The sun. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1833-1916, 1914-06-21

'Ve''u 'ofFrepONhSN'e 10 hE sNN
LONDON, June 12--Recent dispatches
to THE Sun have pointed out that public
resentment against the militant sui
fragettes has reached such a height
that the demand is being made on all
sides that the hunger strikers should he
allowed to die In Jail AZ they persisted in
refusing food.
stlll further incensed public opinion. At
the time that this act OF vandalism was
perpetrated Mr.. McKenna, the Home
Secretary,was explaining in the House
OF Commons his views as to dealing with
milltantism. The Home Secretary still
puts his trust In the cat and mouse"
act, which Is considered by the majority
Of persons to have proved a failure. Mr..
McTtenna's faith Is based on his belief
that there are only a few women who
commit these acts OF violence and he
dppai entity relies upon the law eventually
to solve the problem by wearing down
their spirit
lie refuses to allow a single woman the
opportunity OF starving to death in prison.
Mr., Mckenna maintains that to permit
this selfmartyrdom would give a great
impetus to the militant cause that woman
after woman would get herself sentenced
and then starve herself 10 death. and when
| large number-the Home Secretary
suggested thrty-had so died there would
!
things would u. worse than they are now.
Many Would Experiment..
Nevertheless the desire to try the eX-
periments liz very general. The views of the
! advanced suffragists who are opposed to
| the methods OF the milltants are clearly
! expressed In a letter by Mrs Millcent
| Garrett Fawcett TO the Times. She writes
ALLOW me to reiterate our conviction
that mere severity OF punishment. well
| though II may be deserved. will never
| solve the problem OF milltancy. IL is not
the first time that British statesmen have
been faced by a similar problem. They
have been confronted by IL In India and
| In Egypt, and for many years In Ire
land. Militancy In these countries was
of a far more deadly character than that
practised by the Womens Social and
! Political Union. In each case British
craftsmanship met the difficulty not simply
by the lnflction OF punishment on thos'
convicted OF crimes but by the removal
of the causes which had provoked them.
Lady Frances Balfour, while asserting
that the actions OF the militants are those
of irresponsible savages," says that the
proper remedy Is TO extend the franchise
to women. But another we'll known
woman, Mrs Gladys Pott. points out tina,
IAN examination OF the militant literature
dsproves such an assumption. In q
leahet recently issued the w. 3. r. "
declares that II after enfranchlsemeni
women find the vote useless to procure al
they desire they are prepared to continue
their use of violence as a weapon"
At a meeting OF the council OF the
women's Liberal Federation the other da,
Lady Carlisle the president, said: why
does not this strong Government show It,
strength There remains curious
travesty OF chivalry In the sense that yol
cannot make women suffer the same pen
altles as you would make men suffei
under the law" She said that the Gov
eminent shrinks from doing certain thing
to put down milltancy. but that II mel
had been concerned the Government
would never have hesitated. 1T Is a falls
and spurious sentimentality," she declared
amid cheers
A resolution was carried by an over
whelming majority reiterating the coun
ellis strongest condemnation OF mill
/ tancy' and calling upon tho Government
: ito shoulder the responsibility without de
, lay. OF bringing these militant disorder
. TO an end"
wosid Mar Militia nts.
Nine. Tetrazzini who coins q new nam
for the militants says the militant SUI
frasette question seems 20 me 70 be some
. thing entirely apart from that OF whethe