Atlanta Georgian. [volume] (Atlanta, Ga.) 1912-1939, 1913-10-26
Years Lift Their Weight From Her
Shoulders When She Begins to
Tell, Good Naturedly, the Story
of English MiIitancy.
BY DOROTHY DIX.

ITO those who are fighting for
some high ideal, some noble and un-
selfish aim, a mysterious power
seems to be granted that gives them
the strength to endure and to con-
quer, and to do things they could
never do for themselves alone"
These were almost the last words
of Mrs. Pankhurst's speech at
the big suffrage meeting at
Madison Square Garden. She was
talking to the women who had gone
on hunger strikes, her own daugh-
ter among the number, and who
had tasted until they we're at the
very doors of death. and who had
come out of prison, their eyes blood
shot and their bodies marked as are
the victims of famine. One hun
dred and fifty-six women-women
delicately reared and accustomed to
all Of the luxuries of life-had
dared this awful ordeal, and the
courage and the endurance of not
one had failed.
1t was a record Of martyrdom
that had no parallel since the days
when men and women gave their
bodies to be burned at the stake for
the faith that was In them, and
whether you believed in suffrage or
not; whether you believed these
women to be fanatics or not, one
thing was certain-they struck the
high note of heroism to which all
that is generous in the human soul
responds.e
ITO those who are fighting for
some high ordeal, some noble and
unself1sh aim, a mysterious power
seems given" Mrs. Pankhurst's
words might have been said about
herself, for it Is obvious to even the
dullest observer that her fame of
life is fed from the fires Of consecra-
tion to a great cause.
Made Young by Her Cause.
At the beginning of the meeting
she came upon the stage frail,
thin, worn old woman, plain of face,
and with bent shoulders, as If the
load she bore was too heavy for her
strength. Then she began to speak,
the shoulders Strengthened, the tired
eyes flushed with excitement, her
pale cheeks glowed, her straight lips
curved with humor or with scorn,
and, 10! a miracle was wrought and
she was no longer old and homely,
but beautiful and young, with the
eternal youth Of the spirit. Even
her meager stature seemed to grow
and to tower as she rose to some
height of eloquence in defending the
cause so near her heart.
Never have I seen anyone so met
amorphosed in appearance as Mrs.
Pankhurst is when she speaks. She
makes you think of an incandes-
cent lamp suddenly flashed through
an alabaster vase, so lovely and
luminous is the radiance of her en-
thusiasm shining In her counte-
nance.
Looks Unequal to Task.
Little and frail, and black
CARRIED, simple and gentle looking as
the most housekeeping of wives
and mothers, the great English mil
liant stepped to the front of the
platform, where Mr.. Charles Ed
ward Russell had just acclaimed her
one of the greatest commanders and
generals the world had ever seen.
The big audience got on Its feet
and cheered her, and as you looked,
the wonder gripped you again at
the difference between the looks OF
the woman and her accomplish
ments. She seemed so unequal TO
the gigantic task she has set her
self and the great deeds she had
already done.
Then she began speaking, and
your wonder fell away as you be-
gan to feel the magnetism OF her
and to understand her power and
why her followers are her devotees,
ready to do her bidding blindly, even
as Napoleon's soldiers were ready
to follow him to the death. Every
great leader has this quality of per-
sonal magnetism, and none ever
possessed it in fuller measure than
does Mrs. Pankhurst.
AS an orator Mrs. Pankhurst is
spellbinder. She has the beautiful
voice of the cultured English gen
tlewoman, soft, gentle and low. but
II carries to the farthest part OF the
big hall and was distinctly audible.
She speaks simply, without notes,
with no striving for dramatic ef-
feets, no attempt at eloquence; but
there is never a pause for a word,
no break in the clear-cut logic OF
her argument.
There is wit, and humor, and pa
thos in what she says; and ABOVE