FREED SUFFRAGETTES.

Dominion, Volume 2, Issue 429, 11 February 1909, Page 11

FREED SUFFRAGETTES.

AMAZINC SCENES AT QUEEN'S HALL.

THE GITADEt OF-.; V -;Si:;:S';vi;-V ' /.' (;:((' o ; ' 6n! : ,Decembcr.;22Vth'e' ((members, Women's (Social and .(Politieal(;;Union; '■ celebratxid 'th'Pi.releaso;frbni prison ofMrs. 'and Miss Pankhurst. and( Mrs.' Leigh; by. a ; breakfast, ;a prbcessibn : , .and a mass meeting. ;:.':;; i: ((Scenes'(probably ..unparalleled..in, the his-. torj'-ofXthe suffragette movomcht.-.were witnessed ; in."tho. Queen's Hall. (Thousands .had assembled;to' welcome the(■'released leaders.There: was 'not- a.'vacant seat; gangways were; ■filled,'too "at: various points; .All over■■''. the huge hall wero-flag decorations in TJiiipn colburs;, and - a 'portion -, ; bf -^he' vast' audience also •\vb'ro r suffragette emblems, and.sashes... , f:'.'Exactly.'.oh ctheV stroke :of.eight, :o'clock a. band' of Aadies,(dressed -iii'. white and weaving the: '"Votes: for-Women": sashes, and; carrying tri-colour banncrsj filed; on < : tb'. tlib pl.at-;fbrmv'fheaded::bf-Mrs;;;Pethick: Lawrence. They -were- accorded 'a rousin'g'reception,' but this: was: nothing'to 'the; extraordinary greeting.' given' : .to: Mrs.;' Pankhurst; ;and. : Miss .eiiri6tab6l:,:Pankhurs'.t, 'Who'v'.fpllowed.i.a few;: -moments later! '--.The applause-was'.tremen-dous j cheering, l : clapping;,' shouting,; the _,way* ■nig 'of •^handkerchiefb, -..and'. hats, continued (for :rieai'ly-.ten:'minutes;v:,::';:/'.;;; ' •■'.; If .was' a night of, hero 'worship,. and Mi6B ..Ghristebel Pankhurst'was'-,.the/herbme. ; :.lt; (was. a;.really, wonderful, sight tb,;seb - the ; crowds:-bf 'matured:meii''and wpmen,';:many; with-hair tinged with grey,, fervently idoliz-. ing.' that ; . little ( erect' figure. ■; Women: .cried, men( shouted (frantically .from' gallery:.: and 'stalls, and: it-was only with difficulty that 'at last; something'/like a 'hearing, could; be obtained -for:.the (speakers;that fbllbwed. ;•.;:.'; ' TheJrcal -proceedings''■opened' with:''a' pre-: '.sentatimr-tb.Miss,Pankhurst of the. colours of v'thevilTnion-rwhite,.. green; :and .\'purple. Thbywere presented by/Miss'.'Aiinio Kpnney, .'who was the- first to go' to prison' with Miss ■PankhurstiinlSOSi: On. thevbanner's.silver: 'hahdlbr:Wero''iris'e'ribed:-th<a.'..dafes.-df.'tHe-;pritii' cipal- eVents'-iri;■the. Vhi.stbry.-/ ; pf ,r, :'the..',nipyei' 'ineht.: : V ;:': ; '■'. ''':':''.'..•':'.-'.S 1 .-;'","''■■:''::"--.v ■;;■ ;■: .?.-, ry Colours for 'the Citadel.,■;; : '■; ' : i -}y.

