The Birmingham age-herald., 1913-04-04
AMERICAN WOMEN
ENDEAVOR TOObTA|N
MILITANT RELEASE.
Make Active Efforts to
Secure Miss Seelie Emer-
sons Release-An
American Girl

| London, April American suffrag-
cites who are lighting for the release
from jail of Miss Seelie Emerson OF
jackson. Mich scored their first official
| success today when Irwin B. Irwin, the
American charge daffairs, asked the
British foreign office to expedite the
request made by Mrs. Emerson to
Home Secretary McKenna for privilege
to have her daughter examined by her
own physician.
| on Mr.. Laughlin's assurance that the
American embassy could take no steps
in the matter until Mrs. Emerson's re-
quest was in the hands of Secretary
McKenna, delegation composed of
Miss Scott-Troy and Baron Won Horst
of San Francisco and Mrs. Mary Ford
of New York, invaded the inner lobby
| of the house of commons, where they
persuaded Josiah Wedgewood, liberal
member, personally to place the missive
lin the hands of Secretary McKenna.
| They then informed Mr.. Laughlin of
their successful onslaught on the house
| of commons and the latter Immediately
visited the foreign office. A member
! of the house of commons who is a close
lfriend of Secretary McKenna says that
the latter is quite willing to grant Mrs.
Emersons request, but probably would
obiect to the selection of Dr. Manzll
Moulin, whom Mrs. Emerson desires to
be chosen. DIR. Moulin is a bitter op-
ponent of forcible feeding and the home
office hitherto has refused him admis-
sion to the jails.
| letter from Mrs. Emerson of De-
|.
Wedgewood. liberal member of par
liament, to Reginald Mcl<enna, the Brit
ish home secretary, today. 1t demanded
Ipermission for Mrs. Emersons own
lnhvsician to examine her daughter, Miss
lZelie Emerson, the militant suffragette
who is said to be suffering from the
forcible feeding employed by the Of
fcias since she started her hunger
strike in Holloway jail"
The United States embassy. accord
ling to Mrs. Emerson has promised in
the event of the failure of Secretary
lMcKenna to comply with her request
to place the matter before the British
foreign office.
| A letter from prisoner confined in
the next cell to Miss Emerson says that
| the release of the American woman
within a few days is necessary in order
| to save her reason and perhaps her
life. This letter also asserts that Miss
Emerson by giving her neighbor a por-
ltion of her food started her "hunger
strike" fortnight before the prisoners
doctor at the prison discovered the ruse
| Mrs Emerson has sent a letter to
the American charge, Mr.. L.aughlin
stating that she has received no reply
] to her letter to the home secretary
and urging Mr.. Laughlin to- take i'm
mediate steps in her daughters behalf
| She says that on a recent visit to Hol-
/ loway Jail she found her daughter on
a verge of nervous collapse and much
emaciated by three weeks of forcible
feeding The tube used by the doctors
| had torn the lining OF the nasal pass
age to such an extent, she asserts, that
the process had to be discontinued,
but the condition of the nose probably
would result in permanent disability
unless careful local treatment was re-
ceived.
MISS Scott Troy called on Sylvia
Pankhurst with view of obtaining
Emerson smuggled out of the Jail. The
doctors who are in attendance on Miss
Pankhurst announced, however, that
she could not receive visitors. as the
forcible feeding to which she had been
subjected while in jail had so affect
ed her health that only at intervals did
she display sane consciousness
To Welcome Churchill
Plymouth, Eng, April 3.-Militant
this morning to welcome Winston
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