The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-04-27

WHAT WOulu De done to the
militant suffragettes II they
started in on campaign OF lawless.
ness In America as they have in
Engiand?"
And this question can now be an.
s~ered, at least for New York. be-
cause the Appellate Division Of the
New York Supreme Court has settled
the matter In no uncertain terms.
The court has no fault to find
with the worthy movement in favor
OF woman suffrage. In fact, the
Judges take pains to point out dis
tinctly that thoughtful men and
women recognize that the principle
OF woman suffrage is supported by
cogent arguments" But wanton
lawlesshess cannot be excused he
cause Of the plea that it is in behalf
OF a meritorious cause.
a young woman In Brooklyn. Maud
Malone, took it upon herself to in.
terrupt political meeting last Fall.
when President Wilson was speak.
ing. Like her misguided English
iriends, this American militant suf-
fragette had notion that she would
get her name into the papers and
probably escape any serious conse-
quences Tor a disorderly act She
was promptly arrested, dragged out
OF tne meeting, taken to court and
nned for disorderly conduct.
This was quite a shock TO Maud
Malone, and she and her friends an.
peaied the case. The Appellate Di.
vision has just handed down a pretty
severe rebuke to Maud Malone, con-
nrmlng her conviction and warning
other iawless suffragettes that the
law VIII make no exceptions because
they are fighting for Votes for
Women"
Thus 1t is pretty we'll settled thar
the sort OF disturbances which ara
delaying the true progress of woman
suffrage In England would be prompt.
~ dealt with by the courts II al.
tempted IN America. But the cues.
lion still remains as to what the all.
thor1ties would do If the American
5ails should become filled with law.
less suffragettes who went on q
munger strike. On this matter
oneIiH hamburger said to a reporter
OF this newspaper:
suffragettes. II there be any such
female outlaws in these United
States, would dare to commit tbc
atrocities they are undertaking in
England. II any such uprisings did
occur here, however, we would lose
little time in jailing the offenders
ana supJectlng them to the strIctest
discipline.
Regarding the treatment of milf
tants behind the bars, there are lush
three courses: ~ Permit them to
starVe themselves to death (and good
riddance 1t would beg: (o) feed them
forcbily; CD release them after self
starvation had reached the danger
point.
ut is eminently inhuman to allow
these women to starve themselves.
and we would never permit such q
procedure in this country. On the
other hand. it does absolutely no
good to release woman, for she
would take her release as a prece-
dent and defy the law all her life.
"Forcible feeding is the only al
Tentative we should resort to.
But / want to put myself on rec
ord as being in favor of giving
women the vote. What l take ex-
ception to is misbehavior and rioting
by perverted females. Then they
and be made to suffer-"
Tombs, took the same viewpoint as
Sheriff Hamburger. He said:
ANY militant sufYragettes fhah
We're jailed and placed under nv
charge | would feed forcibly. But /
would first have them all examined
by expert alienists to decide whether
they should serve their term In prison
or be sent to the insane asylum"
Under no conditions would we re-
lease woman who refused to eat.
They would only laugh at lis after
they got out, and the first thing we
knew everybody in the jail would
start the game game in an ATTEMPT TO
be set free.
"If the women offer stubborn re-
slstance to manhandling, we can give
them nourishment by injections. Buff
they soon tire of this, and the first
thing we know we find them eating
their food in spite Of themselves
Again, woman can generally be-
brought to terms 10y refusing to give
her water except on the condition
that she eat the food We put before
her.
William ]. Wright, Commissioner
lof the Department Of Correction of
New York, under whose care convict
led suffragettes would come had this
Ito say:
"Under no conditions do believe
that refusal to take food should be
an excuse for the liberation Of OBJ
streperous militants. Such pro-
cedure would never remedy matters.
Neither would I sanction the barbar-
GUS method Of allowing the fanatics
ito starve themselves. OF the two
means of forcible feeding would
hardly advocate examining nourish-
(ment down woman's throat, but
would be inclined to try injections at