"CAT AND MOUSE" ACT UPHELD.

Press, Volume L, Issue 14993, 13 June 1914, Page 11

"CAT AND MOUSE" ACT UPHELD.

"MARTYRDOM AT 40b WEEKLY." THE SINISTER FIGURES IN THE MOVEMENT. (Received June 12th, 10.25 p.m.) LONDON, June 12, At tho moment Mr MoKenna was exnlainins the Government'e policy in tho House of Commons regarding militancy, the explosion occurred in the Abbey. A pieoo of the top of the Coronation Chair Tv'as blown off, and the stono carving oil the screen behind elightly damaged. The Scottish Coronation. Stono was injured. ' Tho bomb appears to havo been well made, It was of thin nickel-plated metal, loaded with bits of iron, and fired by a fuse 'In tho excitement tho polico temporarily detained two inoffensivo Danish ladies. It is supposed that of a lareo party of sightseers lagged behind and deposited the bomb under the chair, A woman's boa, a guide-book, and a bag were found nearby. In tho Houso of Commons, Lord Robert Cecil and others described tho "Cat and Mouse" Act as a failure- . Mr McKenna, in reply, justified tba Act. The number of crimes had diminished, although tho seriousness of tho offences had increased. The authorities were in Dossossion of sufficient evidence to proceed against subscribers to tho funds of tho Women's Social and Political Union, and intended to bring a tost civil action for damages, whilo criminal proceedings might also bo instituted against sinister figures with money-bags who cared more for tho organisation than the cause. M* declared that rich women in the background 60----lected dupes from the ranks of the onileotice and semi-deransed, and urged them to martyrdom at a wage of 30s to 40s weekly. The subscribers were mainly rich women, who were using ! their wealth against society. They paid Unfortunates to underco tho horrors of starvation, whilo they themselves lived in luxury. If supplies were cut off. the last would soon be heard of tho Pankhursts. He would never adopt tho policy of "let them die." Ho thought that deportation was impracticable. Mr McKenn appealed to the Press to give less publicity to the militants operations.