The Washington herald., 1914-07-19

definition OF rush" He also was at .
loss to define Il but considered II i'm
piled force. After various efforts 10 ge
the witness 10 say whether the guffra
gettes had used force, she said: Have
they attempted to do more than secur'
an interview with the Prime Minister
This was ruled out and then she tried Il
get from him definition OF political
offense. She produced one OF his owl
speeches: did you say It was impos
sible not TO sympathize with the eager.
ness and passion which have actuateS
80 many women on this subJect?" Yes.
Did you say men had had to struggle
for centuries for their political rights
Yes" Did you say that on this ques.
ton experience showed that predomt
nance Of argument alone was not enough
to win the political day7" Yes" did
you say that we are In the stage OF what
is called academic discussion which
serves for the ventilation Of pious opin.
ions but IL accompanied by no effective
action on the part Of the government. OF
Of political parties, or Of voters through
out the country" YES Did you saJ
there comes a time when political dyna,
mics are more important than political
erguments?" And that men had learned
this lesson?' Yes" did you say thai
this was the task before the leaders Of
this great movement" Yes" DO you
assent to the proposition your father laid
DOWN." Yes" Then you cannot con.
denim our methods any more" said Chris
label triumphantly.
Liberal Member Testihes.
The next witness, a Liberal member Of
Parliament, testified that he knew the
women had tried every other political
method, and that II they had been men
instead OF women they would not be In
the dock. Other witnesses were exam.
ined and il had been a long day wheu
these were done with, but the judge re-
fused to allow any adjournment In
vain did ChristabeI protest that the case
was being rushed through court She
must address now or not at all So with
out a moment for preparing her notes
she mace a mastery summing up OF ths
case.
She referred to their having been de-
MED the right Of trial by jury, and their
having 20 hustle their case through tha
police court, where drUnkards and pick.
pockets are tried. 1T has been left,
said she, after reviewing the course Of
Jurisprudence" to the twentieth century
to see our judicial system corrupted for
party ends In support Of her con-
tention that rush" did not contemplate
violence. she brought forward many def
nitiOns and illustrations, including label
used in the United States to secure the
early sending Of parcels. Rush. by first
train leaving"
She next developed the claim that
women had followed historical precedent
and had been encouraged by Liberal
statesmen to do what they had done.
and she added, IF We go to far greater
lengths We shall only be following in the
footsteps of John Burns, whose language
was far more violent than any the wom-
en- used. and yet when tried at the Old
Bailey he was acquitted. Her speech
was well worthy TO rank with those OF
the most eminent defenders Of The peo-
pies liberties
Mrs. Pankhurst Follows.
Mrs. Pankhurst followed with tuoch-
ing speech, which moved the police TO
tears and caused the judge TO cover his
face. but all the same he sentenced Mrs.
Pankhurst and Mrs. Drummond to three
months each. and ChristAbel to ten
weeks. This, he probably thought, was
time enough for the whole agitation TO
subside, while the leaders were in prison.
Whoever reads impartially the history
OF this trial will realize that British jus
tice in police courts is a farce, and that
ChristabeI made a protest that needed TO
be made for the more helpless when she
said:
THE prisoner charged with an ofrense
is helpless, whatever facts he may bring
forward. We do not care for ourselves.
because Imprisonment is nothing TO US;
but when We think Of the thousands OF
helpless creatures who come into this
monstrous place with nobody to help
them, nobody to plead for them, and We
know perfectly well that they are found
guilty before they have chance Of de-
Tending themselves. the injustice that -
done in these courts is almost too horri-
BILE to contemplate"