WILD SCENES AT A MEETING.

Dominion, Volume 5, Issue 1333, 10 January 1912, Page 6

WILD SCENES AT A MEETING.

SUFFRAGETTES APPLY THE GUILLOTINE. UK. ASQUITH AT THE CITY TEMPLE. Mr. Asquith', tho chief speaker .at a public meeting held in Hie City Temple, London, on Wednesday night, November -'9, to celebrate thu completion of the 21st your of the work of Mansfield House University Settlement in Canning Town. E., was tho victim of a disgraceful suffragette demonstration. Tho Rev.W. 11. .Selbic, D.D., Principal of Mansfield College, Oxford, presided, and tho vast building was crowded in evpry part. Elaborate, precautions had been taken by the City Police to deal with anything in the nature of a disturbance which might bo created by suffragists. Mr. Asquilh, who was in evening dress, entered the rostrum in company with Mr. J. Kamsay Mac Donald, and was given a cheer. Wild Scenes. Mr. Asquith, on rising to speak, was received with great cordiality. Hβ had only said, "Mr. Chairman," when a man in the crowded gallery at the back shouted, "Mr. Asqiiith, will you allow the House of Commons to control foreign affairs?" Despite the request of tho chairman that the audieuco should keep quiet in case of interruption, they at onoo rose and howled, "Chuck him out." Tho meeting in a minute became a confused congregation of indignant men and women. The interrupter was hustled from the building. For a moment, but a moment only, quiet was restored. Mr. Asquith, who had stoically watched the ejection of the interrupter, then essayed to speak. He said—"Mr. Chairman, ladies and gentlemen " He got no further, for a couple of women rose in the centre of the church and shouted "Votes for women." They gesticulated wildly for a few seconds, when the stewards again promptly appeared ou the scene. They surrounded the two offenders, one of whom then became guiet, whilst the other was caught by the arm and courteously escorted from the building. The Premier grimly watched the and was obviously angered at the attempts to prevent him delivering his -address. He, however, iuado another attempt as soon as the lady was removed. He said: "I come hero to-night " "Mr. Asquith," shouted another female who rose in the side gallery, and once more the gathering was in a seething condition of indignation. They hissed and hooted, "Throw her out," "Gag her," and with tho rising feeling of tho audience the interrupter was hustled out, not so courteously as by the method employed in getting rid of the first suffragette.

Gagging an Interrupter. "I was saying I have come here," reiterated Mr. Asciuith for the fourth time, "to fulfil u rather improvident promise which I made some time ago to my friend Mr. Percy Aldcn, that if Parliamentary and other exigencies allowed I would coine and say a few words of congratulation oh the completion-—" This was the longest consecutive sentence which the Pnmo Minister was allowed to utter without interruption. Again it was a woman who interrupted, and the many and vigilant students who were acting as stewards had ; her speedily in custody. It transpired, however, that the woman had chained herself to a pillar in tho front area of the church.. She could not therefore be at once removed, oud, taking advantage of this fact, she immediately began shouting tho usual war cries of the militants, but not for long. Hands were placed over her mouth, then a handkerchief. Still sho shouted, and then som«. of the students scientifically gagged her. A handkerchief was rolled up in the form of a ball. This was placed over her mouth, and anotheT handkerchief was tied Wrnnd her head to keep the gag in position. The woman naturally did not passively submit to this treatment. Both lmiscuiarly and vocally sho protested, and through the general hubbub was , heard the clanking of tho chain which bound her to the pillar. At one time she seemwi on the verge of fainting, and leaned gasping in a man's arms. To add to the disorder, another female in the same seat out of the immediate reach of the stewards shouted, Hβ don't want manhood suffrage." This she kept repeating until, to tho great discomfort of those in the pew, she was removed. "If I can't have silence I shall go, said Jin. Asquith in a lull of dis--ordcr. Ho stood at the pulpit surveying the unprecedented, scono with a grim expression, pursing his lips characteristically, and balancing his pince-nez jerkily in a way which betrayed the feeling his features concealed. Tho disturbance continued. At first the stewards dealt with tho interruptions with a courtesy which, judging from their expressions, members of the audience would not have extended to them had tieirs be*n the duty of ejection, but as the disorder increased, and the efforts to prevent Mr. Asquith from speaking appeared likely to succeed, heat was raised, antl some ot the females were rushed out with considerable force and scant consideration. Onco more Mr. Asquith made an attempt to speak. For a few moments Mr. Asquith surveyed the scene. Then ho ca mly folded the notes which ho had placed in front of him on the pulpit cushion, and, turning to Dr. Selbie innounced that he would wait no longer ilo stepped clown the circular pulpit stair to a, deatemng and sympathetic tornado ot cheers, interspersed with triumphant screams of the militants, many of whom were still in the church. It'was. eight o clock.exactly when Mr. Asquith entered the church. It was barely ten minutes past the hour when he left.

A Labour Protest. Mr. Ramsay Mac Donald, lIP began with the following scathing criticisin of the scene :-"One would prefer to bo oblivious to and so forget the degrading and disgusting scene on which wo have jlist been looking. Those of us who havo any regard for womanhood, those of us who Have any ideals regarding woman a intelligence and woman's conduct, must simply bow our heads with shame. (Cheers.) Tho interrupters wero not done yet. A tall bearded man standing in an aisle near the pulpit, cried:— What aro you going to do? Are you going to vote for manhood suffrage?" Ihe man was hustled out in the mini-muin-of time. "The consequences of these demonstrations," Mr. Mac Donald continued, "must be felt, not in such meetings as these, but. in the House of Commons itself. I, for my part, if I felt that tho cause had como to this, would go into the lobby every time against it." (Loud cheers.)

The suffragettes afterwards left the church, and iveru soundly hissed as they did so. A resolution of sympathy was sent to Mr. Asrjnir.li. The "chained suffragette" was a woman apparently about 35 years of we. She sat quietly through tho sacred concert which preceded, the speeches. Meanwhile slic had surreptitiously attached herself by a thick chain to tho pillar beside her. Konnd her waist was fastened a thick leather belt six inches wide, the chain being arranged over tho belt, evidently with the idea that in the subsequent struggle there would bo less likejihood of the woman suffering any severe injury. The chain was secured by a large padlock, and during the .scDtic scores of keys were tried ineffectually to unlock it. Tho stewards took her hat off, and made an attempt to pull the woman bodily through tho chain, but in this they were unsuccessful. After Jlr. -Asquith had decided to abandon his speech, tho suffragette promised through her'"gag" that she would create no further trouble. She sat quietly through the subsequent proceedings, and then produced a key and freed herself. She left tho place evidently thoroughly exhausted by the struggle, and with her hair dishevelled, to tho loud hissing'of the audience.