Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1914-10-31
MTLTTANTS READY
TO RENEW FIGHT
AFTER THE WAR
Mrs. Pankhurst, in Autobiog-
raphy, Just Published,
Tells History of Militancy
and Writes of Future.

normal, peaceful, rational society resumes
its functions the demand for the vote
will again be made. If 1t Is not quickly
granted, then once more the women will
take up the arms they today generously
lay down. There can be no peace in
the world until woman, the mother half
of the human family, is given liberty in
the councils of the world"
With this startling announcement Mrs.
Emmelins Pankhurst closes the intro
duction to her book, Mrs. Pankhursts
own Story" tHearst's International Lii
brary Co., New York;, book that is
not, as its title might indicate, merely
an autobiography. but Is rather his
tory OF that phase OF the woman suffrage
agitation in Great Britain known as
"militancy." 1t is, too. most extraordi
nary history Of most extraordinary
movement. for unlike histories written
after the lapse OF time and by persons
who have not been in the thick of the
events and episodes related. this volume
presents in addition to the dry facts. by
Its very atmosphere, by Its self-revela-
tons, the psychological development
which always underles any big human
movement
For ''militancy," so-called, has been
the means whereby the woman suffrage
movement has come into It's own. No stu
dent of the development of the campaign
for woman's rights, which has lasted
well-nigh century, not only in this
country but in Great Britain, cannot but
admit now that until Mrs. Pankhurst
began some three years ago her agg.os-
sive campaign OF hunger striking, window
smashing, letter burning, bomb throwing.
and so on, suffrage had not become q
pressing political Issue. whether one SEN
timentally approves the methods used or
rot, the results have been certain. suf-
frage in England has become a force TO
be reckoned with politically, and the So
called wild women" made II so.
Militancy is Mrs. Pankhursts own
creation. She conceived It, executed 1t,
was the leader, the forefront not only in
planning, but in doing and suffering. She
is in avery sense OF the word real
leader. No one OF her followers has
been led to run risks that Mrs. Pank-
hurst herself has not run. She has been
Jailed She has hunger-struck She has
dehed the authorities steadily and con-
sistently for years. She has faced death
not once, but many times. And this fran
Voman-spare, slender. with no sugges-
ton of physical strenyth-has gona
through experiences that few men would
care to undergo, and came out each time
not only refreshed and invigorated but
hardened and more implacablv set on
her ends to set at naught Prime Min
listers, Home Secretaries and all the ma
chinery OF the British Government Say
what one may the woman has sublime
pluck, courage possible only to those
who believe that they are working for
the highest right within their vision, and
who will dare anything for this supreme
good OF such stuff heroes are made
Behind this story, the one fact that
forces itself home Is the tremendous
earnestness and conviction that inspires
Mrs, Pankhurst and her followers. Mill
fancy is not vagary. 1t is a deliberately
planned and coolly conducted bloodless
warfare How It came into being IS best
told in Mrs, Pankhurst's own words:
Il had TO go through years Of public
work" she says, before I acquired the
experience and the wisdom to know how
- bring concessions from the English
had to go behind the scenes in
the Government schools. in the work.
houses and other charitable institutions;
1 had 10 get clOse-hand view of the
misery and unhapp.ness OF q man-nade
world before I reached the point when
could successfully revolt against It,"
And again, speaking of her years Of
work as poor law guardian. or IN
Epector OF poor houses and similar In
Etitutions, she says:
Il found women IN that workhouse.
scrubbing floors. doing the hardest kind
OF work. almost until their babies came
into the world. Many Of them were
mere girls, These poor mothers were al
lowed TO stay Ia the hospital for short
two weeks, then they could stay as
paupsrs. earning their living by scrub
bing and other work in which cases thew
were separated from their babies or
they could leaye-leavs with q 2-weeks-
old baby in their arms without hopes
without home, without money, without
any where 10 go. What became Of those
girls and what became Of their hapless
infants?'
To Mrs Penkhurst the answer to this
lies, as lies the answer 10 msuy other
questions, IN the creating OF a more
humane system OF dealing with women,
children. the home and laws applying
thereto, originated and developed by
women who have the vote 70 carry out
their plans
There Is a relenuessness about life,
Tigidity about customs, heartlessness
about things as they arc that Is crush
ing TO the Idealist, II does not lie within
the scope OF the human mind % compre-
hend war II Is an offence To an our
ordered wRys Even those who cannot
Justify milirancy cannot lay down this
volume without realizing Mrs Pauk-
huTst's mi.itancy Is right under the cir
CumstanCes and coud.ti she describes
To point out flaws IN this volume ls.
perhaps, BuPerogatOry amid its many
sxCellences. Despite its a!zhts 0f real
eloqueuce. despite its passages Of soul
stirring enthusiasm, IL deseends fire.
quently 10 a baHal papier-machs style Of
writing It Is perhaps too much 10 ex-
pect from an actor IN great events,
turned narrator OF those events, a sense
OF dramatic values, But withal one fire.
quently feels that here and there some
allen and gifted hand might well have
been employed to picture the scenes with
a dramatic, we'll, even romantic, sense
OF literary values.
This book Is more than history. il IS
a great stirring drama on a great stir
ring theme And tho hand OF the drama
tist Is painfully lacking when IL Is need
ed Tor the unsympathetic mind Yet
why. after AL. Cavil at this? Mrs. Prank
hurst Is a great leader IN a great cause.
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