The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA" THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1914. THE MILITANTS.

Wanganui Chronicle, Issue 20128, 16 July 1914, Page 4

The Wanganui Chronicle. "NULLA DIES SINE LINEA" THURSDAY, JULY 16, 1914. THE MILITANTS.

The. daily news ircm the Mother Country makes ifc, clear that it« is impossible to hopo that any appeal to reason can reach in any large measure the minds of these who call themselves " militant suffragists." Tho carnival of outrage for which these mad women are responsibly allows no si^n of abating. Argument is reasonable on FAe principle of woman suffrage. We have cur own view, to which wo have consistently adhered, that an intelligent woman is as much entitled to a voto as an intelligent man, tuicl tho experience cf female franchise in Now Zealand hrv; never given vis occasion Co doubt tlie wisdom of our opinion. But it is obvious to all sane 'people, so far as tho Cm'ted Kingdom is concerned, that militancy^ while >L continues its orgy, makes impossible the discussion of woman suffrage either in Parliament or in the constituencies. As •i London contemporary puts it, r.c, sane r.\(-i\ —or women either. —would dream of giving a vote to any woman whilo that •.ore is demanded by arson, wreckage, r.nd hunger strike. The purely anarchical character of the militant movement will certainly prevent, tho grant of tho voto until tho militant movement is suppressed. Thafc i.s one result of tho campaign of violonoo. Worse results have followed and arc coming. For centuries of civilisation in tho Mother Country ihe man who beats and maltreats a woman, who uses .a superior physical strength in the bully's fashion, has been deemed a cowardly and despicable hound. If militancy continues, that conception of tho duty cf manhood will be< overthrown. Men being compelled to fight' with women in .self-defence, the ancient barrier ••against- brutality will be thrown down, and man will resume ir's barbar-

ic dominion in an eminently barbaric fashion The mob^ when its passions aro unloosed, is a horrible animal, whether negroes in a race war or the welsher on a racecourse is tho object of its vengeance. There are already signs that the mob is breaking loose for vengeance on the mad women who call themselves militants. Once these barriers are down also ; tho question will be how to ensuro tho safety of any woman in any crowd, how to safeguard woman from "nsulti and violence on her perfectly lawful occasions. 'I his, then, is tho triumph of militancy—to have ruined the causo it espoused, dragged civilisation from its moorings, and exposed woman to unknown and incalculable perils. The cable news of the last few daj-g shows that the militants are, if anything, waxing more violent and destructive than ever, and curiously enough, their nicked purpose stems to bo directed to the destruction of buildings which ought to be held sacred even by tho most ! vengeful 'fanatics. Only a few weeks ago the beautiful old YVnrgrave Church, j a T'l'rn1 edifice l'ich in historic rtssociu-j tioir-. was ouriic;! (hnvu by tho suffnigolt;>s, and a day or two after tho outrago thei-o_wn;vr'ipi\:di:(>v;J in iiie pul>- ':.'.- : ; !".ss :i charred loaf from the oM j'-alU'i vi. tho church. It w.-t.s picket! r.p m. tho ciiu.-uhyard among-tho gravostonf'S, and tue verses sum up in a re:n?.rktxble way. the malignancy and spite of the women who perpetrated tho outrage:—

My crafty foe. with flatt'ring art, His wicked purpose would disguise; Bnf. reason whispers to my heart, Ho ne'er sets God before his eyes. He soothes himself, retir'd from sight, Secure thinks hi s treach'rous game, Till his dark plots, expos'd to light, Their false contriver brand with shame. In deeds hfc is niy fee confest. Whilst with his tongue ho speaks me fair; True wisdom's hanish'd from his breast, - And vice has sole dominion there. ■His wakeful malice spends the night In forging his accurs'd designs; Hts t obstinate ungen'rous spite No execrable means declines.