:-;' Another.-scene of .indescribable; enthusksrn. 'was :'witnessedias'^Miss.(Pankhurst'-received , "Long(live Christabol".'rang .through■'ithbibuildingj'and then';"Orio,::twp-, three, [ (Christabel,!'.;. : agaiii...;atid.: again,'"until (the';'audien'ee give.'signs;of being hoarse;;.- , 'r-:'.-.v-'I:-.'dbn't'."-'t'hink'>it'v is' : lbrig';-b'e-: :fore;lw6;'plaht (these'colours.- iir(the''citadel. ; of;freedbm,".fwere'(tbo,'wbrds;(as(the colours' : (changed:;nands; ; ((;. : y;v.: : ;. ;(,;>■''-;:■■ : '..•''•-'■■': : -((Then'ica'ine: -the', siiiging of .(thOj.'-I.Wbrnen.'s, • (bventually I qiiiet; was;'re- ■ stored ;Mieh'(the-:Cbairrnan..(Mrs.:Lawre^^ ; / called^pbh(;Jliss-''Pankhurstvtb;speak(|;':-v.; : i,;-But.-;tnis(quietness 'was.nob'.fqr,long..,y'.For. 'nearly; I (fivq);iniiiutes; 'after::,' Mis . ;Parikbufst')rbse;she:,was.uhable(to speak ow- ' iifg' ib;.(tnq ;deaferiirig';chberihg-:(arid; shouting (which;'greeted(;,her. : (;;( : The;:(.wHble,(audienbc v . (waved and(;i v colours'' -as((oiie,' : body. "For she's - a jolly, gbodfellow" fang; • lustily.out.;',;Even(wheh the;cheers,died.(down. :■ 'there: were;(cries(;bft"God, bless'.; you"(from; . (the; gallery- and :;stalls.;;;(,;;;; ; ;j ■:.:■■', --.(.-i u;:;.' ,'(:(Miss (PankhufstC;explained (tbo,reason\ of :their.;'pr(eseht' ; \miiitant: campaign; •(; -"An :4dra'.. ' : 'caii:'only: have/.-'lifb.vand:.power,-' when' .it -is ; : baoked ■)■ up';:by■;deeds. i/ A; ; policy ;VofSwords,: ; p'ersu'asibj,(and- argument; hadVfailed'J ;.was rwhyi they.-':had(taken' : up( '(the;(militant; :campaign. ; ;;(,(">'.;■■(■( V : ,'('(■ V;;. ; '-/ v .; i'.'Ourrimilitant '.campaign has been (fought 1 ;but v ..with; the'.utmost 'care., (Ayha'tever-, else; ; we( may(!be,; ; (we(. : are,( hot '■■'■ we'";are; i ;'nbt(:rash',;;we:;;are.-:not(:;.untliinking;:• and; -the. Of. ;;this becoming:;,more: ■ ''general."((. (((:■/((' '^s'y ■•■■;,.■■-,'■'/.■■'■■J - .;:(-, .-;J. ■<■■ : (t;, They,;- wef 6, ((working ■; for; the -, ', .o^ ; women;,:fpr:;th'o('dignity(qf,.women;.(,M ! befsi of. :their('unioh.,were( the':happiest.'in(-thc . by""th"eir( comfades. ; :respectbd:byltheir;e(nemies/; and;had the(sup- ■ -pbrt;;pfi,the,peoplo(;;(S";.;;(.(:(;:.(:; (~.-;;:,. js; (not; 'apologise(fof| their-militant, , (methods;.-they were'great;and.right.in.tbeni- :' •.'selyes,-;Eyen'.if,.th'ey.,hail;no'hope:,bf :succcssi. :- :ev:en;(if iiti-wa's (thought (their, campaign; (was ; (destined ".to. l .failure,' ■they, would :'go''bii.:;with(: ;;it ;whilb;?life(w;as ;theirs,('rThe struggle would; • ,'hevbf;bei-f enounced.: .(They'had -been endeaV '■:, ypurihg.;t6'.(gain ,their.(pbject'.for:some' years,; . ;arid(,they(-.wero(-going iavftj.what: the;!;; ; (thought;-would; b6;;a:;final^try;'hext;Session;; ' '(App^usej);:; : ;-;':;;(:;': l! ";' i ;:;.?.(^-v;;:-'-,;;;: ; v;;( ; 'A(^ . (viMiss Pankhurst'then, referred .tb-.Mr. -Lloyd ; .'-Georgoi-C.aud- (it (was "the: (:occasipri.',;'for. ; i.twb ; ( ; minutesjbf,;bbbiiig:ahd;iiissihg(:;::';:"::,,;,( ;; ;. '■(:(; (; :i'f:-Have:' : ybu(i-read:■.'(The'(;Daily'(News +':fa : day.?'':::;(Miss : : : 'PankhurstV:: asked;:,'fandrsecn;; v ;thefp(bf: Mr;iLlbyd-Gcorge's;attempt;;tb:kbep,, : women :,but' ; of. his( meetings:;.,of .his: efforts'ro; :' escapofcthem :now* afe:'(taking ho. ' ■risk'3'of(:m'eeting.us.'iri'a : railway; train'!'(:;\V.hy:i , r : .people?.i ;'(Laughter.) 1 . :(,They..;are. dreadfully, '( ; they arb : nibro afraid ; bf : .one. suffragetto' than; ; 'iv,Mfs'.LPanldiurst,(briefly.;atldressed the'.meet-; ; ingj/.beirig "received 1 ■(withi:"enthusiasm:i(';~Shb, ' irixpfessed--the;kbpe.tthat-thoVsuffrago(.would', •; Snd.:■ a; place;.(iiK:the ,; ;Kiug!s .;Sj>6ech,,; sayiiifr.- ( it v.would'Abb';(|uti]e((for .to.; ( ■ toicru'sh;br(staf Vß;"it::but.j:(;;(;.'(,(:' (i ; , Mrs.: Leigh,;,who( wasxreceived ,with cheers. ;. : arid;;a'oh'brus/ispoko^of: a ; Christmas message . (she : ;ha,d;-left'.o'n'..:he'r;;slate;. iii' : prisbn;fpr(the> : :HbmeySecretary.v; It" ;was:,;"Peace :bn'H,earth: - ;aad; goodwill; ■: (ivTh6;(-'^by l electiori''^("cohtfibutibh : (; of ((the, • : (mebting-ambuhte'clto(nearly,£3oo.: ; ,; ; ;-;>: :: 'r;;(

