SUFFRAGETTE INSANITY.

Southland Times, Issue 17244, 15 January 1913, Page 7

SUFFRAGETTE INSANITY.

THK PILLAR BOX OUTRAGES, (From Our Own Correspondent). LONDON, December 6. The peculiarly exasperating suffragette post-box campaign is still being carried on with undiminished zeal, and thus far not a single arrest seems to have been made either in London or the provinces. In spite of police and post office precautions pillar boxes and other receptacles for postal packets are being attacked daily in all parts of the country, and the effects of the destruction arid mutilation of their contents are bee lining painfully patent in mercantile circles, Emboldened by their success the suffragettes are now openly boasting that what they have already done in the way of pillar-box outrages is nothing to what l bey will lo presently, q'liis is being interpreted to mean that these mad-brained harridans are planning a special visitation to take effect just when the post-boxes wll! be crammed willi Christmas mail matter. It Is alleged that they Intend lo abandon the treacle, ink, varnish.' and similar messy compounds in favour of a new and much more destructive agent—a practically colourless powder or Muid (it is not certain which) that lias incinerating properties of a peculiarly high order. This concoction, whatever it may he composed of. will, it is alleged, utterly destroy the paper contents of any receptacle into which a small quantity is poured, and it Is further alleged that under certain circumstances it is possessed of explosive properties. Of course, the suffragettes’ boast may be “all moonshine.” but seeing what they have accomplished in the matter of post-box mischief, one cannot afford to ignore their threats as mere "idle vapourings." What these nuul-braiiis ot the "Votes for Women” army hope or expect Lo gain from (lie wanton and vicious Interference with one of the most important and precious public conveniences is beyond the comprehension of the average person, male or female. It is Just one of those forms of terrorism that are bound to defeat their object, for, to the ordinary everyday sort of mail or woman it seems that the creature who deliberately places destructive agents in post office boxes, is the last person in the world who should he given a, voice in the government of the country. The average man says “Put them in a lunatic asylum, hut the average woman would mete out much harsher treatment.

If they continue their exasperating campaign against the people’s post, there will surely be very unpleasant reprisals attempted presently. The British public is very long-suffering, but it lias been known to lake the law into its own hands, and the punishment of evil-doers in such cases lias not erred on the side of lenience.

Apart from their nlierly indefensible attacks on post boxes, the "shrieking sisters” of the suflvage movement arc behaving in ways that invite the strongest possible condemnation. A rase in point occurred only a few dais ago when a clergyman who unfortunately bore some faint likeness lo Mr Lloyd George was slashed across the face with a dogwhlp hy a suffragette who imagined she .had "treed” the Chancellor of the Kxechequer in disguise. This vicious creature has gone lo prison in lieu of paying a fit) penalty, but it is to be noted that she lias not even the grace to apologise to the unfortunate cleric, whose face will bear witness to the strength of. her good right arm tor many a day.

It goes all against a docent F.nglishman’s grain to inllict corporal punishment on a. woman, but to-day you may bear highly respectable citizens discussing the advisability of treating post box rattlers and women guilty of unprovoked assaults such as the one mentioned, lo bodily discipline.