THE WINDOW SMASHERS

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LIV, Issue 212, 6 March 1912, Page 5

THE WINDOW SMASHERS

STILL ACTIVE. POWERFUL POLICE PRECAUTIONS. By Cable—Press Association—Copyright. London, March 4. Thirty suffragettes have been arrested for niding the principal drapers at the West Knd. Many windows were smashed. The suffragettes smashed their cell windows at Hollo way, waved their handkerchiefs, and sang the Marseillaise. Six thousand constables will be in readiness for to-night's demonstration in Parliament Square. Fifty suffragettes, arriving in cabs and taxicabs, and armed with hammers and stones which they concealed in their stockings, raided Knightsbridge, Kensington and High street, and smashed windows in Harrod's, Baker's, and other stores.. Troops from Knightsbridge Barracks assisted in arresting them. Later, windows in Lord Loreburn's, Lord Crewe's and Mr. J. A. Peace's residences, and in the House of Lords, were smashed. The police, mounted and afoot, were powerless, owing to the widespread attacks. The authorities have closed the British and other museums. FURTHER ARRESTS MADE. SUFFRAGETTES ROUGHLY HANDLED CONCILIATION BILL KILLED. ■"'' '. Received 5, 10.30 p.m. 'i London, March 5. The windows of thirty premises and four post offices were wrecked yesterday in the suffragette raid. The perpetra-< tors were members of the Liverpool sec- i tion. The advance on Westminster in the evening was heralded by the firing of a rocket from the headquarters of the Women's Political Union. Strong police reinforcements arrived, and the procession was broken up. There were twenty thousand spectators. A number of windows were smashed in the Government Offices, and a contingent attempted to enter the Palace yard. There were brief hut turbulent scenes, the police expelling two hundred. \ Arrests were made occasionally. The spectators roughly handled the suffragettes. A counter demonstration by two hundred youths smashed the windows of various suffragette literature shops in the" Strand. While the mounted police were clearing Whitehall the pressure of the crowd precipitated a portion of the masonry coping of the Treasury into the arena, several being hurt. The Royal Academy was closed during an exhibition, owing to the receipt of a warning that there was a risk of the suffragettes damaging the pictures. Emily Pitfield ,a nurse, was committed for trial in connection with tho Post Office fire. Mr. McKenna has withdrawn from the insubordinates in Holloway Gaol permission to receive visitors. ✓ The consensus of opinion amongst the members of the House of Commons is that the recent actions of the militant suffragettes has killed the Conciliation Bill, and that the suffragettes have no longer any possibility of the present Parliament's support. The Premier, questioned regarding legislation empowering the recovery of damages from the funds of the Women's Political Union, promised to consult the At-torney-General. He added/ that there was a widespread opinion' that the responsibility should be brought home to the wretched individuals concerned and other responsible persons.