On This Day, 2 February 1918

Coventry Evening Telegraph

Saturday 2 February 1918

“WAR TILL VICTORY”

MRS. PANKHURST IN COVENTRY

MEETING OF WOMEN AT THE DRILL HALL

Mrs. Pankhurst, the well-known suffragist, addressed a meeting for women only at the Drill Hall, Coventry, this afternoon, her theme being “War Till Victory.” There was a fairly large attendance.

Miss Green presided, and said the meeting was the direct outcome of what happened at the Opera House last Sunday. When they were walking back Miss Pankhurst said to her: “The thing to do after the events of to-night is to organise a large meeting for women only in Coventry, because the splendid women who were at the Opera House and supported us showed that the part of the public to appeal to at the present moment for true loyalty and to make public opinion is British women.” (Applause.)

Mrs. Pankhurst moved a resolution supporting the Government man-power proposals, indignantly condemning “the selfish and unpatriotic efforts of the minority, who are seeking to force an inconclusive and shameful peace by means of strike and industrial unrest,” and pledging the meeting to assist in carrying on the war till final victory. She said she thought the necessity for a women’s party and for separate political movements on the part of women could be found in the fact that to-day a small section of men- young and inexperienced men- were at present trying to hold up the war abroad and industry at home. (Applause.) She thought it was high time that women, who were the responsible half of the community, at a time when the best of the young men were either fighting or wounded or dead, and the old men had had to take up work again, should take up their responsibility as citizens and save their country from the enemy abroad and from revolution at home. (Applause.) They were called there at a supreme crisis in the nation’s fighting to express in unmistakable terms their determination to carry on the war to a successful end, and the necessity for the men who were quite willing that other men should fight, but were not willing to fight themselves, should, in their turn, take their place in the fighting ranks, making it possible for the war to go on and for men who had sacrificed a great deal and had been wounded many times could be safely withdrawn into civilian life. (Applause.)

The resolution was seconded by Mrs. Simpson, and on being put to the meeting, was declared to have been carried unanimously.

An extended report will appear on Monday.