The Story of the Woman's PartyGillmore, Inez Haynes
History
The Story of the Woman's Party
Gillmore, Inez Haynes
National Woman's Party; Paul, Alice, 1885-1977; Women -- Suffrage -- United States
On November 27 and 28, a few days after Miss Paul’s strange
experience—suddenly, quite arbitrarily, and with no reason assigned—the
government released all the Suffrage prisoners.
The speakers of the Woman’s Party began telling this story of the visit
to Alice Paul’s cell, everywhere. It finally appeared in the _Milwaukee
Leader_ and in the _San Francisco Bulletin_ in an article written by
John D. Barry. The National Association Opposed to Woman Suffrage
immediately questioned the truth of this episode.
Congress reconvened on December 3. The President, true to David
Lawrence’s prophecy, did not mention Suffrage in his message to
Congress. However, on January 9, 1918, on the evening of the victorious
vote in the House—as will subsequently and in more detail again be
told—the President declared for the Federal Amendment.
Minnie Bronson, the General Secretary of the National Association
Opposed to Woman Suffrage, immediately sent Alice Paul a letter of
apology for questioning the truth of her statement. In that letter, she
repeats Maud Younger’s statement in regard to this visit to Alice Paul
in prison, and says:
The inference contained in this article that the President of the
United States would under cover assist a proposition which he had
publicly and unqualifiedly repudiated, seemed to us unworthy of his
high office, and we felt justified in defending him from what seemed
an unwarranted and unbelievable accusation.
However, the President’s subsequent public support of the Federal
Suffrage Amendment, his announcement coming on the eve of the vote
in the House of Representatives, indicates the truth of your
original assertion, and we therefore deem it incumbent upon
ourselves to apologize for having questioned Miss Younger’s
statement.
We are sending a copy of this letter to the President and members of
Congress.
Very truly yours,
MINNIE BRONSON.
Perhaps a word should be said of description—and even of explanation—in
regard to the crowds who harried the Suffragists. Of course, in all
crowds there is a hoodlum element, and if that element is not held down
by the police, it rapidly becomes the controlling power; tends to become
more and more destructive. The police, as has been indicated from time
to time, adopted various policies. At first, they maintained order. Then
they began to permit the rowdy element in the crowds to do as it
pleased. Later, they even worked with these destructive forces.
Men were heard to say, one to another, “Stick around here. Something’s
going to happen this afternoon. I saw it this morning.” To them, of
course, it was merely an entertaining exhibition.
[Illustration: OBEYING ORDERS. WASHINGTON POLICE ARRESTING WHITE HOUSE
PICKETS BEFORE THE TREASURY BUILDING.
Photo Copr. Harris and Ewing, Washington, D. C.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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