New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1914-07-12

does not the English Government put
down the militant suffragists?" 1t is
not an easy question TO answer in
terms Of strict politeness. II you lis
ten 20 English critics they will tell you
that, with this matter as with others,
.ae Ministry are playing politics. 1t
IS not only women who want votes
1r, il still more outspoken, they viii
explain that this orgy of lawlessness
soes on because the Home Secretary
IS Mr.. McKenna. The Home Secretary
is the Minister with whom lies the ad-
ministration Of justice and. in London
the control OF the police. He is, there
fore. the Minister directly responsive
for law and order; against both whlcn
the militants carry on a campaign
Behind him, nevertheless, STANDS 'ne
Cabinet, and for all decisions or pom
ei.s in a business so grave as TINS 'he
Cabinet is responsible. The Prime
Minister himself is responsible, since
Il is he who made Mr.. McKenna Home
Secretary and keeps him Home Secre-
,arv. And if you talk with people VINO
know. or ought TO know, what goes on
o., these exalted circles you Will De
did that Mr.. Asquith always had, and
s-iu has. a high opinion of Mr.. Nc
Kenna's executive ability. Presumably
therefore. Mr.. Asquith is content as
SIR. McKenna himself avowedly is' with
b,s handling of the militants,
Concerning Mr.. McKennas view oil
ris administration we have the hlgh-
est authority-Mr. McKenna hlmsell'
yo has lately reviewed the whole mat
.sr in speech in the House OF COM
mons. The remedy he seemed TO prefer
uss silence, and he suggested to the
Press that as the object of these mill
tants was notoriety the newspapers
should print no account OF their 40
ives That the suggestion is both ao-
surd and impracticable is evident 10
most people except this eminent nome
Secretary. The militants would onl!
resort TO still worse outrages to COM
mel attention and publicity. Put MI.
NcKenna himself in the editorial
chair. and what would he do?
He seems to have little knowledge
Of what there il in the minds OF these
women. Mrs. Pankhurst herself declared
not long since that even after votes had
- c;ven-i- ever they are given
- women the outrages will be aoan-
doned-if they are abandOned-wl'h
regret. Over the impossible, Mr.. Nc
Ecnna fingers. Possible remedies ne
d;smisses on the ground that, on the
whole. the condition Of things Is I'M
proving. and he gives figures IN sup
mort of this cheerful view. Out OF
cicbty-three prisoners temporarily dis
charged fifteen had given up mill
fancy. six had fed the country twenty
wore in hiding and the remainder are
liable to rearrest; of course 10 be SCI
free again after brief hunger strikes.
He would not deport them. There are
difficulties in deporting, and to nm
. difHcultv is a thing TO yield 70
He would not treat them as lunatics'
because by law they are not lunatics'
though a new law could be made or 2
new definition Of lunacy. He Will not ie'
them starve. which is what public
on;nion. he tells US, favors. Some two
months ago "The Times published a
latter from a woman Of distinction
beginning:
81 write as a woman in order to en-
.reat the government TO let these WON
~ s.arve themself if they choose TO-
or that heroic counsel he takes no
heed. He prefers financial treatment
believing that subscribers to the out
rage funds may be made individually
liable for damages 10 persons ana
oronertv. and may also be prosecuted
riminally.
THAT done" ne saws, 81 am con-
anced that the days Of militancy are
,ver."
Why il has not been done he omits
n exnlajn. He has lists Of the sub
cr,bers. He knows, and they know
ne use that is made Of their money.
&c knows that the women guilty OF
hose crimes the actual perpetrators
are not. as a rule, fanatics impelled
"a morbid fury, bat paid agents, who
Q. fire 70 houses and explode bombs
nd praetise other deyiltries on the
ublic for money; for wages pald
.eek,y; Of which the amount paid IS
proportion 20 the wickedness OF the
rime.
Nothing is said Of the moral de-
l;noucncy Of those sufragists VINO
noninally disapprove Of the outrage
campaign; who yet are the night wing
Of the army Of which the militants are
the left. They, like others, hold that
the outrages have brought the cause
forward; have fixed public attention
on the general issue Of votes for WON
en-; and, therefore, have, IL not Just-
fcstion, an excuse. For certain pur-
poses, the two wings act together.
This cOndonation, or liberation, or fail
ure 20 condemn, as others condemn,
crime as means of political agita-
tiou. has helped the n.1lignants a.
much a. anything. They march in pro-
cs,gjou aide by side. Their end is the
same. Only the means are different.
There arrived in America lately one
of the most distinguished and accom-
piizhcd Of American women, whose
American nationality has been merged
in English nationality by marriage.