Arizona republican., 1917-11-24
Political Prisoners


 We are not quarreung with the advocates of the susan B. Anthony amendment. We are strongly in favor of votes for whether granted by state or federal legislation We would prefer federal legislation. We would any legitimate, orderly method employed by the suffrags induce congress ,o adopt the amendment
 The position of The Republican this point hav ing been made clear we will go to a related matter the view of the militant suffragists of the status the who have been put into prison for picSetng the White House. They regard themselves. and are regarded by their sisters political prisoners and they insist upon the treatment accorded to ttcal prisoners
 No special ignomny attaches to political offenses t has never been reckoned disgrace to suffer for political crime but sClnetimes honor But in the commission political crime in order that ignomny and disgrace may be avoided, there must be no in fringement of the ordinary laws and regulations for inc government and protection of society.
 There are few classes of political offenses in this country We have only treason in it's greater and lesser forms. and We believe that will contend that the pcketers guilty could have been guilty. of treason They not charged with con but with a disturbance of the peace Their con duct did not menace the stability of the country. Though they may have been annoying to passers-by, they were not undermining foundation of the gov
 
 ng the occupants of the White House. While making auisances of themselves, they were really harming nothing but good order and the cause of woman suf- frage
 righteous cause may be presented in wrong end unlasful manner and that the offense the picketers. They had no more right to congregate where they were asserting the constitutional right of petition than delegation of the National Association ,f Bartenders would have had to form mob in the White House, demanding of the president that he recommend the defeat of the national prohi oiton amendment. We are aware that this compari. ,on is a violent one, but make it violent because ae want be plain. The righteousness of the one and the unrghteousness of the other have noth ing to do matter. In either case public order would have been disturbed and it may be disturbed m a variety of ways. Wide powers are given peace officers to prohibit and punish violations of it. nor are they make distinctions between the ,iolators of good order.
 Again. the president could not have granted the petition the women. It is conceivable that he might nave used his influence. if he had desired, to defeat prohibition in the District Columbia for there were many congressman who voted for the measure re- 'uctautly and would have welcomed an adverse recom mendaton from the president. Mr. Wilson has been able to put every war measure through congress not becauss of his strength but because congress believed the people were behind him. But no recom- mendation of the president however strong would inclined the last congress the Anthony amend ment
 If the president had given his official strength to u would have been wasted and his influence would nave been lessened by just much. It that tact, think more than any personal convictions of the president the subject of national woman suffrage that restrained him an active part favor of the amendment When congress has turned president down to piece of legislation it is easier disregard his wishes with respect to another. Psychology undoubtedly has had much to do presidents attitude toward militant suf