Brownsville herald. [volume] (Brownsville, Tex.) 1910-current, 1928-06-14
Mrs. P0nkhuySt IS
Dead; Was Chiefim
Battle for Women

June 14.-R-One of
stne most picturesque figures in the
woman suffrage movement, Mrs. En-
incline Pankhurst, died today in a
London nursing home at the age of
~. Death came after a compara-
lively short illness.
Mrs. Pankhurst was the first mil
liant suffragist in efforts to obtain
tne vote for women, millions Of
whom are now enjoying the privi-
iege Of casting their ballots at the
parliamentary election.
Holloway Jail was frequently used
py the authorities to attempt to
cneck activities of the militant wom-
en-. Mrs. Pankhurst was often in and
oat OF that institution and her last
offense brought a sentence of penal
servitude. She started a hunger
strike, however, and was released
before the sentence was completed.
Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst, Eng
llsh suffrage leader, author and lee
tnrer-whose ~"militancy" helped win
the voting franchise for 5000, 900
women of Great Britain-was in the
period Of her greatest activity one Of
the most widely-known political re-
formers in the world.
On the eve of what appeared to be
the triumph Of the suffrage cause in
England, which she had led for
more than a decade as the head Of
the Women's Social and Political
union, founded in 1908. the great
war broke out. Up to this time the
followers Of Mrs. Pankhurst had been
widely characterized as hecklers Of
statesmen, window smashers and
firebrands. Mrs. P~ankhurst and
many Of her aides, including her two
daughters, Christabel and Sylvia,
suffered nearly every form of obli-
guy and hardship for the cause. They
had frequently been sent TO prison
and in some instances had gone on
munger strikes" hoping BY this
means Of self-imposed starvation to
attract sympathy for the suffrage
movement among British political
leaders.
Aided In War
With the outbreak of the war the
attitude Of Mrs. Pankhurst and her
disciples Immediately changed. In
Z declaration TO the members OF the
Women's Social and Political union,
she admonished them to cease their
activities as militant suffragettes
and bend all energies toward "help-
ing the allies to win the war"
Shortly after she helped TO mobil-
lie the woman power of the British
Isles and organized what was known
as the women's party, the function
ing Of which soon won the admira-
ton Of the Lloyd George govern
ment. Hundreds of thousands Of
English, Scotch, Welsh and Irish
women went upon the farms and
into the mills and factories TO help
raise food and make munitions Of
war, thus releasing a vast army Of
men to fight for the allies.
Mrs. Pankhurst herself went up
and down the land encouraging wom-
en- to enter these new vocations and
TO increase the field and factory
outputs. She went to Russia to
help avert the collapse Of the Ke-
rensky regime and to save that once
great fighting force to the allies.
She took several trips to the United
States and Canada and on these
tours inspired women workers every
where. On September l, 1918, while
she was in the United States, she
outlined what the women's party
had accomplished since 1914 by say
ing:
Ended Strikes
1.-THE women's party has, through
out this struggle, carried the war
into the pacifist campaign, refuting
arguments and confounding their
author. 1t has devoted itself to al
laying industrial unrest, preventing
and putting an end to strikes, and
rousinC the industrial workers to
greater efforts in te national cause
In particular, the women's party
was able TO turn the scale at the
miners strike ballot in South Wales
by defeating the efforts Of the dis
loyalists. Similar work is being
done by the women's party on the
Clyde and other great centers OF
shipbuilding and war industry.
THE women's party has fought for
o strict blockade and vigorous use
of British sea power and against
the German scheme for the social
ed freedom of the seas We waged
uncompzomising warfare against the
wait and see methods of the As
auth government and had q great
share in rousing public indignation
and causing its overthrow. We have
contended since the early days Of
the war for that allied unity which
is indispensable to victory. We have
been foremost in the fight against
every form of compromise peace,
realizing that such a peace would be
n thinly disguised German victory.
Previously at a mass meeting on
Boston Common, she declared that
British women were devoting their
whole energies to wal work and I'M
portuned American mechanics 70
stay at their jobs until Germany was
brought TO defeat. Every strike
in this country" she declared,
strengthens the hands of the Ger
man emperor"
Women Get Vote
Upon her return 70 England in the
fall of 1918. she and her followers
campaigned in the general election
which resulted in a victory for the
LLOYD George government. At this
time, only a few weeks before the
signing Of the armistice, Mrs. Pank-
hurst issued this slogan: War un-
til victory followed by a peace i'm
uosed upon the Germans and their
allies which. by withdrawing sub
jeek populations from their control
and by reducing their warlike re-
sources will make it physically inn
possible for the Germans to wage
another war with any prospect Of
success"
Meanwhile the house of cosimons
by an overwhelming majority had
declared in favor OF enfranchising
the women Of Great Britain. The
political wisdom Of the woman who
Tor years had been the object Of
General e~xecration and ridicule had
become apparent. Her calling Of a
truce in the fight for suffrage was
now seen to be a most adroit politi-
cal maneuver
Some reference should be made to