Suffragists -- United States; Women -- Suffrage -- United States
“The situation now existing in Washington exists because President
Wilson permits it. Orders were first handed down to the police to
arrest suffragists. The clamor over their imprisonments made this
position untenable. The police were then ordered to protect
suffragists. They were then ordered to attack suffragists. They have
now been ordered to encourage irresponsible crowds to attack
suffragists. No police head would dare so to besmirch his record
without orders from his responsible chief. The responsible chief in the
National Capital is the President of the United States.”
Shortly after the incident of the “Kaiser banner” I was speaking in
Louisville, Kentucky. The auditorium was packed and overflowing with
men and women who had come to hear the story of the pickets.
Up to this time we had very few members in Kentucky and had anticipated
in this Southern State, part of President Wilson ,’s stronghold, that
our Committee would meet with no enthusiasm and possibly with warm
hostility.
I had related briefly the incidents leading up to the picketing and the
Government’s suppressions. I was rather cautiously approaching the
subject of the “Kaiser banner,” feeling timid and hesitant, wondering
how this vast audience of Southerners would take it. Slowly I read the
inscription on the famous banner, “Kaiser Wilson, have you forgotten
how you sympathized with the poor Germans because they were not
self-governed? Twenty million American women are not self-governed.
Take the beam out of your own eye.”
I hardly reached the last word, still wondering what the, intensely
silent audience would do, when a terrific outburst of applause mingled
with shouts of “Good! Good! He is, he is!” came to my amazed ears. As
the applause died down there was almost universal good-natured
laughter. Instead of the painstaking and eloquent explanation which I
was prepared to offer, I had only to join in their laughter.
A few minutes later a telegram was brought to the platform announcing
further arrests. I read:
“Six more women sentenced to-day to 30 days in Occoquan workhouse.”
Instant cries of “Shame! Shame! It’s an outrage!” Scores of men and two
women were on their feet calling for the passage of a resolution
denouncing the Administration’s policy of persecution. The motion of
condemnation was put. It seemed as if the entire audience seconded it.
It went through instantly, unanimously, and again with prolonged shouts
and applause.
The meeting continued and I shall never forget that audience. It
lingered to a late hour, almost to midnight, asking questions, making
brief “testimonials” from the floor with almost evangelical fervor.
Improvised collection baskets were piled high with bills. Women
volunteered for picket duty and certain imprisonment, and the following
day a delegation left for Washington.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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