' : t;'v-'.Sy?i!At vgftg% :'^ r From ?''quit6 in- earlyrjhbur ; <'.th'e ■■•■lnh'sV. of; ;tkiurt : ; Restaurant,''.; vrhero ..'the .• breakfast was'. 'given'/-•'■'!wis?; ■■■witn, ittni:' ,'tln'ong of•©nthiisiastsran'd:theif; men-friends,. .who- completely "filled-: the' 'spacious , : 'gar'dett; and i annaxo.X'-i ~A\ ben' the.. threp ,ex-) .-prisouefs!;: : a'rri veil:' • tliey.', were ; : eree'tcd,' with much'Jappiause ,'aiid ipresentcd 'with -bp'u.quetsV which^i'latrcf/dtt-: the ;day; wer6 ; -.sent' -to-.the'; prison hospital at Holloway,':;/ ; :.'.^'^- ?; ;; : ,; i.'Duriiig.-ths Tbreakfast .'iUiss : Mary r Phillips;. ■who;:,-bad.'*''-t'akcin.'lpart• 'in'-tie- Liverpool tempt,to '-'.'attend • Mr. : i tloyd-6eprgd , B;im«et-'.-l -ing; '.relatedi'fier ; and :then'Mrs; formally'^welcomed- ! Mrs.': 'Pankhurst'.,■•ivTheif.: cup 'of joy,'she"said,;.was,; .fulloW.Werflbjnhgii/'-''- rh'ey--,could : hand back; the''hands/of -their/leadera',;' >hd now great«r.'.:pbwers;;th'an:wllenthey^went;into: jprison^;-:v Lv ; : r:ti- : C?''W' ' '■f''r. ; ; ;Mrs.V Pankhurst',: who [wfis. received',; with ; '■'tho^singin'g^bf^^ :tannia;'v said;',they',wero,sorry for the Government, for/ .nothing ; mqre: dreadful, than', an' 'opporturiityjnegleptcd,; ■ It; : was'; too, latb now';'"their:day of 'grace, had passed.:,.;' ■•:iMisß''Christabelr;Pankhurst,Mvho.: was -.'also given ail' bvatio'nj :.■ and; .by/-, ono" ■'enthusiastic. friend.'a(laurel-chaplet, : 'said that she ivould like to' giveitKcrh a holiday; wislv;/'Might':the. NovHYear-bring- votes' forwomen,'! : : (Cheers.)' Indeed, she felt: certain it; would.r v They were, ■going.tb".cover the country',with::organisors ; so; that thero :: wouldn't; be-a'sooty not:'even,:iiii Scotland;:.- : where' ; a; 1 ■.Cabinet ;cbuhi ; : show-his: face.'-'' The;,G6verhmcrit:had passed a=Bill making .'their' conduct lat'mcetings' un-: lawful as'.irelT:'as:unpl.e'asarit;.in.,th'o.Vain.hope" they,-were .going;to r 'getv mora;peace.: v.,They; riot/.however/be,;in-the least; deterred.. (Cheers:)':' -Tliey-■ were' going'; to 'have '&• 'campaign; against'the';.Governmcnl; that:.'.wo'uld, eclipse . the'.; Gbyerhiho.nt's 'campaign;' 'against: thb-Lords,.and : it would not l)e.'difficult : . : .;. ; x .;' : - • ! ' Subsequbiitly,; a:V.proocssion :was. formed ,at:> Kingsway,'and:rlput'2oo : of the■ Unibn;.'sup-*: ■'portjfirs,;paraded the .AVest:'End, -passing through crowds ;bf ■'sightseers',- who were; uri-. ; usually..silent'. :.' In-front- walked'Miss'Marsh; bearing a'tricolour,,after, which.Mrs.:PethickLawrdnco and Mrs. Druuim'ond,: accompanied, by.-.the Misses Kenheyi and; the'union brga- : (nisers; .led the way. in front, of. a : ba-Vid.v. A number of memtors|.wearing..thc;cblours,:fol-: lowcdy marching•'four -abreast, together with' . fivo mounted.; members '.(acting as :" .body-' ' guard " .'on : grey.: horses/' led by ; co'ckadbd. grobms;.: :';A; four-horsed.-wagonette, flower-' docorated,;'and with a'banner inscribed. "To yiotbr.v,":;;bore), the three. ex-pi'isoiiers and. Mrs.; Barnes.'-i'At;.the:horses' heads walked : fo.ur' : rnbro : gfooms,;- : .Closing, the; procession' was',;a .decorated rnotoT-car.::;- The procession -marched;by way'bf Oxford. Street, Regent; . Street; theHaJTnnrkct, and, the.Strand totho' headquarters : at:Clernent's'lnn;- •"'-.■ ■■;.".,