THE MILITANT SUFFRAGISTS.

Press, Volume XLIX, Issue 14599, 25 February 1913, Page 5

THE MILITANT SUFFRAGISTS.

_U THE E_..OH OF 'TUX .___-." Sir, —Will you allow mo a few words in reptiy to your leader of last Friday, _Uth U-bruary ("Tno Bomb Argu-ni-nt")r'. I tliink I may rely on tne rairness of the "Press." I havo never belonged to any militant league- and do not think tliat tho militants are acting in tno least like either angels or puilosopliers. But thero is such a thing as justice even towards fanatics driven desperate by their wrongs. If the excesses of a small extremist section of Suffragists can bo used as an argument againt all Englishwomen voting, what sort of argument wero tho antisuft'ragist atrocities in WAles? Would you disfranchise all Welshmen on account of them? But as a matter of fact even wo peaceful suffragists know that similar outbreaks of murderous fury (though not quito so ferocious), havo occurred for tho most trifling breaches of tho law in London and in somo of tho provincial towns. Perhaps it ivould be best to disfranchise the whole body of "anti.'s" Surely ? Sir, you know well, that these militants wero onco tho most peaceablo and gentlo of women; model mothers, wellknown ( liko'Mrs Despard) for their kindness and sympathy for tho poor. It is tho violence of the "anti.'s as well as the delay in * reforming tho franchise that is turning the best of Englishwomen into criminals. Step by step thoso militants who at' first harmed only themselves, havo been driven on to worse and worse means, because all milder measures failed, but they could never do what they are now doing if their very nature had not been changed by tho torture of themselves and still moro of those they love. What do women (and men, too) feel when they look on to sco blows, kicks, curses, and worso outrages inflicted on somo young daughter; some intimate comrade, or dear friend; somo adored mother, who being stripped, beaten, taunted and jeered at by a frenzied anti-suffragist mob? It is the fury of the anti.'s (who always oscano scot-free) that is the real causo of militancy having turned from technical breaches of the law into actual crime. What can thi< Government do? Possibly they might for onco even tercet their own personal injuries ard ■•".il th" whole trouble by passing the Bill. —Yours, etc., E. S. G. February 22nd.