The Washington herald., 1914-10-04
MILITANTS SCORE
PREMIER ASQUITH
British Statesman Is Severely
Criticised for Ignoring
Suffrage Delegation.
M'KENNA ALSO BLAMED
Home Secretary Called a "Tyrant" for
Tolerating Cat and Mouse"
Act.
M'KENNA ALSO BLAMED
NO. XVI.
By CLARA BEwICK COLBY.

BY CLARA HEW1Ck COLBY.
The last letter told Of the unsuccess.
full attempt Of the bailies and councillors
Of Scotland TO interview Mr. Asquith
with regard to the atrocities Of the Cat
and Mouse act. The next body TO move
in behalf Of the women tortured under
this act was a conference of doctors,
lawyers, and humanitarianS which last
included suffrage, Industrial, political and
religious organizations. which held an
all-day session at Csxton Hall under
the presidency of Sir Edward Busk, of
| London University. From this influential
and distinguished gathering a deputation
was sent to see Mr.. Asquith. Failing in
this purpose they tried to see the home
secretary, who is responsible for the
treatment Of persons in prison. 1 will
give the story OF this attempt from the
notes I took at the great meeting held
the same evening at which the events
were related by the participants.
The meeting was presided over by Rev.
DR.. Cobb. rector of St EtheIburga's
Church. one OF the oldest and most in
teresting in London. DR.. Cobb is ready
| at all times to stand with the women
in this struggle. He does not ask
whether they are militant or not He
himself belongs to the church militant. ."
and not to the church afraid Of the
mercy that anybody was there to speak
to them after the brutality with which
they had been treated in the afternoon.
The cat and mouse act, he said, would
hand McKenna, the home secretary,
down to posterity as a tyrant. and as
laughing-stock, for how can anybody
be so foolish as TO imagine that more
barbarity would quench the spirit of
the women. He said there was no eth
ical law that applies universally, and
he would not undertake TO say that all
rebellion against government is wrong.
However. he would say that the respon-
sibility for this unrest lies with the
Pharisees and hypocrites in the cabinet.
Repeal of Act Demanded.
The first speaker was Mrs. Pethick-
Lawrence, because she was under ar
rest and wished to arrange her at
fairs tefore going to prison. She told
the story Of the conference and the
protest. Mr.. Asquith's insulting let
ter. refusing to see Sir Edward BuSk,
vice president Of the London Univer
sity land II the English reverence any Of
their institutions IL Is the nniverSitiesJ,
was read at the conference. and it was
decided, nevertheless, to send up res
olution to Mr.. Asquith by a deputation
Of ten, headed by Sir Edward Busk. Mrs.
tatipn and the memorial was given into
her hands. The ten entered the House of
Commons at the strangers entrance, and
Sir Edward asked to see Mr.. Asquith.
Learning that he was away (conven-
iently). they asked to see Mr.. McKen-
na, sending word that II was a matter
OF life and death. Mr.. McKenna refused
TO see the deputation, but said he would
see Sir Edward alone the following morn
fWr -
dering what they should do about this
insult, Mrs. Lawrence began to explain
what they were there for to the crowd
that was gathering, which Included some
OF the members, but she was not al
lowed to complete her first sentence be-
fore she was seized, dragged to the door,
and thrown down the steps. Lady Sybil
Smith, and Mrs. Evelyn Sharp were be-
ing mauled about so that Mrs Lawrence
went to their assistance and they were
all three arrested. The others had re-
mained at the station, but Mrs. Law
renee had given her assurance in order
that she might be present at this meet
ing. The plain, unvarnished tale ended
Mrs. Lawrence appealed to the men not
to let the women bear the brunt of this
battle alone, but to march from every
quarter and demand the repeal Of the cat
and mouse act.
Miss Margaret Mcmillan, a university
woman, and well known for her good
works. was in the group, and was to have
been the next speaker. but had been too |
badly mauled by the police She was
thrown violently down the stone steps, |
and lay prostrate while a mob Of DO |
licemen surged and stumbled over her.
Roughly Treated by Police.
There was present among the delesa-
tion a singularly delicate and fraiI-
looking woman. the wife Of a noted Lon
don magistrate. and president Of the
Constitutional Society for Women's Suf-I
rage formed ON purpose to carry on
the movement in a perfectly ladyIuxeI
and constitutional manner. And now she
told her story: Her name had been
called as one of the deputation by sin
Edward Busk as he passed through the