Rock Island Argus. (Rock Island, Ill.) 1893-1920, 1913-01-27
Two Thousand Police on
Hand to Preserve Or
der in London.
AMENDMENT THE CAUSE
Premier ASquith Promises EIeC-
toraI Reforms Will Be
Taken Up Later.

London, Jan. 27.-The British cab
met decided to drop the franchise
bill. This decision was in Difference
to the speakers ruling that the form
and substance of the measure would
be so materially altered by the amend
ment granting the vote to women that
it ought to be presented in the shape
of a new bill.
Precincts of the house of commons
presented many features Of a we'll
defined enoampment when the house
met this afternoon to bring to a con-
clusion the current chapter of the
work for the enfranchisement of
women.
Two thousand patrolmen and 100
mounted men were on duty and large
reserves were hidden In convenient
courtyards in the vicinity of parlia-
ment ready to pounce on suffragets
who should attempt to break the
peace. Besides this the leave of al
other policemen to the metropolitan
force was stopped.
DISCUSSION DISCONTINUED.
After the speakers ruling It was
only a question whether the cabinet
would announce capitulation before or
after the vote taken on Grey's amend
ment. The amendment calls for the
omission Of the word male" thus
practically introducing adult suffrage.
At the opening of the session Prem
Ter Asquith asked the speaker to state
again in more definite form that II any
women's amendments we're carried the
| franchise bill would become substanti-
ally a new bill and would have to be
withdrawn. This done. Asquith an
nounced that the cabinet would not
prolong discussion under the circum-
stances, but would drop the bill.
The government, he added, would at
| its own time and within the lifetime
of the present parliament proceed
with bills dealing with electoral re-
| form and plural voting.
sUFFRAGETs WARN.
Those suffragets who were admitted
into the outer lobby Of the commons
and those In the vicinity OF the house
took rebuff OF their hopes with omin-
GUS quiet. The outer lobby was safe
ly guarded by police to prevent any
women breaking in, and the inner
sanctum was crowded with representa-
tives of various suffrage societies.
Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst and her
militant sisters hold meeting to-
night to settle their course of action.
Unless we are told that we are to
have a government measure giving
equal voting rights to men and women
or that so-called suffragist ministers
have resigned, our duty is to resume
militancy," said Mrs. Pankhurst-
GUERRILLA WARFARE.
A declaration of guerrilla warfare by
suffragets. including sorties and riots,
to begin Immediately, was made by
Mrs. Pankhurst, militant leader. at a
meeting this evening. Mrs. Pankhurst
called for the names and addresses OF
those prepared to take part in the
onslaught" The leader declared many
women were prepared to endanger
their lives In the cause. Miss Annie
Kenney, a prominent militant, added
that the women would make the live:
of public men impossible and reply
ing to an interrupter. said:
"If you are a shopkeeper. you had
better look out. 1t Is not just you
windows which are going to be at
tackled. It is something else"
Many shops Immediately began tc
board up windows.