New-York tribune., 1922-02-24
Toxic Crowds
Fight Police i'll
Suffrage Riots
Thousands Gather Outside
Diet as Measure To Extend
Vote l. Due for Discus
sion: Mob Surgcs atDoors
Prcscut 10000 Petitions
Live Snake Thrown Amid
Members During Debate
on lmpcaching Minister

TOXIC, Feb. - BY The Associated
press)- Disorders broke out in Toxic
this evening in connection with demon
strston7 in favor Of the extension of
'he suffrage. Bv O'Clock tonight a
total Of fifty arrests had been made
and len persons had been more or less
battered by police reserves who were
called 20 qucll the disturbances.
The crowds of dcmonstrstors, uto
hsd been pcaceful during the day. be
came dlsorderlv at o'clock this eve
ming. when I 900 persons tried 20 break
through the police lines and reach the
headquarters Of the kensci-ksi party,
or Opposition. near the Diet building.
The police used the Cat sides Of their
swords. and in their fight to stem The
tide Of demonstrators several heads
wore severely bruised. A number Of
the police also were roughly handle d
By the crowds.
Reserves soon restored order. but the
crowds were IN an ugly temper snd
even then further trouble Vas antici-
rated.
Dict Members Jccred
The Dict adjourned for tho dsl at
7:t5 o'clock, and its members, escorted
by heavy guard Of police. ran the
eantlot % the iocring thousands gath
c-ed outside.
Most Of tho arreets were made dur
ing later clash. when kensei-kai nd
herents. who had been at the party
headquarters listening to speeches Of
their leaders. emerged from the build
iug.
It was estimated to-day that 10000
petitions for the extension OF the suf-
frage had been filed in tho Diet since
TIE beginning Of the recent suffrage
agitation.
The occasion for to-day's monster
demonstration was afforded by the an
nouncomcnt that discussion Of the uni
vorsal suffrage bill was scheduled to
take place in the lower house this
afternoon. Elaborate police precau-
tons bad been taken TO prevent the
crowds from rushing into the Diet pre-
cincts and to keep the demonstrators
moving Several thousand police had
been distributed at strategical loca-
tions
The Toxic newspapers generally have
been supporting tho suffrage measure,
but it's defeat was regarded as prac
tically assured by large majority of
the Seiyu- kai party. who ara said to be
opposed to tho measure.
Handbills are Scattered
BY midday the crowds had begun to
gathcr. hut in an orderly manner.
Numerous motor cars were used for
scattering handbills in favor OF tho bill
throughout the city.
The demonstrators, whose ranks had
swelled With youths from other pre-
lectures. stroamed toward the Diet at
. O'Clock in the afternoon, intent on
presenting petitions which had been
signed at mass meetings in various
localities. As the crowds made their
way toward the Diet there we're many
opprobrious remarks hurled at the
police. who were thick along the routes
and lvho were packed before the Diet
doors Troops also were held IN readi-
ness and the Chamber contained many
plain clothes detectives.
Preceding the opening of the debate
a member Of the Kersei-ka introduced
a motion to impeach the Minister Of
thc Interior for forbidding the demon
stratiou and employing police, alleging
that it was a subverson Of the peoples
rights The motion WAS defeated. Dur
ing the intense debate some ono threw
live snake on the floor, creating
momentary confusion.
This mornings edition OF the "kohu-
min Shimbun" was suppressed because
Il contained an ,nfsmmatory denunci-
ation Of what it called the police gov
crnmer;'