SUFFRAGE RECORD ROOM AND MUSEUM
SIR,—The militant suffrage movement may be a " humiliating memory " for some political persons and parties, but in the long story of the achieve- ment of human liberties 't has its own unique values. It succeeded, for instance, in breaking down half a century's deliberate boycott on the part of political parties and all sections of the Press. In 1905 the refusal of Sir Edward .Grey at the great Liberal Rally to answer a written ques- tion with regard to the Liberal policy on women's enfranchisement led to the first protest. Because of their persistence in demanding a reply to their questions, two young women were forcibly ejected from the meeting and were subsequently arrested for obstruction and sentenced to a fine or imprisonment. They chose imprisonment, and the news went round the world like an explosion. There followed upon this incident nine years of increasing resistance against the refusal to deal with this question and increasing repression on the part of the Liberal Government.
During that period of nine years, though more than one thousand women underwent imprisonment and some were injured for life, not a single case was brought in the Law Courts against the militants for injury to life or limb of their opponents ; another unique value of this extraordinary revolutionary movement. Fortunately a day-to-day record of these years was kept and was published and remains in being. In days to come the truth about the militant movement will be known.
" For Truth is strong and will prevail When no one cares if it prevail or not."
Yours, etc.,
z Old Square, Lincoln's Inn, W.C.2. E. PETHICK-LAWRENCE.
Previous page
