The Washington herald., 1913-03-04
Su&rasists, at Big Mass Meet
ing, Condemn Dissraceful
Treatment Given Them.
RlSULTED BY ROWDIES
Dr.. Anna Shaw, Mrs. Carrie Gait, and
0ther Leaders Voice Their
Indignation.

61tteriy demanding that the officials
responsible for shameless inadequacy Of
policing alon8 the suffragists' line of
march yssterday be made to answer for
| their neglect and carelessness. the meet
Ing 1t Memorial Continental Hall. which
was TO have been one OF celebration and
Joy. turned into an Indignation gather
Ing
District officials were denounced for in
efficiency. for carelessness. and disgrace
full indifference to the requests OF the
women OF the nation that their long
planned parade be given sufficient pro-
lection.
Many Of the women marchers, gathered
| in the hall. complained of being insulted
in the presence Of Indifferent police Of
acers by rowdies assembled upon the
Avenue. Some claimed that ruffians,
forcing themselves before the pageant,
tried to trip the marchers. hurled OBJ
scene insults at them. and in many places
fully broke the line of march.
Every one of the speakers went as far
as dignity and self-respect would per-
NIT IN denunciation OF the national and
District governments. the Washington
police, and the crowds that blocked the
progress of the paraders and hurled teers
and insults at the women along the line
Of march.
Resolutions. presented by Oswald G.
Willard owner and editor of the New
York Evening Post. were passed, pro-
nouncing the unqualified censure OF the
suffragtsts upon the Washington police.
The resolutions set forth that the women
OF the United States had practically been
denied the right to march down the prin-
cipal thoroughfare OF the National Capt.
tai. and that the police had listened with
indifference to the ribaldry and insults
which had been inflicted upon the women
by the men who filed the entire street.
Such occurrences" declared Mr.. VII
lard. would have been a disgrace to any
city. and they were doubly and trebly
disgraceful to the National Capital
The resolution provided that President
elect Wilson be asked to institute an in
vestigation Immediately upon his taking
Office with the view to bringing to
punishment those officials of the Wash
ington government responsible for the
indignities and lack OF protection in
ficted upon the suffragfst paraders.
Mrs. Carrie Chapman Gait. president
Of the International Alliance of Suffrag
lists, urged that every women present
besege her Senator OF Representative
and urge him TO support a motion to
demand of the District Commissioner
a full report In explanation OF the con-
ditions on Pennsylvania Avenue yester-
day afternoon.
DIR. Shaw Is Proud.
DR.. Anna Howard Shaw. who presided
Mt the meeting, led the 2,ooO women
present into a tremendous demonstration
Of Indignation IN her opening speech.
Il was never 80 proud OF you in my
hfe" declared DR.. Shaw. "as / am to-
night 1 was Ecver so ashamed of our
National Capital as 1 am tonight II
anything was reeded to prove that
women need the ballot for their own pro-
lection. nothing could have proved IT
moro forcibly than the treatment the
women Ct this nation received in Wash
ington to-day
THE conduct Of you women this after
noon proved beyond a doubt that you
have the self-control. the dignity. the
power to remain calm under insult We
Will Just keep our teeth shut tight until
We have the power to command Con-
gress. to command the police, to COM
mand the army. to protect the women of
this country.
II have marched In New York on
Broadway: I have marched in Philadel-
phis. and have marched IN London. but
never before have SEN such an exhi-
bition of incompetenoy as was witnessed
to-day. I hope every one Of you will
enter a protest to your Congressman.
calling upon that body TO take action
upon the lack OF protection to-day for
the women of the United States.
There are women across the sea who
are not able to control themselves under
great provocation. We are told that
American men are different, and will
never treat American women as the Eng
lishmen are treating the English women.
But I say to you that a low man is
always the same wherever he is, and
to-day 1t was the hoodlums who were
given possession OF the streets. This is |
n National Capital-it doesn't belong to
the District Of Columbia. We. the women |
Of the United States. protest to the men |
OF the United States against the indiS- F!
nifty put upon us here to-day" !
Police Are Raped.
Before the close Of the meeting a note |
was sent up from a man. who said he |
was not a suffragist. declaring that the |
heart Of every chivalrous man in WASH |
Ington is filled with righteous indigna-
tion at the failure of the Capital Of the |
Nation to protect the women of the |
country in their march through the
streets. He was given three cheers by |
the meeting. as were also all the men
who had stood by the suffragists In their
plea for the vote. Commodore Harold
g. Moore, z. g. N, retired. led the
meeting in three cheers for the women.
There were introduced TO the meeting
Miss Lucy Burns, Of Brooklyn. N. Y,
who played a largo part in the organiza-
Ion Of the parade: Miss Glenna Smith
rinnin, also OF New York. and Miss
Hazel MacKaye. sister of the dram-
ltist Of that name, who designed tho
,aseant; Miss Judith w. Smith, OF Bos-
on. q spry young lady Of ninety-two
,ears, who marched in the parade, and
Miss Emily Rowland. OF Sherwood, N.
T., eiGhty-seven years old. also q march,
,r Miss Mary Johnston, the novelist.
made a brilliant address on the intel
ectual and ethical aspects OF the wom-
ms movement, II
James g. Laidinw, of New York. presi-
lent of the National Mems League for
Woman suffrage, In an interview last
light declared that the policing condi-
ions during tho suffrage parade were
he worst he had ever seen, He charged
hat many Of the police on duty were
peciai officers, most of whom, he said.
we're drunk, The little Boy Scouts Mr..
Laidlaw said. did much more to protect
he women marchers than did tho po-
Icemen,
"INAUGURAL BALL" TONIGHT,