The sun., 1916-12-06
WILSON Is HECKLBD
BY SUFFS IN HOUSE
Yellow Banner With . Ques-
ton Unfurled as President
Reads Message.
MILITANTS IN FIRST COUP
Page Tears Down Silken
Standard, but Women in
Capital Are Jubilsnt.
MILITANTs IN FIRST COUP

WASHINGTON. Dec. s.-President WILL
address to Congress to-day was
marked by a woman suffrage coup in the
salleries-the FIRST real show Of or
sanixed militAncy In the capital--and
by q great demonstration Of conGratula-
ton 10 the President upon his reelection.
in which many Republicans Joined with
the Democrats.
After Acknowledge the prolonged
cheers and applause which greeted his
entry to the hall Of the House the Presi-
dent launched into his address. review
ing recommendations for railroad legis-
lation, q corrupt practices act, and had
passed to his recommendations for .
broader government for Porto Rico.
lie was just about TO begin q sentence;
THE present laws governing the island
and regulating the rights and privileges
Of its people are not just" when ove
the rail OF the gallery. where sat a
party of woman suffrage leaders, there
huttered down above the heads Of an
amazed assemblage OF Senators and
Representatives a silken banner Of suf-
frase yellow bearing in great black
letters the inscription:
PRESIDENT WILSON, WHAT WILL /:
YOU DO FOR WOMAN sUFFRA0Bs :
The suffragists said afterward II was
their protest against the Presidents plea
with Congress for broader suffrage for
the men of Porto Rico while he did not
mention their ~ in his address.
President Smiles and Goes o..
As the banner rlppled down the suf-
fraSists sat smiling n unperturbed
watching the effect. A diminutive page.
raised on the arms OF men directly
under the gallery. grasped the edge OF
the amer n snatched II down. Presi-
lent Wilson. attracted by III stir. looked
up from his reading. and apparently
taking in h situation at a glance
smiled broadly and without hesitation
or interruption turned his eyes hack to
his manuscript and continued his ad-
| dress to its end without further demon
stration.
When the joint session wa over the
sufYragista hled out unmoleeted by the
pOiICe, VINO tdIu tHey Heu uo osucsh
other than to prevent ANY further in
frtngement of the rules Of the House
The banner remained a trophy with the
sergeant-at-arms.
Before the police could get to the gal.
iery the s~uiFragists' press agent wa busy
handing out printed reports Of tho at.
fair replete in detail. giving the names
Of the militants and interviews with
each.
The consensus Of their opinion wal
summed up by Mrs. Abby Scott Baker
the incident was expressive OF the indig
nation that women feel at the stupid ant
senseless opposition 20 granting the RICH
OF self-government to one-half the peo
pie OF the United States.
Ten Women a. "Heroines."
The ten women who participated IL
the coup marched of acclaimed heroine!
to Congressional Union headquarters
where they held a reception. MIS- Mabe
Vernon of Nevada, DIR. Caroline l.. Spen
Ger of Colorado, Mrs. Florence Bayart
Hiiles OF Delaware, Mrs. John Rodgert
OF New York. Mrs. Anna Lowenburg o
Pennsylvania. Mrs. Bessie II. Papandr,
and Mss Maud Gilbert of California
Mrs. w. L.. Colt Of New York. Miss Luc.
Burns of the Congressional Union an,
Mrs. Townsend Scott OF Maryland com
posed the sufYragists' party. The frs
Ave held the banner and the latter nv
acted as guards prepared to resist In
reference. The women had carried OF
their preparations so carefully. however
hat 0Aae of the hundreds OF spectator
surrounding them had any inkling o
their plans.
The coup. say the suffragists, worke.
well enough to suit them even II
failed to draw any acknowledgment. an
they plan something more startling tn
next time. Everybody around the Cor
gressional Union who had anything t
do with 1t was keen for another.
Mise Alice Paul IL Jubilant.
ut was . most excellent dsmonstrs
tion," said Chairman Alice Paul, smilin
happily. Certainly We may in the ~
ture adopt various methods not dissim
lar TO the n W used to-day TO kee
Congress reminded OF Dur cause.'
$ Miss Lucy Burns declared the suffras
question was h only one before Cor
: sress to-day when President wilson III
ished reading his address.
when he finished" aid she, "ti
. Senators n Representatives on Il
I f0or turned toward VI and r,uttered OF
word. '~Suffragists,' No one said Adam
: son law or Porto Rico We feel v
! did our duty to-day and We never shou
have forgiven ourselves had we owe
looked It,"
Z Other members smiled while Mi
. Burns n Miss Paul talked and all we
: anxious to know what impression tn,
had made.
|. Has the White House issued al
statement about itT' chorused a dos
n or more.
Up TO a late hour to-nisht, howev,
the White House had not and there W.
a no Indications whether or not the Pre-
J. dent was much put out.
wOsld Expedite Postal Work.
In the hone Of Inducing mallers