THE SUFFRAGETTES

Otago Witness, Issue 3148, 15 July 1914, Page 27

THE SUFFRAGETTES

BISHOP OF LONDON’S LETTER. LONDON, July 6. The Bishop of London, in the course of a letter, repeats that he has no sympathy with the militants, but he still deplores forcible feeding, and publishes copies of his recent letters to the Home Secretary (Mr M'Kenna), in which he states the results of his interviews with suffragettes at Holloway Gaol. The women there declared that they took nothing to prevent pain. The forcing of a tube through the nostril was more acute in its effect each time it was used. Its frequent and agonising withdrawal was necessary to avoid infection of the lungs. Indigestion, vomiting, and nervous prostration followed. In evidence at Sunday afternoon’s service at Westminster Abbey was MrsDacre Fox, stylishly-dressed, and supported by another suffragette. She walked up the main aisle, and commenced denouncing the torture of women. The great congregation sat silent, but a detective hurried up the aisle, placed a handkerchief over Mrs Dacre Fox’s mouth, and removed her unresisting. Both the women were arrested and taken to Holloway Prison. July 8. Addressing a meeting of united Suffragists, Mrs Pethick-Lawrence explained that she left the Women’s Political Union because Mrs Pankhurst could not brook a rival. The Women’s Union had completely altered its plans during Mrs Pethick-Law'-rence’s absence in America, and they found it necessary, in view of the militancy policy, to vest its control and finance in the hands of a sole leader directing the movement from Paris.

Mrs Par.khurst resumed her duties at the militant headquarters at Kingsway. She was immediately rearrested. Grenville Drew has been sentenced to two months’ imprisonment for publishing the suffragette paper. Nellie Hall and Grace Roe, found guilty of conspiracy to damage property, were to-day sentenced to three months’ imprisonment each; a woman named Armcs was found not guilty and discharged. Hall and Roe were at the outset ordered to their cells for shouting and throwing a book at the judge. Two suffragettes at daybreak attempted to blow up Burns’s birthplace.. The watchman discovered them placing large bombs against the building. He captured one, but the other escaped. . The woman arrested for the outrage at Burns’s residence gave her name as Janet Arthur. She became very violent in her cell and also before the judge. She car ried a considerable sum of money. The other woman escaped on a bicycle. July 9. The bombs used in the attempt to blow up Burns’s birthplace consisted of 15in biscuit tins, each containing 81b of blasting powder, with 20ft fuses. Throughout the night the villagers of Alloway searched for the woman who fled on a bicycle. The suffragettes who attempted to burn Burns’s cottage at Ayr wore stockings over their boots and men’s caps. Mary Richardson, a suffragette called as a witness at the trial of other suffragettes, complaining of her mouth being cut by forcible feeding, yelled to the judge, “ You’ll pay the price of Asquith’s sin.” She was removed 'from the court yelling and struggling. Replying to the protest of 70 doctors against forcible feeding, the Home Secretary invites them to suggest some alternative means of saving the lives of incendiaries who persistently starve themselves bat do not deserve to be released. A meeting was held at the Westminster Palace Hotel to inaugurate an Imperial Constitutional Suffrage Society, to be called “ The Women’s Suffrage Union of British Dominions.” Lady Cockbnrn presided. July 10. At the inauguration of the British Dominions WommVs Suffrage Union, Mrs

Pethick-Lawrence said ehe hoped the women of Australasia would bring pressure to bear on their Parliaments to approach the Imperial Government on the suffrage question.

Some suffragettes interrupted the proceedings at the Representative Church Council. The officials tried to remove them, but the Primate peremptorily for-, bade any interference. Owing, however, to the uproar the women made, the members of the council demanded their ejection, and finally the Primate ordered their removal. 1 There was an exciting episode while their Majesties were motoring in Perth. A suffragette named Rhcda Fleming climbed the footboard of the car and attempted to break the window. Two policemen sprang on the car and seized the woman. A score of mounted troopers were required to rescue her from the angry mob. July 12. .. The King and Queen were driving to the Cathedral at Edinburgh, when a suffragette threw a rubber ball carrying a message against forcible feeding. The ball fell on the Queen’s lap, and she laughingly brushed it aside. After creating a disturbance at the Church Council meeting, the suffragettes left the hall, shouting “ Remember the Saviour, who always stood by women!” Mrs Pankhurst has been released. July 13. A bomb, with a burning fuse attached, w T as discovered while evensong was in progress at St. John’s Church, Westminster, on Sunday. A suffragette, when quitting the building, was arrested. The bomb was a canister 9in high, and it contained gunpowder and metal filings, and was timed to explode in an hour. The prisoner is a militant, who has been closely watched during the past few Sundays. The suffragettes burned the railway station at Blaby. A postbag exploded in the BlackpoclManchester train. ignited six bags and also a portion of the van. The guard was badly burned in extinguishing the flames. The occurrence is attributed to suffragettes. SYDNEY, July 8. Miss Adela- Pankhurst has arrived here. When interviewed, she said that militancy was not ruining their cause. It was no use trying to convert people by any other means. The whole British Cabinet favoured the vote to women with the exception of Mr Asquith and Mr Harcourt, who, for party reasons, feared that women would constitute an unrsekoned force at the elections. This kept them from giving women the vote. There was nothing for women to do but continue their present means until the Government got tired oPseeing law and order upset. Then the Government would give women the vote.

July 16

Alexa Pankhurst, the suffragette, had arranged to address the lady students at the university. A wag placed a notice on the blackboard in the common room—- “ The whole university invited to attend;" When the male students trooped up they were refused admittance, and expressed disappointment by opening the windows and throwing crackers into the lecture room, making loud vocal demonstrations, and throwing stones on the roof. Eventually Miss Pankhurst’s overtures stored peace.