The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1914-07-19
Increasing Seriousness of Militant
outrages In England Has
Brought About criti-
cal Situation.
PUBLIC OPINION CHANGE
suffraaettes Who Destroy Property
Arc in Grave Danger at the
Hands Of the
Mob.
by Ed. l.. Keen, London correspon'
dent of the United Press.

BY Ed. l.. Keen, London correspoh-
dent Of the United Press.]
LONDON, July 1s.-England is mn
deniably on the verge Of lynch law.
The constantly increasing seriousness
of militant outrages, the confessed In
ability Of Scotland Yard to cope with
the wild women" the lamentable
failure OF the cat and mouse law as a
deterrent, and the utter inadequacy
OF the remedy recently opposed by
Home Secretary kcKenna have
brought the British public face to
face with the proposition Of taking
the law into its own hands.
Since MeKenna has refused to heed
the popular demand of "let them die
in prison." those who have watched
the growing ugliness of the crowds In
the public parks where the "outragst-
ties" attempt to hold their meetings
are convinced that the time is not far
distant when the cry will be taken
up Of xiii them" In the past few
weeks many Of these meetings have
been broken up, and in numerous in
stances the women have narrowly es-
capped serious injury at the hands or
the Gisturbers On several occasions
only the timely interference Of the
police has prevented the suffragettes
being ducked--or drowned. 1t is a
noteworthy fact that the complexion
OF the mob has decidedly changed OF
late. Whereas formerly 1t consisted
mostly Of boys out for lark and
young men OF the hooligan type, re-
Gently it has been recruited largely
from men of more or less respectable
appearance. But OF much greater sig
nificance is the attitude taken by a
number of the police magistrates who
have been called upon to try the dis
turbers. In no case has severe pun
ishment been inflicted. Nominal fines
have been the limit. In frequent In
stances the prisoners have been dis
missed with warning-and the warn
ing has been couched' in such terms
as to indicate that the magistrate
really didn't mean 1t to be taken
very seriously. In fact, In one case
where the prisoner was accused OF
being the ringleader of a mob that
HAD destroyed suffragette platform
and attempted to duck one OF the
speakers, the magistrate took occa-
sion, in dismissing the charge, to COM
ment on the extreme provocation'
offered by the women.
The recent tone Of the English
papers in handling suffragettes news
has also served to fan the flames OF
popular anger against the women who
burn churches, blow up coronation
chairs, and-what Is least forgivable
from the British tandpoint-insult
their sovereign. The opposition press
naturally lambasts the government In
sea son and out for its inaptitude, but
even the liberal papers have now be-
gun to demand that something be
done" to save the country from the
menace Of mob rule.
McKenna's belated scheme OF try
ing to put the Women's Social and
Political Union out of business by
proceeding in the civil courts against
the wealthy and important contribu-
tors to It's funds is generally regarded
as both futile and puerile. The active
suffragettes themselves simply laugh
at II. Christabel Pankhurst, safely
refuged in Paris Is the custodian OF
a war-chest already sufficiently ample
to keep the flag Of militancy waving
for several years to come. AS for the
wealthy and important contributors.
few of them have displayed any signs
of nervousness at the governments
latest remedy" For such as are
really afraid Of McKenna's threats,
Iloyd's underwriters are prepared to
take the risk at premium so small
as to indicate that thees astute finan-
ciers consider the success OF Nc
Kepna's scheme about as long shot
40 the prospect Of the arrival Of trip
let's in the average family. The 9TH
or day q member of the peerage took
out a policy to indemnify him aginst
tho possible legal consequences of his
wife's rather generous suffragette sub
scription. For 1915 the underwriters
agreed to make good on any verdict
returned against her in this connec-
tion in the next two years up to $780,
600.
Another way Of getting from under.
shoula McKenna attempt seriously to
carry out his present program, is sug-
sested by a statement recently circu-
lated by one of the anti-suffragette
organizations. An unnamed lady pri-
vate detective is quoted as saying: II
know of a number of wealthy society
neople who have paid large subscrip-
tions TO the militants expressly for
tho purpose of escaping the molesta-
tion at their hands Several such
persons who used to employ me to
guard their homes, their pictures. sta
tuary. and china, during big entertain