New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1915-01-17
A DEFENCE OF MISS PANKHURST
Mrs. Dorr Replies to Criticism by Ida
Tarbell, Mrs. Havelock Ellis
and Miss Doty.

To the Editor Of The Tribune.
Sir: | was panied TO read in your Is
sue Of January 10 some exceedingly
incorporate comments on Miss Christa-
bel Pankhurst's speech in Carnegie
Hall last Wednesday evening. Your
paper has been so uniformly courteous
TO women and so mindful 70 do them
justice on all occasions that l am sure
you will allow me space, not TO reply
10 these vindictive attacks on stran-
ger within our gates, but to correct
few glazing misstatements. | heard
Miss Psnkhurst's speech, and | have
had besides many opportunities OF
talking with her. | know her attitude
in this present war far better, ! think,
than any of the persons quoted in the
article. Miss Pankhurst never dreamed
OF coming 10 America on q recruiting
tour. She did not once in her Car
negie Hall speech invite any American
men TO join the Allies. She merely
said that she believed the people OF
the United States loved liberty so well
that they would join in the world
struggle with the Allies sooner than
see German despotism overrun civili-
cation. Miss Pankhurst is not an adj
vocate of war. any more than she is an
advocate OF militancy for suffrage. But
she believes in war, and in militancy,
when the alternative means dishonora-
bic surrender. She believes passionate
ly that the suffragettes had TO resort TO
militancy or give up the struggle for
suffrage in England. She believes that
England had TO go 70 war or else pc
swept out OF its national existence by
Germany. You may agree with her or
not, as you please, but to call her a
Bernhard is absurd. 1t is just as alb
surd 10 say that she is now supporting
a government whom she has lately been
fighting. The English government is
not at war with Germany. 1t IS the
English people, although TO persons un-
acquainted with English politics the
distinction may not be clear. Most
absurd was the statement that Lord
Northcife had anything 70 do with
Mss Pankhurst's American tour. Miss
Pankhurst Is q self-supporting woman.
For a number Of years she has earned
moderately good living
more. as am in a position TO know
by organizing and directing the work
OF the Women's Social and Political
Union, the militant society which,
whatever its shortcomings, earned the
gratitude Of all women by lifting the
entire suffrage movement out of state
Of moribund slumber and placing 1t in
the arena of practical politics. The
war having temporarily suspended suf-
frage activities in England, Miss Pank-
hurst turned to the lecture platform as
a means of livelihood. She is lecturing
on the war, partly because it is time
~ subject and partly because she has a
burning conviction on the subject and
wants 10 express that conviction. She
has, you must admit, the same right
70 present the point Of view Of the
Allies as DR.. Dernburg and the numer-
Gus other opponents of German "kul-
tur" now in this country have to pre-
sent the Kaiser's point of view. ! think
il distinctly unfair, as il is untrue, for
newspaper-to say nothing of suf-
fragists to spread broadcast the state
ment that the lecture tour of this Eng
lsh visitor has been a failure. ! have
been present during two of her meet
ings, and they were both signal sue
cesses. I could not help wishing last
Wednesday evening that our suffrage
meetings could be made TO arouse such