As Emmeline continued her North American tour, she was still wondering if
she should return home and had been enquiring about the dates and times of
voyages from New York. On 11 November 1911, she wrote to Alice Morgan
Wright expressing her concerns, as well as giving news of her adventures:
It has been impossible to answer your letter earlier. The rush of events
has been so great. ... I am quite excited at your news that I am to visit
Albany for I have heard nothing about it! My only fixture in the
United States in January is in New York on the 12th – the day before I
return home.
I am almost afraid I may have to cancel that engagement because of
the new move on the part of the English Government. This introduc-
tion of a ManhoodSuffrage Bill means more fighting for us & I may
have to hurry back.
We (Miss Pethick & I) are having a very interesting time.
Yesterday we motored in a blizzard to see the Minnehaha falls
through a park full of Longfellow reminiscences. Ohio meetings are
very good & I think suffrage work promises well in the future.
I hope we shall see you again before you go back to Paris.^1Emmeline then travelled to Milwaukee and further north to Duluth before
venturing south again, to Omaha in Nebraska, arriving there on 16 November.
Since an important WSPU meeting was being held in London that day, she
made sure that she sent a cablegram well in advance so that it could be read out
to all present. ‘I share our indignation at the Government’s insult to women,
and am ready to renew the fight. Shall return with practical help from
America.’ Her fighting message was echoed by the other WSPU leaders.^2 The
following day, Christabel and Emmeline Pethick Lawrence led the WSPU dele-
gation in the deputation of nine women’s suffrage societies that Asquith and
Lloyd George had agreed to meet but, as expected, Asquith refused to abandon
the Manhood Suffrage Bill. The WSPU issued a statement saying that hostili-
ties would be resumed.