is unthinkable before the vote is assured) or his complete ruin will stop
this action on their part. They see in Mr. Lawrence a potent weapon
against the militant movement and they mean to use it. This weapon is
a powerful one. By its use they can not only ruin Mr. Lawrence, but
they also intend, if they can to divert our funds. If suffragists, feeling
strongly as they do the injustice of one having to suffer for the acts of
others, raised a fund to recoup Mr. Lawrence, it would mean that our
members money would go finally into the coffers of the enemy and the
fighting fund would be depleted or ended. It would also reduce mili-
tancy to a farce for the damage we did with one hand would be
repaired with the other. ... I know you will understand me when I say
that if to ruin Mr. Lawrence would help the Woman’s Cause I should
think it worthwhile for what is the individual as compared with the
Cause? When however far from helping it is a source of weakness, a
positive injury, then the case is different! What is to be done?
This is what we suggest after long and anxious thought. It is a way
of retaining your active participation in a great Imperial Movement
which is just beginning and at the same time of preventing the
Government from striking at the militant movement in England
through you. The Union has paved the way by my two visits to
Canada, by the establishment of the first W.S.P.U. there, by the pres-
ence of scattered members and by the deputation to Borden [the
Canadian Premier]. Will you for a time lead the Imperial Suffrage
Movement in Canada? It is a great mission and a great role. ...
Please show my letter to Mr. Lawrence and discuss it with him and
believe that I have left unwritten many expressions of affection and
appreciation which we all feel very deeply.^17Emmeline Pethick Lawrence, after talking the issues over with her husband,
wrote a polite, cool reply to ‘Mrs. Pankhurst’. ‘Perhaps you are not aware that
the present situation does not take my husband or me by surprise.’ Completely
ignoring the suggestion that they might live in Canada, she went on, ‘Our
answer is that we shall continue to be jointly responsible with you in the future
as we have been in the past, and that the more we are menaced the harder we
will fight until victory is won.’^18 The Pethick Lawrences expected to return
home in early October.
Emmeline returned to England some weeks before their arrival, telling The
Standardon 21 September that she felt better than she had done for a long time,
and that she was glad to be back. The day before, she was one of a small group
at Euston Station bidding farewell to Barbara Wylie who was departing for
Canada in order to bring the Canadian members of the WSPU into closer
touch with the WSPU centre in London.^19 Soon afterwards, Emmeline and
Mabel Tuke set about superintending the removal into the new WSPU head-
quarters, a somewhat awesome task that Emmeline lightened by spending a
BREAK WITH THE PETHICK LAWRENCES