon for the d1plo-
fic governments
to appeal for clemency in behalf OF
their citizens serving prison sentences;
many such applications have been made
by and to the Department Of State In
recent years. Where these relate to
United States cases they are referred to
the proper judicial officers of the gov
eminent for report. ard sometimes the
appeals are granted. In all such cases.
however, the representations are only
semi official
1t is said that should the State De-
partment respond to the appeals OF
Miss Emersons friends It's action also
will be unofficial to a certain extent.
Has Been Social Worker.
Some interesting facts concerning Miss
Emerson's history were communicated to
the State Department in connection with
the presentation of her case by the two
Michigan senator's, Smith and Townsend,
SUCH. for instance, as the fact that when
living i'm Michigan the young woman vol
unfairly abandoned her own comfortable
social station to become scrub woman
in order to share the life of toilers in the
lower strata of society. $50 s
Inasmuch as the United States govern
ment could hardly ask the British gov
eminent to discontinue the practice OF
forcible feeding in Miss Emerson'S par
ticular case. and so permit the execution
of her threat to starve herself, 1t is said
that it probably would base an appeal for
her release from further confinement on
the ground of mental responsibility.
The impression prevails here, however
that the friends of the prisoner may
prevail on her to abandon her threat of
starvation and abide by the usual condi-
. tons of her Imprisonment in the. hope
that such conduct might result in a ma
terial mitigation of her sentence.
Release Of Miss Ward.
The release of Miss Ward in Boston
yesterday. followed an appeal made by
Miss Paul and other suffragist leaders
and by the British embassy to Commits
sioner General of immigration Keefe.
Miss Paul, Mrs. Henry Lockwood of
Virginia, Mrs. Charles Owens and Mrs.
Nina f. AEender appeared before Com
missioner Keefe Yesterday afternoon and
laid the facts in the case before him. He
Immediately telegraphed to Boston, or
dering Miss Wards release
Miss Ward had served &. term in Jail in
England for understanding. 1t was
claimed this sentence involved moral tur-
pitude She was on her way to visit a
friend at Cornell University. and prob
ably will come here later An effort is to
be made to have her attend the mass
meeting to be held here next Monday.