"SILENT SENTINELS" OF WHITE HOUSE

Dominion, Volume 10, Issue 3182, 5 September 1917, Page 8

"SILENT SENTINELS" OF WHITE HOUSE

ARREST OF SUFFRAGETTE AGITATORS MISTAKEN TACTICS IN WARTIME Tolerance— that intangible sanction to Americans to say most any tiling one ploases in public in advocacy or a political cause—has given .way at jast in the national capital (writes Air. David Lawronco, Washington correspondent of tho New Vfoi-k "Evening Post"). For mouths, even years, thei.o havo been demonstrations in Washington, some against conscription, spmo against war, some atmnst and some for suffrage, and in support ol or opposition to pending legislation. Kono has stopped. But the police authorities, backed by the public opmion of the city, which includes tho sanction of the Government's officials from President Wilson dowu, have decided' that for the present, anyway, the picketing by suffragettes has become a. menace to the peace of the . city. . When iliss Lucy Burns and Miss Cathorino Morey appeared, even with a harmless banner about suffrage, offensive pesters addressed, to tho Eussian Mission having been discreetly left behind at suffrage headquarters, the' police promptly arrested both women as thoy sought to toko their accustomed places at the White Bouse gates.

lor nearly a 'year these "silent sentinel.?' have stood at tho White House gates flaunting in the face of the President of the United States as he motored in and out with his family, big vellow ™ n n?rs bearing sarcastic references to the President's speeches and demands for woman suffrage. These have not been molested, notwithstanding that the larger branch of the suffrage movemont-the national American Woman Suffrage As-sociation-disavowed all connection with the pickets and vehemently d<»6i'nccd such tactics. So long as the women con- ? e< \ "IPS however, to costers about suffrage, tho authorities i;ad"no occasion to interfere. . President Wilson himself declining to order the women from in front of the White House gr-tes, S e Py°P? rt r of tho Government, and all though there is ample law in support of such a prohibition of public meeting cr demonstrations on Government property without consent. But 'the banners with large black lot'ers declaring "President Wilson and Envoy Root ore deceiving Ktissia have so enraged the residents of Washington that police protection for tne pickets could ho longer be assured.

The Moral of the Episode. . The moral in the episode is much more important than the outcome of the police cases, which probably will be the release oi the women with a warning- not to repeat their performance. The point is that suffrage has received a body blow, and that the patience of the authorities has been stretched to the limit, so that other organisations may effects ot a policy of intolerance against propaganda or demonstrations which otherwiso might have been permitted in tho national capital, as before. The mistake in tactics which the suffragettes have made ought to bo taken to heart by other organisations seeking- reform legislation here. The Government will not be browbeaten by rioting or resistance to authority. ■ Tho scuffles between the police and the suffragettes have been taken to mean that they would violate the law and police regulations at their will. Some members of Congress declare that this is a splendid demonstration of tho unfitness of woman for the -use of the ballot. Other members say that every movement comprised a minority of extremists, and that the large majority of the women who want woman suffrage not only are law-abiding, but would exercise tho ballot intelligently. One thing is .clear: the cause of suffrage wa6 evory day progressing, -when tho picketing began to retard it. It is very, doubtful now whether Congress will do anything (luring the present session, less the repression be conveyed that it can be coerced by women pickets.

A Lesson from Mrs. Pankhurst. The lenders . of <the National American Woman Suffrage- Association, admitting that great injury has beon done their cause in Congress, are hoping by their war service to demonstrate their own. patriotism, in contrast to that of the women who would seek to discredit tho President of the United States bofore the official representatives of a foreign Government. Airs. Tankhurst abandoned militant tactics, and is to-day hc-iping the British Government by organising tha'women of Russia in support of tho Entente cause. And woman salfrage is being granted to tho women of Kngland.

The scenes in -front of the White Honse will not soon bo forgotten, and will'no doubt be recalled whenever the suffragettes come before Congress with petitions for the advancement of the tfuffrago amendment. Scores of policemen wore ranged in front of the Executive Mansion. For years it' has been the boast of Amorica that tlio White House could be left unguarded, that no organisation within tho country would think of Violating the proprieties or lourtcsios heretofore given to tho public to go and come at will in the grounds of tho President's official Tosidcnce. When war was declared botween tho United States and Germany, tho guards wore increased for fear of violence from German ayr-nte in tho United States. Tho precautions piovcd superfluous. Tho only peoplo who have managed thus far to make tho Whito House with its cordon of police take on a martial appearance is a g:oup of suffragettes who apparently cure littl'j that the United States is engaged in tho most critical war of its-history. Thej insist on a, reform ithich, if granted to-day, could not possibly ho put into effect for at least ten years, sinco a constitutional amendment must bo submitted to tho several States • for ratification and tho public opinion of the States which niight havo bewn moved to expeditions action by convincing arguments and orderly appeals will now bide its time until aeeured that the women voters would usdeistand the fundamentals of citizenship; If the suffrage workers would only diandon their agitation during tho war, as Mrs. Pankhurst did, thoy would get their amendment through Congress ciubHess before tho war ended. But loitiomists scorn-political strategy and thereby expend much onergy which could bo put to better advantage later in their cwn or other causes.