PURSUING AN IDEAL.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1761, 28 May 1913, Page 8

PURSUING AN IDEAL.

MRS. PANKHIiRST.

AN IMPARTIAL STUDY.

If llrs. Panklnirst had been born in tho groat days of Rome she might have been a mother of the Gracchi (says a writer in the "Daily Mail" v Tlntc-d April). Had she lived in tho Middle Ages she would have rivalled St. Catherine of Siena, or, perchance, made herself famous as a Poor Clare.

She is a spiritual desendant of nil martyrs and fanatics who have ever worn themselves out in pursuit of an ideal, For years before she became a fighting Suffragist, the had worked quietly for tho cause. Her gnawing eagerness for selfsaerifico saw 111 this sueli an objective as it desired. Gradually sho identified herself with it. Gradually she enmo to believe that she was marked out to be a leader; that tho cause for which she was fighting depended upon her. That steeled her to suiter. That made her run to meet labours and punishments which it seemed impassible lor slight a frame to bear. It is power of will that supports her, aided by tho self-esteem which is m all fanatics, which even helped to bear up Joan of Arc, with whoso life, bv tho v ay, that of Mrs. Pankhurst might be at 'many points compared.

Popular Misconception. Tho popular vision of the Leader of tho Militants in the votes for women war was wrong from the start. Frequently as she is described, frequently as her portrait is printed, she still figures in the public mind as a gaunt figure in ill-fitting clothe?, with scanty hair, largo features, a rasping voice. That is perfectly natural. Tiiat, given her behaviour, is how She ought to look. _ , Actually sho is the very opposite ot Mil at ts\e public are determined to believe. She is a little woman of a delicate ncss. Her voice is soft and musical, sho is always well and becomingly dressed. It is almost ludicrous to see hey as "general issuing orders to her "soldiers, as sno calls them. It would bo ludicrous but for au earnestness alsout her which rises above laughter and exacts from opponents a certain grudging respect. It was only in 100.'!, when 6lie founded the Women's Social and Political Union, that she became prominent '11 public lite. The daughter of a well-to-do Manchester calico-printer named Gonlden, she w f s sent to" school in France, and ot the Ecole Normalc of Paris was turned into a Kepublicau by a daughter of Henri Itochefort, curiously enough. 111 1879 she married Dr. Panklnirst, a Chancery barnstor, who was an active supporter of almost every conceivable "reform.' Sho was a young girl then, a very pretty gut and a 'girl of spirit. She threw herself with vigour into the struggles for free speech" and Socialism, and even then put Votes for Women in her programmo of the measures which were to create a new heaven and a nev; earth. Contending for t.ho ricrht to hold meetings in Bopgart Hole Clough, one of Manchester s >-arks. sho fell into the hands of the police and was charged with riotous conduct, but tho magistrates discharged her, although they sent others for trial.and, as it turned out, to prison.

Public Work. ( In order to help her husKind's work Mrs. I'ankhurst served on tlio Manchester School Board and on the Chorlton (now South Manchester) Board of Guardians. As a member of the second body she took an opportunity of proving how übsful women can be,in such positions, oho noticed' that at the workhouse a great deal of bread was thrown away. Inquiring into the cause, she discovered that each inmate was given a lat&e piece of bread at each meal, that very few ate it all, and that what they left was regaTdcd as waste. She suggested that small mows of bread should be put upon tho tables in baskets, and that tho inmates should take what they wanted. Tho bread bill was substantially reduced. . In 1898 Dr. Pankhurst dicu, and his widow was loft with three Kins and a boy to to bring up oil a sniill income which would have boon larger bad no liar husband spent several thousand pounds upon his schemes of bhe pluckily determined to work, md toitliu employment as registrar of births and deaths at Chorlton-on-McdlocK, a district closo to Manchester. . ]t was characteristic of her, m kecpinc with the lack of logical faculty which marked all her movements, , ~ slio could not see how incompatible it was with her public olßco that she should take active part in politics and denounce tho Government in speeches of fiery .disdain. Th» Registrar-General wrote kindly to her" in the first instance, saying it was "undesirable" that a registrar should bo an active politician. She trilled with,him by replving that she hoped the necessity for lier activitv would soon disappear, meaning that she hoped women would soon have votes. Ho wrote again and sho resigned her post.

A Macnetlc Gift. After this slio devoted all lier energies t:> "the cause." She had a natural gift of speech, and by practice has becomc_ a most effective and persuasive orator. She can work herself up into a white-heat of passion, or slio can play humorously with an opponent. Her tones penetrate, her words pierce. From tho beginning it is she who has raised money and kept the union in funds. She has a magnetic gift arousing enthusiasm. When she appealed for subscritpions women took oIT their jewellery. emptied their purses. When she called for volunteers to burn houses, cut telegraph wires, and plough up golf grccus hundreds of silly young women, carried away by her oratory and lier personal influence, professed themselves ready to do whatever crime or folly she luiglit order them to commit. She herself set them the example of not shirking any of the more unpleasant "duties" of the'campaign which she began in 100 S. First, it was a campaign of irritation. In order to worry men into giving them votes, Suffragettes forced their way into Parliament, chained themselves to Ministers' railings, interrupted speeches, nJid broke shop windows. Sine© thai; di<l not: seem to bring t the consummation they devoutly wished much nearer, it was decided to flit or their tacticsr —to go on from worrying to bullying. ''Wo have decidcd," Mrs. Pfti)khn]'>t declared, "to fight men—like mcu, that is to «nv. bv violence." > First of all, she had to use violence in her own ranks. Many who had supported the worrying tactics felt doubtful whether the British nation could ba terrorised into giving'women votes. These wavered numbered among thom Mr. and Mrs. Pethiek Lawrence, givers of much money and all their time to the cause. The stalwarts drove them and all other doubters out of tho Women's Social and Political Vnion. Mrs. Pankhurst and her daughters were free to' carry out theirplan. Heedless of protest from the saner supporters of their demand, unable to see that they were losing all the ground onco gained, they threw themselves into a peculiarity feminine warfare of petty spite and pointless savagery. Mrs. Pankhurst developed an activity more feverish than ever. Already in 1500 slio hau threatened to become a martyr by giving up her life in order to injure the Ciovernnicilt. Now she declared that. death for a causo seemed to her the only death worth dying. She attributed the death of her sister, Mrs. Clarke, to suffer! hlm in prison, and, indeed, tlie poor lady died two days after her release. Mrs Pankhurst yearned for the halo, forced tlie authorities to arrest her, and for the fifth time was sent to prison.

Previous Scntcnces. Iter earlier sentences had been: February, 11103.—Six weeks for causing a disturbance at the House of Com ill oils, served throughout. . October, 1008. — I Three months for inciting to riot. Served all but a few weeks. March, 1012,—Two'months for windowbreaking. Served five weeks. May,, t!)l2.—Nino months for conspiracy 1.0 break windows. Served five weeks. At the Central Criminal ' Court she pleaded her own defence with womanly charm, but also with an Animus and want of restraint which showed her to be nerver.ickeil and a victim to perssculianlnnnia. 'Hint is, unhappily, the natural course which fanaticism takes, however charming tho personality »f the victim may he. It is impossible io think of the courage of this frail, woman without admiration, or of her sufferinns without pain. Vet to (he innrlyt' sullenngs fire n siiH*>fnri.ion. This i*> tl\e stuff 01 which Mrs l'anlikurst is made.