Evening star., 1917-10-19
:P|CKETS ON STRIKE;
DECLINE TO WORK
Claim They Are Held at 0cco-
guam as "PoIiticap'
Prisoners.
JAIL CELLS AWAIT THEM

JAIL CeLlS AVAIL lHG"'
Following their serving of an ultima
tum upon the District Commissioners
that they will not work because they are
spolitical prisoners" eleven pickets con
fined in the District workhouse, at Oc-
coquan, will be notified today that un-
less they rescind their decision and obey
the rules of the institution they will
be moved to the District Jail and placed
in solitary confinement.
The latest developments growing out
Of the activities of the militants began
with the sending of a letter by the
prisoners to the Commissioners. octo-
Der 1e, in which they give fiat notice
that they will do no further work. The
board of charity yesterday recommend
I'D to the Commissioners the action to
be taken to suppress this insubordina-
ton. and the District heads today ap-
proved the boards recommendation.
Must Obey the Rules
'svarious requests for consultation
with counsel and other requests to re-
ceive visitors have been denied and no
privileges will be extended to these
prisoners until they are willing 70 ooey
the rules of the institution. stated the
tion taken.
work and obey the rules, they Will De
removed to the District Jail for connne-
ment."
The Commissioners decision to use
drastic measures. II necessary. to com
pel compliance with the rules OF the
Institution and maintain discipline is IN
would be followed when William H.
Whitaker was restored to the superin-
tendency of the workhouse. after the
investiEation into his management
started on charges brought Dy eunrase
leaders had failed to produce any wit
nesses to testify against him.
The ultimatum served on the Com
missioners. from which they declare
they will not recede, Is signed by Mary
Windsor, Lucy Branham. Ernestine
Pauline Fortall Adams. Eleanor A. Col
man, Edith Anige, Anna NJ Arniell.
Dorothy Jones Bartlett and Margaret
NJ Fotheringham.
Text Of the U1timatum-
Their strike declaration is as fol-
so the Commissioners Of the District
Of Columbia:
~As political prisoners. we. the nm
.dsrsigned. refuse te<1el IN
sidsrStion. and from 1t we shall not re-
sThis action 10 q necessary protest
against an unjust sentence In remind
ing President Wilson OF his pre-elec-
ton promises toward woman suffrage
we were exercising the right Of peace
full petition. guaranteed by the Consti-
tuition of the United States, and further
safeguarded by the Cfyton act and
picksting legal in the District of CO.
lumbia- That we are untustly SEN
fenced has been we'll recognized-when
President Wilson pardoned the first
group 9f suffragists who had been
given sikty days in the workhouse. ard
again when Judge Mullowny Suspend
ed sentence for the~iast group Of pick
eters. We wish to point out the incon-
sistency and injustice of our sentences
days. later group thirty days, and an
other group given a suspended sentence
for exactly the same action
Conscious, therefore, of having act
ed In accordance with the highest
standards of citizenship, we ask the
Commissioners Of the District to grant
US the rights due political prisoners
We ask that we no longer be segregat-
ed and confined under locks and bars in
small groups, but permitted to see each
other and that Miss Lucy Burns. who is
In full sympathy with this letter. be re-
leased from solitary confinement in an
other building and given back to US.
we ask exemption from prison work.
that our legal right to consult counsel
be recognized. to have food sent to US
from outside. to supply ourselves with
writing material for as much corre-
spondence as we may need. to receive
tives and friends.
Our united demand for political
treatment has been delayed. because on
entering the workhouse we found con-
could ask that the suffragists be treat
ed as political prisoners it was neces-
oary to make stand for the ordinary
rights Of human beings for all the In
mates. Although this has not been ac-
complished. we now wish to bring the
important question Of the status of
political prisoners to the attention of
the Commissioners. who. we are in
what regulations they please for the
District prison and workhouse,
The Commissioners are requested to
send US written reply, so that we
may be sure this protest has reached
them"
From Board of Charities.
The board of charities, to which the
letter Of the militants was referred.
made the following Recommendation TO
the Commissioners, which was the
basis of the action taken today:
Il am directed to advise you that the
board of charities. having Considered
the several applications made by cer-
tain inmates Of the workhouse at Deco
quan, which applications and requests
are best summarized in a communica-
tion to tho Commissioners Of the Dis
trict of Columbia dated October ia
1917. herewith transmitted, and sienad
by Mary Winsor and ten others Of sa IA
inmates, who are known as 'picketers
submits the following:
The inmates referred to have haer
committed to Occoquan by a Judgment
Columbia. convicted in the usual course
and committed and received without
any direction from the court as to this
particular treatment or right Of exemn.
tion from the rules and Regulations q,
the institution. Accordingly, in ouI
opinion. the rules Of the institution ars
applicable and should be applied.
while up to the time Of conviction
the right OF counsel existed, we are no,
advised that such a right exists afte,
conviction. and II counsel is permitted
70 any inmate 1t would be q priviless
which should Be extended and could IA
s3tended only to prisoners in soot
Standing and under such regulationI
as In the Judgment OF the supertntend
ent would be useful and proper
The prisoners referred to, since thei,
in many ways. constantly and persist
Antly and with an attitude ~ dn<ar,,,{