New-York tribune., 1918-08-02
Alice Paul Calls
For 100 Martyrs
Unafraid of Jail
Suffrage Banner Bearers
Wanted for Siege on
White House Aug. 6
(Speciai Dispatch 10 Tho 7-,-b,,nD

WASHINGTON, Aug. 1.-Alice Paul
IS appealing for more White House
plckets to stand the ordeal of arrest
and Imprisonment. This will not be a
permanent plcketing, but will take the
form OF a demonstration on August 6
IN protest against the DELAY in submit
ting the Federal suffrage amendment.
ne appeal is for banner carriers who
are not afraid to defy the police and go
10 jail II arrested. The date selected
IS the anniversary of the death of Mrs.
lnez Milholland Boissevain, and one of
the prominent streamers is to carry
the concluding words of her last suf-
lrage speech: How long must women
wait for hberty?"
Following IS the text of Miss Paul's
blanket letter being sent to hundreds
Of women all over the country asking
them to come here for the demonstra-
ton:
I'VE are planning to hold an open
ar demonstration in front Of the
White House on Tuesday. August 6 to
protest against the continued delay
with regard TO the suffrage amendment
IN the Senate, and to urge the Admins
Ifaton to insist on the passage of this
measure, as 1t insisted upon action on
the telegraph bill.
IN Front of White House
The demonstration will take the
FORM OF an open-alr meeting before the
statues OF Rochambeau and LaFavette.
Both statues face the White House. and
Roth Will, of course, bring up memories
OF our struggle for freedom in revolu-
tlonary days.
We want to have a group of suf-
1raglsts, carrying purple, white and gold
trl-colors, line up on each side of the
speakers IN order to make a beautiful
setting for the meeting. am writing
TO ask whether you will carry one Of
these banners. We would like TO have
several hundred banner bearers and
hope that you not only come yourself.
but that you will bring others.
There is possibility that, the po-
lice may interfere with the demon
stration and that we may be arrested,
though this does not seem likely. We
nave been holding outdoor meetings
work here in 1913, but a few months
ago the police department refused to
give us permits for such meetings ex-
ceptlng at two places which are most
undesirable for the purpose, although
other outdoor meetings, such as Lib
erty Loan meetings and Salvation Army
meetings, are still allowed. 1t will be
necessary for US therefore to hold this
meeting without a permit.
Liable To Be Imprisoned
Our lawyer informs US that we
have the constitutional right to do
this and he does not think therefore
that the police viii object. He also
informs US that if we are arrested it
would not be more serious than in the
case Of picketng. He states that if
we are sentenced at all it would prob
ably be for very short time and that
the longest sentence could not be more
than six months. He thinks, moreover,
that if by any chance the police court
should impose a sentence it would be
overturned by the Court Of Appeals,
just as that court sustained US in the
picke ting.
1T is probable that if the police
interfere at all only the speakers will
be arrested, but we want the banner
bearers also to be prepared to stand
firm in case the police order the whole
crowd to disperse If the banner bear
ers refuse to move it might be pos
sible that they could be arrested for
participating in the open air meeting,
even though they were not among the
speakers
"Please telegraph me Immediately at
IA jackson Place, Lafayette Square,
Washington, D. c. whether you can
come. am sure I need not tell you
how earnestly we hope that you will
do so. We do not want to announce
this demonstration until nearer the
time, so please do not make it public"