SUFFRAGISTS AND SELF-DENIAL

New Zealand Times, Volume XXX, Issue 6488, 7 April 1908, Page 7

SUFFRAGISTS AND SELF-DENIAL

(From Our Special Correspondent.) LONDON, February 21,

It is the fasiiion to-day to laugh at the ladies we know as sunragiete, but tney take themselves very sermusiy, and in spite of ridicule aud pimisumenis their force is growing steadily if not rapiuiy. Their cause has ittiigmsucU tune to lime owing to trie iaut that money has been siio*t with them, and, as everyuoay xnows, the cause uiut has no monoy btumd it hae> email cuaiice of making much headway. ±tJtnerto the epnragaaie seem to nave ignurea tnis elementary fact and have financed themselves in haud-to-moutn tasmon, wnich has enabled them to make au occasional sensational "spmsn ~u», lor tnerr furniture van raid on -Parliament last week—but has not rendered it po*p siiJio for them to carry out any organised campaign among tneir ieuo*v women, -iueir “looung round" at the itou-aes of Parliament, tneir “scraps' wiui .ue police, their man-hunts with Ministers of the Crown for quarry, and their appeal ances at the Police Courts seem to their stay-at home sisters simply mad pranks of notoriety-hunting, unsexed females.

STREET-SWEEPING. Now the militant suffragists seem to bo ooming to recognise the necessity for campaigning on more orthodox lines, aud are Betting seriously to work in order to fill up their, at present, unfurnished war-chest. Following the examine or the Salvation army uiey have instituted a "Self Denial Week" and are appealing to their sympathisers to aid them by forswearing little luxuries lor tne space of seven days. There are, of course, thousands of women who want the vole, but do not care to identify themselves publicly with the lady agitators, or take part in such demonstrations as have seemed good in the eyes of fighters like Mrs Patrick Lawrence or Mrs Pankhurst. Put tney are quite ready to assist financially a campaign. conducted on intelligent lines, aud "beif Denial Week" affords them an excellent opportunity for doing so. That they are taking -advantage of it is proved by the fact that though the suffragists' intention to run a "Denial Week’ was very badC advertised the first day's pool realised ,£250. The collection is being carried on by collecting cards which are being distributed gradually all over the country, but some of the more enthusiastic workers are resorting to all sorts of devices to "raise the wind." Some bold young spirits, braving the wintry weather, have been trespassing on the preserves of the organgrinders, some hhve actually gone in for crossing-sweeping and boot-blacking, and others have used their voices to charm coppers out of pittites waiting to get into the theatre. PRISON DIET. On© enthusiast, whose family affairs prevent her from taking any active part in public demonstrations likely to lead to the prison ceil to which sue would like to be consigned for "the cause,' has arranged to live on the mpst ngia prison diet for a week and to give the difference in the cost between that and her ordinary fare to the fund. Another lady is devoting her spare time to making toilet preparations which eh© is selling to her friends, and handing over the proceeds. for the good of the cause. Other ladies—young and good-looking for the most part—-are making themselves nuisances by rattling collecting boxes m the faces of pa&sers-by in the busy thoroughfares of London and the chief provincial centres. One sympathiser has let her house in Harley street and has retired to a’country cottage to live* promising to remit the difference in her household expenses for the space of a year to the treasurer qf the fund. So on the w io,a me bunragiotsb Urst 'fceil-n/eiuai Week" promises to materially augment the (at present) slender resources of the party. Uf enthusiasm there has never been any shortage among the "stalwarts" of the movement, but their campaign has been sadly hampered for lack of money wherewitn to hire halls for lecturing pn. ,uoes, and to indulge in tne distrioution of suffragist Utemture on the broaaca&t lines that are necessary before tile women of England can be brought to appreciate the value oi tnc franchise ,