The daily Gate City., 1913-02-10
Organizer and Chief Of the Militant
Movement In England Writes
From Her Temporary Exile
In Paris.
DEFENDS HER ACTIONS
Refers to the Work Of Joan Of Arc
In Her Efforts to Liberate
France Women Driven
to Act.
[By Ed. L Keen, London correspon

by Ed. L. Keen, London correspon-
dent of the United Press.l
LONDON, Feb. 10.-It is q bit dif-
8ficult for Americans to get the view
point Of the militant suffragettes IL
England. With votes for women an
accomplished fact In ten states OF
the union, representing the enfran-
chisement of approximately 5000, 900
women, and this brought about with.
out any smashing of windows, de-
struction of mail, assaults on cabine,
members. or other unlawfui or even
undignifled means, the visitor from
the other side cannot well understand
why such methods should be regard.
ed as necessary, much less how they
can be justified, by even the most ar
dent enthusiasts in this country.
Miss Christabel Pankhurst, organ
izer and chief of the militant move
ment, today, through the United Press
writing from her temporary exile in
Paris, tells not only why she believes
militancy to be absolutely necessary
under present conditions in order to
obtain the franchise In England, but
also why she believes it to be right.
The woman who in this twentieth
century fights for the vote by militant
methods" she says. docs not de.
scend morally any more than did
Joan Of Arc when she fought to lib
crate France. Women are human
beings before they are women. It is
therefore right for them to possess
all human virtues 1t is right for
them to be fierce as well as mild, to
be strong as well as gentle. While
they are mild and gentle toward their
friends, they must be fierce and
strong before their enemies and all
who despitefully use them. The
gentleness of a strong woman Is love
~, too. But, the gentleness that can
not in the face of wrong be trans
formed into aggression is not gentle
ness at all, but only weakness. It is
not right for women, any more than
for men, to have characters OF tepia
milk and water, to be incapable OF a
divine rage, and to be impotent 20
resist oppression.
Yes. militancy is morally right.
This is, whether consciously or not,
admitted even by the non-mili.anl
suffragists. So right and So glorious
do they think it that they are forever
employing the language of mili.ancy.
Every time they use militant meta.
phors they are, We would remind
them, affirming that militancy has an
ethical basis. They thrill with re.
sponsive sympathy at the thought OF
the Chinese revolution and the Bal
kan allies struggle against the Turks.
Then why don't they follow the
example of these fighters for freedom.
and fight themselves have never
heard a convincing answer to that
question yet.
THE reason for non-militancy can
not be a doubt OF women's power 10
be effectively militant. We women
would be poor creatures, II, given the
necessary numbers, we could not
make things intolerable for the pow
ers that be. Even the armed rebels
of Ulster do not expect to defeat IN.
British army In open combat. What
they do count upon as being able 70
do is to create a most unpleasant sit
uation. Surely women may at leas,
do that.
'tOnly by militancy can women
hope to get the vote in England, SO
long as such men as form the present
government control the nations af-
fairs. It is not only the prime min
lister and others OF that generation
who are beyond the reach of reason
and Justice. Their younger colleagues
and all those who seem likely IN
course OF time to assume positions of
leadership are Just as iLliberal and
reactionary as they are. Not IN our