SUFFRAGETTE RIOT.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 548, 1 July 1909, Page 5

SUFFRAGETTE RIOT.

ATTACK ON COMMONS. MRS. PANKHURST LEADS THE WAY. ; THE USUAL FINALE. (By Telegraph.—Prcßß Association.—OopyrisW.)' (Ucc. Juno 30, 11 p.m.) v ' : London, Juno 30. Tho threats' of militant Suffragettes to attempt to raid tho House of Commons for ( the thirteenth time led to tho adoption of strenuous: : measures by the police. ' .'. ( Refusal to Receive Deputation. 1 In- the House of Commons there was a j reference to tho rofnsal of the Primo;Minis- . tor, Mr. Asquith, to receivo a deputation of tho Suffragottes. The Speaker (the Hon. J. W. Lowthor) informed Mr. Koir .Hardie (Labour) that the right of-petition waa olio thing, and tho right to compel the Prime Minister to recoive a deputation was quite another. • Tho Speaker declined to accept an adjournment motion moved by Mr. Hngh Law (Nationalist) for the purpose of discussing the Prime Minister's refusal. ■ • , 1 Mr. .Law, in reply,, emphasised the probable imminence of scencs., ' Amid considerable disorder-tho Speaker replied : "That seems to bo an additional reason for not discussing tho matter.?' (Cheers and laughter.) Advance of the Amazons. Meanwhile, a largo crowd had assembled outside Parliament Buildings to see tho impending fun, though their attitude was in no wise friendly to the disturber's of the pcaeo. .! ■ An ■ outer cordon of polico divided the Suffragettes' procession into - detachments, each of which could bo easily handled, whenover its members proceeded to acts of overt lawlessness. • i ' Mrs. Panlchurst ■ led the first contingent to tho door of l St. Stephen's. She declined to accept a letter, in which tho Primo Minister's ■ privato secretary explained Mr. Asquith'B , regret- at his i inability,, for. reasons known, to then reoeivo the deputation. Mrs. fcankhmst insisted on her right to enter, and refused to rotiro. Polico Inspector Jam's ;declinod to take a message ffom her to the House, and- remarked:. "I. ain responsible only for the stato of this pavement." ' Polico .Officer Struck. ■ When ho quietly and firmly reiterated his refusal to take the' messago, < sho struck him thnco in tho face with her open hand.' Inspector Jarvis remarked:. "That is deno for a purpose. .J. am not perturbed." Thereupon she dealt him two Were blows, and her companion knocked his hat- off. • Arrests. foUowcd,.. theh;'fresh rushes', of. Suffragettes ■ occutrodj followed by further arrests.;' ■ A yifj"JiV' v. A;.'-'•• .' .J Tho crowd werr; gashed' back, but isolated \ knots smashed ilio windows of tho Home I "Office,, tho Privy Counoil,: the Treasury, and | the house occupied ' y. tho - First Lord of tho I Admiralty; Mr. M'Konna. 1 >' : . | In all, 108 men, and 12 women were ar- • rested. 1 ' C-'y ■. Tho women arrested .include Mrs. Haver- 1 field (daughter of Lord Abinger), Miss Maud .Jacobsen (thoiviolinist's_ niece), and a . tor of Lady Isabel Margesson .(sister of tho seventh Earl of 'Buckinghamshire)..".'.' ■ ' MODERN DELILAHS. "My ™wn objection,"' said 'Lord Cromer re- .. woman .suffrage is: that • woiceu' pro not'men.- ' (Laughter.) I tliick that covers the whole ground,though it admits/of beine! am- ■ 'Phfied and illustrated.. 'All* the information'l - .havo,-go4s,t6' show''that tho' cause ofrwoman 'ff.b goinft- downhill , rather' than uphill.' lho Suffragettes seem to liave bored the eomi- ■ ~ What. I am afraid '.of, however,' is that ■ : ln 'of! Contested/elections,'- weak-kneed candidates, in : order' to get votes, will give ■rash :\aud halfhearted ; pledges,"from .' which }m wjll r find it, dziTicult to - and thus. ■ S.v, n ? Bee",'shorn by :a ' number -of: modern Delilahs • of ; that strength "which comes from independence, ;• they-v.will'he .unable': to ' resist' Suffragette;and'Suffragist ' Philistines."-' [ Lord ;Cnrztin sayst- "To my. mind,, this 1 " is ; almost, quite; tho most important sub- : . ','ject in.' contemporary,politics. .. At the head. . of tho female suffrage ;inoYerii€nt are a number ,' of women : ,of high intelligence; ; at: the''other end. of. .tho scale aro a number of howling female dervishes; 'and mid-way between' the two aro young and' impulsive'womori who'scem to have been, drawn by the. mistaken idea that' the, queatipn ;is part of : ,the' movement—with whioh wo all emancipation of women,'; or, who .have;.been caught" by. s tome' political: catch-phrise, such as 'No'' taxation without representation.' . - : ; ','1 do firmly.belieye;that 'the' hulk/of .thought-'- ■, ful and .' who have :'a sense of;, citizenship aro'.against, this 'proposal.'*'