THE WAR FRANCHISE

Evening Post, Volume XCII, Issue 40, 16 August 1916, Page 7

THE WAR FRANCHISE

WOMEN'S UNDENIABLE CLAIMS

GOVERNMENT'S EMERGENCY PRO

POSALS.

LONDON, 15th 'August, In the House of Conimons Mr. Asquith (the Prime Minister), introducing the Parliament and Local Elections Bill, said that it would be impossible in these war circumstances to more than construct a rough makeshift. The war had caused' tlie greatest dislocation; of the population in, history, not only in. sending soldiers abroad, but also among the war workers at Home. Everyone was agreed that a General Election at the front would be unthinkable. Moreover, the munition workers' claims could not be overlooked, but these claims brought them face to face with the "women's claims. He felt bound to say that he found their representations unanswerable. The women were willing to abide by existing conditions, but if new classes were enfranchised, for services to the State it would be impossible to deny the women's claim tha.t they had rendered as effective services as any class. Also, they would have a special claim to be heard in after-war questions. He had been a life-long opponent of women's suffrage, but he could not deny these claims. Nothing could be more injurious than reopening such complicated questions. The Government .proposed to provide for exceptional conditions. The period of qualification would be postponed to Ist November, enabling the new electoral register to operate next May. All soldiers, sailors, and war workers on the existing register would be placed on the new register. Mr. Asqnith concluded that •at this time, when the war had reached a happy and promising stage', requiring our absofate concentration, the Government was unanimous in the opinion that it would be impossible to consider tlie laTger questions involved in the revision of' the franchise.

Sir Edward Carson agreed that a General Election at present was impossible, but they ought to have the register ready. An eight months' extension 'of the present Parliament was too long. The enfranohibement of , soldiers and sailors did not involve gTeater difficulties than the Government's proposals. The Government was doing them a grave injustice. Women's suffrage stood in. a different category. He recognised' that they had arrived at a critical stage of the war, when they1 could anticipate happy developments in the near future. He was anxious to have a register which would enaible the country to express its views upon critical after-war problems.