Salt Lake Tribune | 1917-07-21 | Page 25 | Suffragettes are Pardoned by President

SUFFRAGETTES BY PRESIDENT Husbands of Some of the Prisoners Intercede on Ground Children Need Their Mothers. DINNER' GIVEN IN HONOR OF 'MARTYRS' Dudley Field Malone and Superintendent of Workhouse Work-house Nearly Come to Blows. WASHINGTON, July lfl. Sixteen women sent to the workhouse for participation par-ticipation in a suffrage demonstration Saturday at the White house, accepted pardons from President AVilson today and were released after serving two days of their sixty-day sentences. The prisoners left the workhouse apparently apparent-ly without regret, despite their previous declarations that they desired to serve out their time without appeal or clemency. clem-ency. These assertions had led to an announcement by tho department of justice pointing out that a pardon need not be accepted unless the prisoners desired it. When th- time for departure depar-ture came, however, the women's only protest was against the trials they underwent un-derwent during their detention. At headquarters of tho woman's party the sixteen were received as martyrs and at a dinner given there in their honor, plans were made for continuing con-tinuing the White house picketing. A defiant statement issued at the headquarters head-quarters said the campaign to impress 1'resident Wilson and the country by parading before the White house gates would go on without change. Husbands Make Plea. The president acted after the hu bands of several of the prisoners lu interceded in their favor and after t J had been told that some of them liaci small children at home needing their care. Some of Mr. Wilson's friends declared this element undoubtedly hat' been tho determining influence wit) him. Others suggested that he. acte in the hope that pardons would min mize publicity, an avowed part of th women's campaigning. The suffragist insisted he had become convinced th; tho country was aroused over tl workhouse sentences. -. Every party to the incident, howover, was left to its own speculations on the subject. Secretary Tumulty said issuance of tho pardons would have to speak for itself and all other officials in a position to know the president V thought on tho subject wore silent. j Will Resume Picketing. "The president action in no way af- fects the general suffrage situation," said the woman's party statement "The only difference it makes, as vfi see it, is that tho women are out jail. That is a matter of little :-cern :-cern to us compared with the concern wo feel over the grat vital issue fr which wo arc fighting. ..Pickot.n'ip-v'Viy bo resumed very soon and vvitfr-'.nc tt most vigor." No date has been set for tho newt demonstration, but it probably will be Saturday. Tho suffragist leadors say they fully expect that the next body of pickets will be arrested and sentenced sen-tenced to the workhouse. Dudley Field Malone, collector ' I customs at New York, who has ac as counsel for the women, tempo' '!-ily '!-ily retired from tho fight tonight, it it is understood ho will bo retaii again if further arrests aro ma :. Meantime he. will continue his effo. .1 to persuado the president to declare for a federal suffrage amendment. Not Bound to Accept. Tho department of justice statement settled a point which had been warmly discussed at suffrage headquarters. "If the suffragists now serving a sixtr-dny sentence at Occoqvian do-cline do-cline to accent tho pardon offered bv President Wilson," it said, "thoy wil serve out their sentence. The gover ment cannot compel a prisoner und, sentence to accept a pardon." A clash between Mr. Malouo and Superintendent Su-perintendent Whitaker of the Occo-quau Occo-quau workhouso enlivened the departure depar-ture of the prisone.rs tonight. The women were receiving their valuables at the office when Mr. Whitaker' warned them that if thev returned they would get no special consideration. considera-tion. "I've been very indulgent wilh you," he declared, "but I won't aga in." Mr. Malone, replying, heatedly declared de-clared he certainly had not been accorded ac-corded special privileges as counsel. For a moment it looked like a personi.'l encounter, but the incident closed wit h Mr. Whitaker declaring that his original orig-inal statement strjod. All of the prisoners were in good health, but wire un'oniforta!lo from having been deprived of their toilet, articles, such as tooth brushes. One said she had some difficulty in sleeping sleep-ing and nouo of them had liked the food. After a conference with suffrage leaders tonight Mr. Malone said he wnuld r'M'i.'iin in Washington for some time, perhaps lor several weeks, in order to devote his attention to the women's fight. It was denied that he had resigned his post as customs collector.