I believe that women striving for enfranchisement in other lands and reformers of future days may learn with renewed hope and confidence how the "family party," who in 1905 set out determined to make votes for women the dominant issue of the politics of their time, in but six years drew to their standard the great woman's army of to-day. It is certain that the militant struggle in which this woman's army has engaged and which has come as the climax to the long, patient effort of the earlier pioneers, will rank amongst the great reform movements of the world. Set as it has been in modern humdrum days it can yet compare with any movement for variety and vivacity of incident. The adventurous and resourceful daring of the young Suffragettes who, by climbing up on roofs, by sliding down through skylights, by hiding under platforms, constantly succeeded in asking their endless questions, has never been excelled. What could be more piquant than the fact that two of the Cabinet Ministers who were carrying out a policy of coercion towards the women should have been forced into the witness box to be questioned and cross-questioned by Miss Christabel Pankhurst, the prisoner in the dock? What, too, could throw a keener searchlight upon the methods of our statesmen than the evidence put forward in the course of that trial?

To many of our contemporaries perhaps the most remarkable feature of the militant movement has been the flinging-aside by thousands of women of the conventional standards that hedge us so closely round in these days for a right that large numbers of men who possess it scarcely value. Of course it was more difficult for the earlier militants to break through the conventionalities than for those who followed, but, as one of those associated with the movement from its inception, I believe that the effort was greater for those who first came forward to stand by the originators than for the little group by whom the first blows were struck. I believe this because I know that the original militants were already in close association with the truth that not only were the deeds of the old time pioneers and martyrs glorious, but that their work still lacks completion, and that it behoves those of us who have grasped an idea for human betterment to endure, if need be, social ostracism, violence, and hardship of all kinds, in order to establish it. Moreover, whilst the originators of the militant tactics let fly their bolt, as it were, from the clear sky, their early associates rallied to their aid in the teeth of all the fierce and bitter opposition that had been raised.

The hearts of students of the movement in after years will be stirred by the faith and endurance shown by the women who faced violence at the hands of the police and others in Parliament Square and at the Cabinet Minister meetings, and above all by the heroism of the noble women who went through the hunger strike and the mental and physical torture of forcible feeding.

A passionate love of freedom, a strong desire to do social service and an intense sympathy for the unfortunate, together, made the movement possible in its present form. Those who have worked as a part of it know that it is notable not merely for its enthusiasm and courage, but also for its cheery spirit of loyalty and comradeship, its patient thoroughness in organisation which has made possible its many great demonstrations and processions, its freedom from bitterness and recrimination, and its firm faith in the right.

E. Sylvia Pankhurst.

London, May, 1911.

ILLUSTRATIONS

Sylvia Pankhurst designing a part of the decorations of the Prince's Skating Rink[Frontispiece]
FACING PAGE.
Christabel Pankhurst and Annie Kenney[35]
First Women's Suffrage Demonstration ever held in Trafalgar Square, May 19th, 1906. Mr. Keir Hardie speaking: Mrs. Pankhurst and Mrs. Wolstenholme Elmy in centre of the platform[80]
Selling and advertising "Votes for Women" in Kingsway[174]
Mrs. Pankhurst carrying a petition from the Third Women's Parliament to the Prime Minister on February 13th, 1908[202]
The Head of the Procession to Hyde Park, June 21st, 1908 [245]
A Section of the great "Votes for Women" meeting in Hyde Park on June 21st, 1908[247]
Lord Rosebery and other Members of both Houses watching the Suffragettes' struggle in Parliament Square, June 30th, 1908[248]
Christabel Pankhurst inviting the public to "rush" the House of Commons, at a meeting in Trafalgar Square, Sunday, October 11th, 1908[255]
Mrs. Pankhurst and Christabel hiding from the police in the roof garden at Clement's Inn, October 12th, 1908[257]
Reading the Warrant, October 13th, 1908[266]
Mr. Curtis Bennett listening to Miss Pankhurst's speech from the Dock, October, 1908[268]
Miss Christabel Pankhurst questioning Mr. Herbert Gladstone[285]
Mr. Herbert Gladstone in the witness-box being examined by Miss Christabel Pankhurst, October, 1908[300]
Members of the Women's Freedom League attempting to enter the House after the taking down of the grille, October 28th, 1908[319]
Mrs. Pankhurst in Prison [330]
Ejection of a woman questioner from Birrell's meeting in the City Temple, November 12th, 1908[333]
The Chelmsford By-Election[348]
The human letters dispatched by Miss Jessie Kenney to Mr. Asquith at No. 10 Downing Street, Jan. 23, 1909[351]
Procession to welcome Mrs. Pankhurst, Christabel, and Mrs. Leigh on their release from prison, December 19th, 1908[353]
Mrs. Lawrence's Release Procession, April 17th, 1909[360]
The arrest of Miss Dora Marsden, the Standard Bearer, March 30th, 1909[362]
Elsie Howey who as Joan of Arc, rode at the head of the procession formed to celebrate Mrs. Pethick Lawrence's release from prison[365]
A part of the decoration of the Exhibition held in the Prince's Skating Rink, May, 1909[369]
The band out for the first time, May, 1909[376]
Mrs. Pethick Lawrence's release, April 17th[380]
Christabel waving to the hungry strikers from a house overlooking the prison, July, 1909[383]
The hunger strikers waving to Christabel from their prison cells, July, 1909[394]
Forcible Feeding with the Nasal Tube[433]
Lady Constance Lytton before she threw the stone at New Castle, October 9th, 1909[440]
Arrest of Miss Dora Marsden outside the Victoria University of Manchester, October 4th, 1909[444]
Jessie Kenney as she tried to gain admittance to Mr. Asquith's meeting on Dec. 10, 1909, disguised as a telegraph boy[476]