Evening star., 1928-02-08
A bareback of Militancy

A decade and a half ago londor
| was the scene of agitations by grou.
of women. organized for the purpose
of compelling the British government
tc grant suffrage to their sex. The,
adopted militant tactics. bcsicgcd min.
| isterS in their homes and their Offices
paradcd before the houses of Paria-
mcnt, chained themselves to the grill:
| in the visitors galleries of the tive
chambers. detied the police, were ar.
rested and Jailed and in some cases
! adopted hunger strike tactics 10 evoke
! pubic sympathy. For time London
was III turmoil. The government re-
! fused TO be- driven into a course which
WAS contrary TO precedent The ma
neLvcrs of the "miliiantS" became mere
drastic. They took TO destroying the
mails by pouring acids into the post
boxes Some large estates were burned,
supposedly by incendiari2s. Parliament
was practically besieged.
Finally. when the militancy Of the
Suaragists had abated somewhat. the
government took up the problem of
widening the franchise and at length
adopted reform measure which
granted the vote to women, but not
on so broad a basis as that enjoyed
by The male subjects of the kingdom
An age limit was fixed. above that ap-
plying to the men. This measure was
regarded as a substantial victory, and,
despite Gemurs that 1t was not suffi-
Cientlv inclusive. it wes accepted and
the agitations subsidized. From time TO
time since then there have been efforts
TO secure the fullest possible enfran-
chisement. and when the present con-
servative ministry was established in
power it was made known to be the
purpose to revise the franchise 10 grant
the suffrage to all women over twenty
cne years of age.
Yesterday when Parliament opened
there was a revival of the militant
tactics of fifteen and more years ago.
Some youug women tried TO force
themselves to the royal coach and pre-
sent a petition. They were prevented
from this By straightforward police
procedure. Meanwhile the same petit
ton had been delivered at the prime
minister's Office It was clearly under
stood that promise would be given
for the extension Of the franchise, but
this fact did not cause any remission
Of the efforts TO stage spectacular
demand Almost the first words Of the
King in his address to Parliament re-
ferred TO this matter. and II was for
naily stated to be the purpose OF the
government 10 extend the age limit
for woman voters TO coincide with that
Of the men.
There is something rather pathetic
as well as amusing, In this rccrudes-
cence of niiitancy in LondoA The
figh. was won. b"t the occasion could
not be allowed TO pass without a DEM
onstration. The participating genera
ten had no part In the disturbances
OF the earlier campaign. The young
women who tried to force themselves
to the Kings coach were mere toddlers
when Mrs Pankhurst's cohorts OF dew
otees ragged around Westminster. Per-
haps they we're out for a lark. In the
old days the demonstrating rl!!itants
engaged in the crusade rather as a
sport. Il may be that there was dis
appointment at the prompt announce
r1ent of government purpose TO extend
the franchise Gone lis the occasion
for sacriacial ventures There will be
no hunger strikes. no self announcement,
no n1aTtyrdom The business will bc
attended 10 in order and as matter
of parliamentary routine, and the seek
ers for sensation viii be denied a
chance 10 pose as sufferers for cause
Which Is quite satisfactory TO all hut
the nappers who have been denied a
chance for notor!ety.
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