WOMEN IN THE BRITISH ELECTIONS

Dominion, Volume 18, Issue 97, 19 January 1924, Page 15

WOMEN IN THE BRITISH ELECTIONS

taE “REAL, ISSUES” STATED BY FAIR ELECTORS

With Mrs. Chalmers Watson, M.D., C.8.E., as chairman Viscountess Rhondda, as vice-chairman and a directorate consisting of Mrs. Helen A. Archdale Miss Cicely Hamilton, Mrs. 11. B. Irving, Lady Llewellyn, Miss Rebecca West, and Mrs. Wintringham, M.P., it ,will be r®a d i!y understood that “Time and Tide” wall deal ably with the grave political and social problems which face the British people. In the number recently to hand the following article is of deep interest: —

The remedy must he mysterious.

How else is the patient to believe in it? So-said the old physicians, so say

the modern politicians. may he that the party that had the courage to be straightf»ward and honest and simple would find that it paid in the end. The politician who has the courage to bo honest is almost always a, popular figure. And it seems likely that the party which found somehow the courage to face facts and say so, to admit that it was i ot possible to

achieve the Millennium at a jump,

but aimed only at taking the next few simple and obvious steps forward on the long uphill road towards better conditions, would reap that reward which honest men r,p to-day. What would such a party say ?, Let us consider for a moment what are the essentia] duties of the Government of any State. First, it must do everything in its power to ensure pcate abroad, since its first business is to stand guard at the gates 'f the home land. Second, it is its business to represent the nation, rnd to represent it worthily in the councils of the

wcfrld. Third, it must keep the ring, that is it must see 'to it that all citizens have equal rights, equal opportunities, and equal justice. And no Government can be said to ensure this unless it is also able to ensure that everv child born into its country has a fair chance of growing up into a healthy, happv, ' and moderately weill-educated citizen. Lastly, it is the business of the Government to act as a shock absorber. That is to say, that when some sudden and temporary disaster, such as the present

terrible unemployment crisis, arises, •* it is tho business of the Government to do what it can to mitigate its force. Assuming that these are the chief functions of government, what would be the programme of a reasonable party at the present juncture? It must stand for five things:— First and foremost, peace and goodwill with other nations and among other nations. This is its frst duty, and on this it must first concentrate, rot onlv because it is the primary duty of every Government to stand guardian at the gate, but also because only through peace abroad can conditions at home become bearable. A reasonable party would not allow any domestic considerations, any possibility of tpartyjj advantage, any protection or capita] levy programme to turn its eyes from this its first duty at such a time as the present. Second, the practical party must deal with tho present unemployment. There is only one thing that is going to cure' that, and in his heart every politician knows it, peace :nd reconstruction throughout the world. Only a world at peace can giye Great Bri-

tain work. Until peace is achieved palliatives there mav bo and must be: more than this can W t be hoped for. Nevertheless, these palliatives are essential. and a party which is to be worthy of support must recognise that, tho alleviation of unemployment has the first claim on the resources of the nation, and that it must le dealt with on constructive' and not on hand-to-mouth lines. Is it too much to ask that work of national importance shall be organised, as Ladv Astor has suggested. “for skilled as well as unskilled workers, and for women os well as men ?”

Third, close attention —much more genuine attention than has yet been given—must be paid to the housing question. A, child born in the slums does not have affair chance cf reaching maturity unaffected bv its surroundings, whilst overcrowding is responsible for half the. social evils of to-day. Slum clearance, will never he effectively tackled.*except * y tho State, and the State make up its mW to tackle slums in a much Jess halfhearted'fashion than, it has yet done. Fourth, temperance. This country does not want prohibition, hut it does want freedom from the thrall of drink and the drink trade. Fifth, the needs of children. Children nre now inadequately protected and inadequately educated. There nre three' crymg needs for them to-day. Widows with young children must receive pensions. Illegitimate children must be safeguarded. Children must be educated up to the age of 16.

Sixth, women must Ire treated as equal citizens with men. Mothers must be given equal rights of guardianslrn over their children with fathers. The holes in the Sex Disqualification (Removal) Act must be stopped up. So we have peace: —work—houses— temperance—better conditions for children—equality between men and women. Half the parties will admit these things at the tail ends c f their programmes, of course, in the place where they put the things which catch votes but don’t mean business. But where is tho party that will make these its real, solid party planks?