from public funds? Why had Margaret Bondfield, a delegate from the
Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress to America, been
refused a permit? It was pointed out that Mrs. Pankhurst was permitted to travel
since it was in the Allied interest she should go and that the cost of her journey
was not borne by public money.^56 The Daily News, taking up the story, also
asked what evidence was there that America desired a visit from Mrs.
Pankhurst. The Daily Chroniclewas more biting. ‘It is unfortunate that this egre-
gious person cannot keep her own opinions secret’, ran an editorial titled ‘Mrs.
Pankhurst’s indiscretions’. ‘No sooner had the slanderer of Lord Grey – who, of
all British statesmen, is perhaps the one held in highest esteem in America –
landed in New York than she began to make mischief. She attacked the Irish,
who are a powerful element in American citizenship, and she gave out a scur-
rilous interview about Kerensky, who will shortly be acclaimed with enthusiasm
by the American democracy.’^57
Emmeline arrived in New York amid controversy on both sides of the
Atlantic about her mission. As on her three previous visits, she was soon sought
by the press, giving long interviews to theNew York Times, theNew York Sun
and theNew York Tribune, as well as other leading newspapers. Although
Emmeline found great enthusiasm amongst the American people for the war
effort, her tour was not all plain sailing. At one address on ‘How to save Russia’,
delivered to over a thousand people, she found strong opposition to her views.
After telling her audience that Bolshevik internationalists, who declared that
patriotism was worn out, and love of country old-fashioned, must be ‘curbed’,
she asked, ‘Who are our friends in Russia, those who want real democracy or the
Bolsheviki internationalists?’ The reply shouted from many parts of the audito-
rium was ‘The Bolsheviki’. TheNew York Evening Telegraphreported that three
policemen had to be called in, although they had nothing to do since the
meeting proceeded in an orderly manner. ‘We are fighting to preserve the great
and small from autocratic domination’, cried the undaunted Emmeline, as she
skilfully handled her audience. ‘We are fighting for one class alone. I am against
a dominant autocratic class as much as I am against a dominant working class.’^58
Her closing remarks reiterated her view that Russia could only be saved by mili-
tary aid; Americans were asked to join in the call upon Japan to enter Siberia.
Not all American suffragists were enthusiastic either about Emmeline’s plans
or mode of operation. An indignant Anna Howard Shaw, Chair of the Woman’s
Committee, the Council of Nation Defense, in Washington, confessed her disil-
lusionment to the sympathetic ear of ex-WSPU member Helen Fraser, telling
her that when Emmeline Pankhurst first arrived, ‘without consulting Mrs. Catt
or any of our suffrage leaders, she gave out an interview saying we should drop
all suffrage work and work only to win the war. This was just a day or two before
our vote was to come up in the Senate.’ Shaw disliked Emmeline’s tone, saying
that the leader of the British Women’s Party ‘should at least consider that
suffragists here know what they ought to do under our conditions better than
she’. Nor did she think that socialists would welcome Emmeline’s visit. ‘I learn
LEADER OF THE WOMEN’S PARTY