THE SUFFRAGETTES.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 10768, 14 May 1913, Page 8

THE SUFFRAGETTES.

MRS TANKHURST'S SENTENCE. [From Our Correspondent.] LONDON, April i. Tho sentence of throo years' penal servitude passed on tho suffragette leader, Mrs Pankhnrst, yesterday at tho Central Criminal Court may seem to some people unduly severe, seeing that Jlrs Fankhurst was not placed on trial lor having directly participated in the blowing up of Mr Lloyd George's new house at Walton Heath, but for "inciting persons unknown to dothat wanton, wicked and spiteful deed. To other people tho punishment vil. seem to lit the crime, and they wiU find themselves in cordial agreement with -die re.nvirks of Mr Justice Lush, who. in passing sentence, .said to Mrs Pankhnrst: " I quite recognise thai: the motives that have actuated you are not the selfish motive.? which actuate most persons who stand in your position. But, although you blind your eyes to it the crime of which you have been convicted is not only a very serious one, but, in spite of your motives, a wicked one. It is wicked because it not only leads to tho destruction of property of persons who have done you no wroiig, but. in spite of your calculation-!. it"wns a crime which might have exposed other people to the danger ot being maimed or even killed, if things wore otherwise than was expected, it is wicked because you are, and have bsen, lurimz other people—young women, it may be—to engage in such crimes, possibly to their own ruin, and it is kicked because you cannot, help being alive to it if you only think, you are setting an example to other persons who may have other grievances that they legitimately may want to have put right to embark on a similar scheme to yours to try to offect thenobject by attacking property, if not the lives'of other people." Heavy as the sejiteuce may seem to some people, three years is the shortest period for which a person can b? sentenced to penal .servitude, and is a light penalty on a second conviction for such an' offence. A labourer whoburned a hayrick or a house in tho ordinary way of arson, or who incited somebody else to do the deed, would probably pet five or seven years. The effect of the sentence on Mrs Pankhnrst being one of penal (servitude, and not of imprisonment, is that the principle of Mr M'Kenna's Bill can be applied before the Bill passes, since for penal servitude what is known as the "cat and mouse'' method is the law already. Tf. therefore. Mrs Pr.nkhurst hunger-strikes, she can be let out. and, when she recovers, be imprisoned .again. There wiil be no question cf forcible feeding, nor ye-t of her being released for good after three days' abstinence from food. Yet her punishment has its futile side. Jt makes iier a martyr and gives her what she wants. OLD BAILEY SCENES.

Never before in the history of the Central Criminal Court have scenes been witnessed quite like those which look place when Mr Justice Lush sentenced Ahs Pankliursc. They were certainly reminiscent of tho.se which took place last May when Mrs Pankhnrst was sentenced together with Mr and Mrs Pethictc Lawrence, but the outburst on that occasion was "as mother's milk to strong ale." As on the previous day, women monopolised practically the whole ci the accommodation available for the public; and. although during Mrs Panklmrst's hour's speech in her own defence, they managed to observe perfect order, their pent-up emotion overflowed when the punishment' of their leader had been pronounced. One woman after another shouted, " Shame I" Then it grew to a chorus of angry protest, and in a moment it seemed as if the whole Court had abandoned itself to a storm of cries and hisses. Policemen and ushers endeavoured to restore quietness, but their efforts were in vain. For the moment the women had possession of the Court, and it was difficult to distinguish anything said amid the din.

Mrs . Pankhurst was obviously staggered at the sentence passed upon her. A female warder touched, her on the arm and pointed to the stairs which led to the cells below. Mechanically the prisoner followed, and as she went there was a call for "three cheers for Mrs Pankhurst." The waving of hats and handkerchiefs accompanied the giving of the cheers. As the nproar subsided, the Judge's voice was heard directing that the Court should he cleared.

Immediately there was another outbreak. The women struck up the " Marseillaise," and to this tune they marched out of the Court, a warning from the Judge following them that if they repeated such conduct he would have to consider whether he should not send them to prison. Upon leaving the Court the women, as they came through the floors into the great hall, where a very large body of police were on duty, continued to sing "'March On, March On." to the tune of the '• Marseillaise." The great hall reverberated with their shouts, for the women not only sang lustily, but cheered and shouted. "Three cheers for Mrs Pankhurst." " We'll keep the flag flying." "Send us to gaol—v,hac do we care?" and other cries of a similar character. The police were powerless to stop them, and they kept up the pandemonium without hindrance. "Let 'em blow off steam—it hurts nobody." was the policemen's maxim for the occasion. A big crowd had assembled in the thoroughfare outside the Court to await the. result of the trial. When it became known that Mrs Pankhurst had been sentenced to three years' penal servitude, there were some cheers, accompanied by groans and his?e-i. The women who had been turned out of Court joined the throng outside, and it was thought that some trouble might ensue, but gradually the crowd dispersed. A knot of women waited about, however, with the object of seeing Mrs Panklnxrst conveyed to gaol, and when she appeared in the custody <->f female warders, a crowd of suffragists cotigr-gated near the prisoners' exit instantly rushed in the direction of the vehicle, which, however, was drive!! away rapidly, pursued by a motor-car. iu which were a number of smartly dressed women, and by booings and catcalls interspersed with cheers and frantic cries of encouragement.