Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1917-07-19
Miss Stevens Speaks.

Home, husband and children today
became vital issues in the cases Of
some of the sixteen suffragists sent
to Jail here yesterday for their DEM
onstrations in front of the White
House last Saturday and it appeared
that these forces would be sufficient
to cause several Of the eight married
prisoners to be released by payment
Of fines regardless of their personal
wishes.
At least one husband is said to be
determined that his wife shall be
returned to their children and police
court attaches said another had been
interviewing officials regarding pay
nlent of fine.
AT the woman's party headquarters
it was declared that all of the women
were anxious to serve out theirssixty
days sentences, but it was admitted
that the SIS fines Of some Of the mar
ried women would be paid4A-- =
As a result OF the situations that
have arisen in the homes of married
women prisoners, only single women
and married women who can be
spared at home easily were being
taken today as volunteers for the next
picketing demonstration, which prob
ably will be attempted late this week.
tFrom n staff Correspondent)
Washington, July l8.--Miss Doris
Stevens OF Omaha, said by represen-
tatives Of the National Woman's
party, to be zone OF the ablest and
most beautiful of the women in the
young suffrage movement" who was
sent to the workhouse at Occoquan,
Va, yesterday by Judge Malowney.
together with fifteen others, well
known women, for picketing the White
House on Bastile day, July IA. made
speech from the dock in her own
defense.
~ was arrested Miss Stevens said,
mot for picketing the White House,
which | have perfect legal right to
do. but on the charge OF obstructing
traffic. This charge is absolutely un-
founded. The crowd near the White
House was perfectly friendly. The
police made no attempt to disperse It.
Charge Trumped Up.
"The fact is this charge has been
trumped up to suppress our demand
for political freedom.
II heard a great many people dis
cussing whether we are right or
wrong in picketing the White House.
1t is more important to consider
whether the government is right or
wrong in denying women equal politi-
cal rights. think they are wrong and
that women must protest publicly
against tits injustice until it is recti-
fed"
The women were given the alter
native of paying SIS fines, but they
promptly refused the offer and were
taken to the workhouse, and turned
over to a nnatron, who saw that each
got shower bath and exchanged her
clothes for a heavy one-piecc prison
dress. Tomorrow they will be as
signed to the sewing room OF the
prison, where they will work several
hours daily.
Tonight the partys headquarters
here was iii a furry OF uncertainty
over the question whether the women
should be permitted to serve their
sentences without protest or whether
the cases should be appealed. Early
in the evening there was positive
announcement that there would be
no appeal, but later that was recalled
and it was said there probably would
be no decision until tomorrow.
Although no one at the headquar.
tiers would confirm it, there we're in
dications that the course OF the
women's friends might be determined
finally by tile attitude Of Dudley Field
Malone, collector Of customs at New