New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1917-11-18

whelming victory of suffrage in
~ New York the militant wing OF
the party resumed active picketing of the
White House-to the general disgust and
disapprobation, it would appear, of women
throughout the country. Twoscore or more
were arrested, jailed or released, and then
promptly rearrested upon repetition OF
the offence involved in search OF that
"martyrdom" which they believe will aid
their cause. Some of those in jail are In
dulging in "hunger strike"-notably
Miss Alice Paul. 1t is rumored that some
have been forcibly fed.
This resumption of militancy is being
universally hailed by the press of the coun-
try and by the national leaders of the
woman suffrage movement as a grave mis-
take, both in policy and principle. Mrs.
Carrie Chapman Gait, president of the
National Association, considered that the
pickets were making psychological mis-
take" An interview printed in "The New
York Times" quoted her as saying:
"The pickets make the psychological mis-
take of injecting into this stage Of the suf-
frage campaign tactics which are out of &C
cord with it. Every reform, every change
of idea in the world passes through three
stages-agitation, argument and surrender.
We have passed through the first two stages
and entered into the third. The mistake Of the
pickets is that they have no comprehensive
idea of the movement and are trying to
work this first stage in the third. We stand
on the threshold of final victory, and the
only contribution these women make to 1t
is to confuse the public mind"
In his explanation Of their purpose in
demanding of the President that he advo-
cate a constitutional amendment for ma
tion-wide woman suffrage, and in excuse
Of their methods, Mrs. j. W. Brannan, of
New York City, who was one of those ar
rested, gave out this statement:
"As newly enfranchised New York wom-
an, | realize more acutely than ever the
limitations of the state referendum method,
the fact that we are prisoners in our own
state so far as our franchise is concerned.
So long as the President refuses to indorse
the Federal amendment he proves to his own
country and to the whole world that he is
against American women-that he breaches
democracy in words but not democratic
deeds
This view found support in "The New
York American" which was loud in ad-
vocacy Of the amendment desired and up
held the tactics Of the militants, but else
where the press has shown very little sym
pathy either with the Washington out
break or with the demand behind it. "The
Buffalo Express" reminded the newly en-
franchised women that they ARE under
the same obligations as men TO obey the
law and to respect and support the gov
eminent" and that Opposition, except by
speech and votes, is not only abhorrent to
the principles Of a republic, but is actual
rebellion"
"The New York Globe" calling them
misguided" failed to see how any prog
ress toward q national amendment can be
gained by militant methods.
"The New York World" commenting on
the lnilitants' claim that they be treated
as military prisoners, approved the idea
that they be sent to detention camps,
adding:
at is certain that no German hates the
President of the United States more bitterly
than the women who have been storming the
gates OF the White House, and not many
Germans have done more than they TO create
disturbances and scandals calculated to in
terfere with the prosecution Of the war"
The same feeling was expressed in
cartoon in Life" chasing the 'shrieking
sisterhood" with "slackers, obstructionsts,
pro-Germans and traitors"