New-York tribune., 1917-07-20
Prisoners Change Their
Minds About Insisting
On Staying in Jail
President Approves
Plea Of Husbands
Several of the Women Had
Small Children Needing
Their Care

teen women sent to the workhouse
for their part in the tumultuous
suffrage demonstration Saturday at
the White House accepted pardons
from President Wilson to-day, and were
released after serving two days Of their
sixty-day terms.
The prisoners left the workhouse ap-
parently without regret, despite their
previous declarations that they desired
to serve their time without clemency.
These assertions had led to an an
nouncement by the Department of JUS
tice. pointing out that a pardon need
not be accepted unless the prisoners de,
sired it. When the time for departure
came, however, the only protest was
against the trials they underwent dur
ing their detention.
At headquarters Of the Women,s party
the sixteen were received as martyrs,
and at a dinner given there in their
honor plans were made for continuing
the White House picketing A defiant
statement issued at the headquarters
said the campaign to impress President
wilson and the country by parading
before the White House gates would 90
on without change.
Husbands Pleas Effective
The President acted after the hus-
bands of several Of the prisoners had
interceded in their favor and after
he had been told that some of them
had small children at home needing
their care. Some Of Mr.. Wilson's
friends declared this element undoubt-
edly had been the determining infu-
ence with-him Othersseaggested that
he acted in the hope that pardons
would minimize publicity, an avowed
part of the women's campaigning. The
suffragists insisted he had become con-
yinced that the country was aroused
over the workhouse sentences.
Every party TO the incident, how
ever, was left to its own speculations
on the subject. Secretary Tumulty
said issuance of the pardons would
have to speak for itself. and all other
officials in position TO know the Pres
ident's thoughts on the subject were
silent.
The Presidents action in no way
affects the general suffrage situation"
said the Women's party statement
"The only difference it makes, as We
see it, is that the women are out of
Jail. That is matter of little con-
Germ to us compared with the concern
we feel over the ireat vital issue for
which we are fighting. Picketing will
be resumed very soon, and with the
utmost vigor."
Next Demonstration Tomorrow
No date has been set for the next
demonstration, but IT probably VIII De
Saturday. The suffragist leaders say
they fully expect that the next body
of pickets will be arrested and SEN
fenced to the workhouse.
The Department of Justice statement
settled a point which had been warmly
discussed at suffrage headquarters.
"If the suffragists now serving a six
Nv day sentence at Occoquan decline to
accept the pardon offered by President
Wilson" il said, "they will serve out
their sentence. The government can
not compel a prisoner under sentence
to accept a pardon
All of the prisoners were IN good
health. but were uncomfortable from
having been deprived of their toilet
articles, such as tooth brushes. One
aid she had some difficulty in sleeping,
and none of them had liked the food.
After a conference with suffrage
leaders tonight, Mr.. Malone said nc
would remain in Washington for some
time, perhaps for several weeks, IN
order 10 devote his attention TO the
women's fight. 1t was denied that ne
had resigned his post as Collector OF
the Port OF New York.
One Of his first acts on behalf OF me
suffrage organization, Mr. Malone said'
will be TO file charges against SUPER
intendent Whitaker, Of the workpouSe'
on account of his statements to the
yemen at their departure. he SAID re
intended TO have Bainbridge Colby
C.orge Gordon Battle and other at
torneys Of ability associated with hi'n'
Mr.. Malone saic:
"The s. lerintendent told me at the
vorkhouse this afternoon that II any
mora women sufragists came there
tbev could not expect to receive as
much consideration as he SAID ne naq
givcn the ladies released to-day;
,oId him ] didn't understand these
women had received any special Ia
vors Quite the contrary. 30 ! ac
ceoted his statement as a threat ana
s...d 20 treat IL as such.