Evening public ledger. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1914-1942, 1917-11-15
TELLS OF CONDITIONS
IN WASHINGTON PRISON
Miss Tomkins Describes "Hor-
rors" Suffrage Pickets
Must Endure

conditions 80 much worse than cou,d
be imagined" we're described rraphica,,v ,o-
day by Miss Sarah Tomkins. daughter ~
''e rev Floyd w. Tomkins, following her
return from Washington. whittier she went
with the Philadelphia suffragist delegation
10 register her protest against the treat
ment accorded political offenders" Tightly
scaled windows, curtailed privacy and en-
tire lack of proper exercise or the most
ordinary hygienic precautions are among
the horrors she found at the Washington
jail, Federal institution, where the suf-
frage pickets are confined because they
broke the law of the District Of Columbia
The most terrible thing of all to me-"
Miss Tomkins recited with tears In her
voice, was the way women of all classes
were huddled right in with the other
prisoners, no attempt being made even To
exercise the commonest precautions to pre-
vent contagion. The condition of the bath
tubs and blankets used in common by all
the women prisoners was appalling. Yet
our girls were denied the use of their own
garments and had to use the Jail blankets
provided or go cold.
The food was not only execrable but
chosen without any regard for suitability
Fancy salt pork twice a day, at the very
time that the Government Is urging the
nation to cut down on its use of these
heavy meats. Taken in connection with
no oxercise-and our pickets are some
times deprived of their political right to
exercise for six days at a time-suCh a
diet is enough to wreck the health of
the most vigorous"
Miss Tomkins herself had not been per-
IN n cnA ftan ~.
ward. though Miss Katzenstein, after many
pleas to Warden Zinkham. had finally been
accorded the privilege. Miss Lydia Dock
however, another member of the protest :
ing party" had talked to her for an bour
below the windows of the psychopathic
ward
THE whole behavior of the warden was
shifty and evasive at every point," accord :
ing to Miss Tomkins. He made IL plain
that he is acting under orders of those
higher up and hardly dares to accord
our pickets considerate treatment. even
were he so inclined. That's what makes
ones blood boil to think that every day
we see German suspects and other danger.
Gus political offenders running at large.
quite untouched by the law and then think
OF women like Lucy Burns and Alice Paul
singled out for the maximum severity the
law will permit"
Another delegation Of twenty-f'ye women
90 '''' 'S' ioi washington NJ
1880 this morning, women ready to leave
homes, families or responsible business posi-.
tions; as the case may be, to fight for the
cause they believe vital to all women
Prominent among them are Miss Mary
1ngham. acting secretary Of the National
Woman's Party; Miss Martha Davis and
Miss Ella Riegel. Miss Regel, an expert.
enced suffrage worker. is a graduate OF
Bryn Mawr where by odd irony She
studied political economy under Prof
Woodrow Wilson"
Miss Elizabeth McShane. former Vassa,
graduate and social worker. returns also
to Washington today to receive her sentence
tomorrow morning. the result of her tria
having been set over from last Tuesda "
Being one of the most aggressive of the
picketers. she is quite prepared for a penalt,
of at least thirty days
I'm more than ready" she said this
morning