CHORUS GIRLS IN LORDS!

Evening Star, Issue 19326, 12 August 1926, Page 7

CHORUS GIRLS IN LORDS!

PEER'S AMUSING SUGGESTION “REFORM” OF THE UPPER CHAMBER. In the Houso of Lords Lord Birkan** head stated that a Cabinet Committee had presented a report to the Cabinet on the question of the reform of the Upper House, and upon that report a decision must be made in a reasonable time. The statement was made in a debate raised by Viscount Astor, who moved the second reading of the Parliament (Qualification of Peeresses) Bill. He said tiie object of the Bill was to enable peeresses in their own right to sit and vote in the House of Lords. 31 ! passed it would entitle twenty-two ladies to sit there. One of tho iadies who would be 'nullified under the Bill had recently boon called to tho Bar, and another was a, director in big financial concerns.

Lord Banbury, in moving the rejection of tho Bill, said if these ladies wanted to come to Parliament and legislate they could put up for election to tho House of Commons, and, if elected, they would acquire experience in that House. At a recent women’s meeting one of tho delegates said: “ For heaven’s sake let the males have one place in the country where they can live in peace.” (Laughter.) That was a very sensible remark. The Earl of. Birkenhead said: Supposing they had to nominate twentyfive worn fin to become members of that House, did anybody suppose that any one of the ladies in question would be nominated? Without any disparagement of tholadics, he said plainly that it was within tho knowledge of every member of that House there was not one _of those ladies who would ho nominated by any competent tribunal to that or any other Legislature. If that was not an exaggerated claim, surely it concluded tho whole question. If this reform' were desired it could be done in a perfectly rational way, hut upon what ha-sis ought the selection to bo made? .The matter was too clear t'or_ argument. The constituency from which women representatives must ho selected must ho tho whole population of the country The selection must not he limited to those twenty-five ladies who were peeresses by accident. If and when reform of the House was recommended by the Government, and tho country afforded women u place in that House, he would agree, hut he would never agree prematurely to a special privilege being given to a small and dlogically constituted class. Lord Newton said he could not s&a any_ analogy in the claim of women to sit in tho House of Commons and tho claim of these peeresses. He could not get uu any sympathy for them. In fact, he saw reasons why their claim should not he entertained. Tho House was too large, and should not ho further enlarged. 'What good would these ladles do whoa they came? Was it desired to attract a- number of peers who did not usually attend the House? Was the House to he made into a casino for the purpose of attracting young hloode who at present occupied themselves la other ways? (Laughter.) With all respect, he did not think these middleaged ladies would prove a great attraction. If they wanted to entice reluctant young bloods to come and attend the debates, it would be more efficacious if they introduced a number of chorus ladies. (Laughter.) He could only interpret the attitude of Labor Lords in one way—that thev desired to discredit the House. If there was a reform of the House, the latest arrivals would he the, first, to he excluded. The House divided, and tho second reading was defeated by 12.j> to SO.