WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

Evening Post, Volume LXXV, Issue 08, 10 January 1908, Page 7

WOMEN'S RIGHTS.

! IMPOSSIBLE TO WITHHOLD THE SUFFRAGE. By Telegraph.— Press Association.— Copyright. LONDOX, B.UI January. The Right Hon. R. B. Haldane, Secretary of State for War, addressing the Liberal Social Council in Glasgow, said it must soon be recognised that it was impossible to /withhold tho suffrage from women. The Daily News recently urged the Liberal party to boldly concede the demand for women's suffrage, which, it says, would be only an elementary act of justice. Ministers' lives have 'been made fairly miserable during the recess ; at all their meetings they were unmercifully heckled by the advocates of women's rights, and no *3oubt, as may bo inferred from Mr. Haldane'e admission, the tinio is not far distant when a measure will be introduced in Parliament giving the women the concession they have fought for with so much energy. During tho course of a speech at West Leeds in November, the Home Secretary, Mr. Gladstone, was greatly annoyed by the' suffragettes. He pointed to the inclusion of domestic servants in the Workmen's Compensation Act, and to legislation with respoct to laundries as proof that the Government had treated women with every consideration. He asked the women of England* to get together. (A Voice: "Here we are!" and great uproar.) "You are nor," retorted the speaker; "there are thousands and tens of thousands of women in this country who desire the franchise, but won't rak-e a finger to get it so long as these ridiculous measures ara going on." At this point there was more interruption, originating in that part of the hall in which Miss Adela Pankhurst was the solitary female ligure. There were cries of indignation at her frequent interferences, and these led to some counter cries and general uproar. After this had continued for some littlo time Mr. Gladstone abruptly tat down, remarking, "I am not going to struggle against the absurd measures that have been adopted." A female voiqe at the back of th'c room: "Then withdraw your opposition to our demand?."