Today -100: November 13, 1913: Of humdrum, respectable sedition, floggings, and mittens

British PM Asquith orders the release of Jim Larkin, leader of the Irish Transport and General Workers’ Union, who was sentenced to 7 months for “seditious language” during the Dublin strike/lockout. The government’s continued refusal to arrest Ulster Protestant leaders who are using genuinely seditious language (or the Tory party leaders who support them) made the Larkin prosecution look even more like persecution. (Update: Violet Asquith, daughter of the prime minister, makes that very point in a speech tomorrow -100: “We may all agree now that sedition is a rather medieval offense, especially now that Sir Edward Carson, with his law-abiding demonstrations of it, has shorn off its last shred of glamour and brought it down to the level of the most humdrum respectability.”)

US Attorney General James C. McReynolds says he can’t stop Delaware flogging prisoners, since the 8th Amendment doesn’t apply to the states.

Headline of the Day -100: “Dr. Tanner Gets Mitten.” That was supposed to be smitten, I can only assume. Dr. Henry S. Tanner of Los Angeles, the “champion faster of the world” (he fasted in public for 40 days in 1880) sends an offer of marriage to Emmeline Pankhurst, who is not amused. Or mitten.

Don't see comments? Click on the post title to view or post comments.