Norwich bulletin., 1913-03-19
Dealing With
 Suffragettes
HOME SECRETARY AssAiLED AS
 HOPELESS FAILURE.
A DEBATE IN COMMONS
Deportation Suggested As One Rem edy for MiIitancy-Home Secretary Says They Aspire to Be Martyrs.

| London, March l5--The methods Of l the British home office in dealing with militant suffragettes, which parIia- ] nentary critics have dubbed so inept and inefficient as to have brought ridi- cule on the administration of the law 1 and disgrace upon the country, were discussed in the house of commons l this afternoon during the debate on the estimates
 Administration of Law a Farce. Harold Smith. unionist member, in introducing the subject of the out ages committed by the militant wom- mob law. Reginald McKenna, the home secretary, had reduced the ad- m1nistration of the law to farce, he said, and the natural consequence was that the mob was taking the law into its own hands It was @ disgrace to a civilized country that women were all lowed openly to boast that they were crimfnally conspiring to break the law and that nothing could deprive then, of their liberty. The home secretary, he argued. ought to have proclaimed as unlawful the meetings of the mill tant Eumragettes. but his only attempt to remedy the situation thus far had been his futile efforts at forcfble feed ing, which were barbaric in their cruelty.
 Deportation Proposed.
 MT. Smith called upon the home sec- retary to resign from the cabinet be- cause he was a hopeless failure and the present serious state of affairs could be ended only by strong men.
 Lord Robert Cecil unionist foresaW the possibility of lynch law if fanati- cal women were allowed to continue their tactics. He advocated the de- portation of the militant suffragettes for an indefinite period
 Mokenna Defends Himself.
 Reginald MeKenna, the home seere- tary. characterized the criticisms as unfair. Out of 6a women who had been sentenced to jail since Jan. 1, eight had been released before the All of these women had been let go because they refused food. All of thefn were suffering from complaints " hieh prevented attempts at forcible feeding and many of the militants were actuated by a determination to make martyrs of themselves and were ready to stafve to death for the cause.
 Mir Mekenna said he had to face this fact daily, and by bitter expert enee he knew these eases could enly be dealt with individually and by exer cising patience. Humanity, he con- c1uded, slowly but surely would en- dea,VeF te break down the movement.
 "Sead Them to ireland.v
 The home secretary added that the on1y alternatives under the existing law were to let the women die or let them out He refused to let them out and he wished he could deport them, 
 ment would grant him power to do so.
 Send them to Ireland" interjected a racy Hfbefnian voice.
 MT. McKenna added that he intend ed to ask for an increase of powers l to enable him to compel women out on license to make frequent reports to the police and to provide for their further incarceration if 1t was thought | necessary. He believed this method would prove effective.
 Their Efforts at Martyrdon.
 MT. McKenna told how one woman l in prison sponged herself all over with 1 hot water and remained uncovered all | night in the hope of catching her death | of cold. Others pretended to take their 1 food but surreptitiously starved them | selves so as to become exhausted and | die in prison. Some had voluntarily | self tortured themselves by thirst. re- 1 fusing to touch milk or water. They | are actuated by the fanaticai deter | imitation not merely to bring the law | into contempt but to martyrtze them 1 selves that their heroic example | may act as a stimulus to others en- | gagged in the cause.
 Plan to kidnap McKenna.
 Sir Arthur Markham, liberal. re- marked that there was a conspiracy on foot among the militant suffra- l Kenna. He hoped the forctble feed | ing awaiting the home secretary would ! give him the backbone he lacked at present.
 The militant suffragettes union to- day issued a copy of a letter received 1 by Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst from her daughter Sylvia, now in Holloway prison It was in the following terms: I
 Fed Through Stomach Tube.
 Dearest Mother: I am lighting. Fighting! T have four, five | or six wardresses every day as well as two doctors. am fed through the tube twice a day. They pried open my mouth with a steel gag press ing it in where there Is a gap in my teeth. I resist all the time. My gums are always bleeding. am afraid they may be saying that we do not resist, yet my shoulders are bruised by the while they hold the tube in my throat. | used to feel should go mad at first and be pretty near to It, think they feared. but I have got over that and my digestion is | the thing most likely to suffer now.
 SYLVIA" WE'D WOMAN OF 75
 TO OBTAIN LEGACY l