Evening capital and Maryland gazette. (Annapolis, Md.) 1910-1922, 1917-09-11
An Appeal To The Readers
Of The Suffrage News
BY Ella Rush Murray,
Acton" Annapolis, Md.

Acton" Annapolis, Nd.
have just returned frcm Washing
ton, and while the impression is still
clearly printed on my mind | write
this appeal to the readers of the News
for help and sympathy for the splen-
did women in Washington who are
facing jail for their opinions.
went to the headquarters of the
Woman's Party on Lafayette Square
through whose historic doorway so
many brilliant thoughts have passed,
so many wonderful personalities, long
since dust. | tried to remember
their names and it came to me that
none of them would live in after
times like the quiet women whom
watched leaving that entrance to
walk to Pennsylvania avenue where
the police were waiting for them,
and that never since Revolutionary
DAYS had so stirring an appeal been
made for human rights. | followed
the first two pickets to Pennsylvania
avenue, where | crossed behind
them with the intention of witnessing
the proceedings. They took their
stand at the East Gate of the White
House grounds, just two women
carrying two banners, one with the
inscription, MIR President, how long
must women be denied voice in the
government which is conscripting
their sons?" The other banner was
merely the three colors-purple,
orange and white. The two pickets,
Mrs. Callahan and Miss Edith Ainge,
stood there about Is minutes. Then
the police approached and told them
that they would have to keep NOV
ing or be arrested. There was hard
ly anyone passing by at the time.
The avenue was roped off for the.
coming parade, but it was before 3
o'clock, and there was no traffic So
called to obstruct The pickets de-
clined to move on, and the police au
tomobile appeared instantly, into
which the two were promptly assisted
with their banners, and the first ar
rest was over.
About Is minutes later Miss Lucy
Branham and Mrs. Pauline Adams,
each carrying similar banners, were
arrested in front of the Presidents
reviewing stand, where they had
marched TO fill the vacancy of the
previous arrests. 1t will be long be-
fore / can forget the silhouette of
their figures as they stood up in the
police automobile, the sun light fieck-
ing them with gold.
The third detachment of pickets
were allowed to cross the avenue,
but were arrested just as they reach
ed the curb. The fourth detachment
arrived as the crowd began to line
the ropes very thickly They were
arrested in the middle of the avenue
on the trolley tracks. 1t was all over
in about an hour, just one little group
of women after another, facing
prison for a belief, sacrificing them
selves for a principle guaranteed to
them under the Bill of Rights, sealed
by the blood of the Revolution, legal
lied under the Clayton Federal Act.
To arrest the women in front of the
White House gate was against the
law To do it in front of the review
ing stand was equally so. To do so
in the middle of the street when they
were moving on" was as ridiculous
sight as / have even witnessed. If
it was a cause for arrest, then every
banner-carrying man in any parade
must face a precedent There was no
crowd, therefore no traffic to obstruct.
No Photographic evidence is admit
ted at the trial in the Police Court, as
such evidence was found too embar-
RAISING to the authorities. At the
time of the mob violence Miss Pierce
went out with her camera and was
knocked down by policeman as she
photographed the scenes.
Now, gentle readers, are we going
to stand for this sort of thing? Are
we going on with our own lives, while
our best and most unselfish are
fighting out this battle for us? Will
not those among US who can leave
our responsibilities for awhile go up
to Washington to help the pickets,
and let those among US who must re-
main behind do our utmost by raising
money, writing to the papers to pro-
test, telegraphing our representative
in Congress, getting up mass meet
ings, doing anything to arouse public
indignation at this outrageous de-
fiance of law by the government in
Washington against women who are
merely doing what the government
allowed them to do from January to
June?
In Rome, long ago, it was not at
all the Thing" to live in Catacombs
Let US thank God today that the spirit
that filled the Cafannnahr ic mi ,rof