§ 5. Mr. RICHARD LAMBERTasked the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs whether, in view of the policy of restricting as far as possible ocean travelling of women, he will state the reasons for granting a permit to Mrs. Pankhurst to visit the United States; whether she has gone as a representative of, or commissioned by, the British Government; and whether the cost of her journey is to be defrayed from public funds?
Mr. BALFOURMrs. Pankhurst was permitted to travel from Paris to the United States of America, as it was considered to be in the Allied interest that she should go. The answer to the second part of the question is in the negative.
§ Mr. KINGIs it in her interest to go because of the failure of previous gentlemen who have been on propaganda missions, like the Archbishop of York and the Attorney-General?
§ Sir JOHN BUTCHERMay I ask whether, from all the information in our possession, my right hon. Friend is aware that the mission of the Archbishop of York was an immense success?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThat is a great jump— from Mrs. Pankhurst to the Archbishop.
§ Mr. ANDERSONCan the right hon. Gentleman say why another woman, Miss Margaret Bonfield, a delegate from the Parliamentary Committee of the Trade Union Congress to America, was refused?
§ Mr. SPEAKERThe hon. Member must give notice of that. He must not use Mrs. Pankhurst as a peg.