28 SEPTEMBER 1912, Page 3

The more strongly we are opposed to the grant of

the franchise, the more strongly do we deprecate these frantic women being treated as they would necessarily be treated were they men. They must not be allowed to starve them- selves to death, and no one must be allowed to maltreat them, however great the provocation. A crowd has no more excuse for striking a woman than has an individual. The persons of the Suffragists must be respected even when they are most ill-behaved. We hold the hands of evilly disposed children, but we do not strike them. In short, physical force may be used freely in their case for restraint but never for punishment.