Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1912. VOTES FOR WOMEN.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXII, Issue 8312, 28 February 1912, Page 4

Ashburton Guardian Magna est Veritas et Prævalebit WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1912. VOTES FOR WOMEN.

The course of the woman's suffrage question 'at Home is once more proving the truth of the saying that "the woman's cause is man's." Left to'tlieir own grotesque devices,' the women of England would never have won the fight for enfranchisement; but' ms>w that a number of leading men have enthusiastically espoused their cause, there is every prospect of success crowning their efforts. The Government is pledged to carry a 'Reform Bill this year, and it is pretty certain that before it emerges from Committee that measure will provide' for the enfranchisement" "of all women on the same lines, as men. Mr Lloyd George; in explaining the attitude takeif-up by the Government, has shown that the question of woman's suffrage is to be treated "as a non-party one—in fact, very much as it was treated here and; in Australia,. The example of the" Dominions, and the beneficial results they are able to show, have evidently influenced public opinion at Home on the suffrage question." Sir "Edward Grey, who may be the next Prime Minister, has told how he conversed on the subject recently with a lady and gentleman from Australia. They were quite unknown to each other, and "yet, curiously enough," said the Foreign Secretary, " they both told me the same ■ thing. They each said about woman suffrage in Australia that it had not been agitated for before it was given, but that, once given', and after it had been in existence for a while, it was inconceivable that wome.n should live in that State ' without it—that the indirect effect on the position of women was such that the women would never for a moment think of foregoing the vote, and that the men would never think of takingit away from them." And now we have Mr Lloyd George, wlio has an equal chance «pf ' being Prime Minister- telling a large audience in the Albert Hall that "the franchise must be on broad democratic lines, similar 'to those of the measures prevailing* in the colonies." There is much cogency in his further remark that, "never .was..there- a time when the nation stood more in need of the special experience and sympathy of womanhood in Government affairs in such pressing questions as housing.,, dearer food, education and intemperance." If, as the Chancellor says, three-fourths of the Liberals and one-fourth of the Conservatives are in favour of; woman's enfranchisement^ there! can be no doabt as to the full measure being passed. The advice of other statesmen, that the women should concentrate their energies. upon the so-called Conciliation:. .Bill—a .....measure that would give votes to only onefourth of the women—may well be disregarded. The opponents of woman's franchise. are trying the old tactics of '' Divide and conquer." They may . divide some of the women, for many of the prominent " suffragettes" are women of wealth and title, who would doubtless be content with the restricted N franchise ; but now that earnest men have taken up the agitation, on democratic grounds, they will not be diverted from their purpose by the specious pleas of the "conciliation party.