VOTES FOR WOMEN

Evening Star, Issue 19533, 14 April 1927, Page 5

VOTES FOR WOMEN

NEW BRITISH PROPOSALS (Official British News.) Press Association —By Wireless—Copyright. RUGBY, April 12. Cabinet had again under consideration to-day the question of giving the vote to women of the age of twenty-one, and thus placing them on the same terms as men. At present women have a vote, under certain conditions, at the age of thirty. The idea of universal suffrage for women at twenty-one has come to the front as the result of the efforts of a section of the Conservative Party, but it is being vigorously opposed by other sections of the party. It is emphasised in these quarters that if the proposals were earned into effect a large majority of the constituencies would have more women voters than men. It is considered likely that the Government, before coming to a decision, will set up a conference representative of all parties to consider the matter. The Prime Minister is expected to announce the Government’s course of action before Parliament adjourns for Easter.

EQUALITY WITH MEN. CABINET’S DECISION. I’reiis Association —By Telegraph—-Copyright. LONDON, April 13. Reliable political correspondents assert that Cabinet, after successive deliberations, decided that Mr Baldwin’s pledge of 1924 must be carried out and votes conferred on women of the age of twenty-one and on all women precisely on the same terms as men. It is estimated that this equalisation of the .franchise will mean an addition to the electorate of between 4,500,000 and 5,000,000 women, and that;women will outnumber men at the next election by at least 2,000,000. Cabinet rejected equalisation by raising the age of men to twenty-five and lowering the ago of women. It is understood that the excess of women then would have been even greater. There was also a proposal to refer the matter tor a conference of all parties but Labor in advance refused to participate; Several Conservative papers strongly oppose “votes for girls.” Women at present get the vote at the age of thirty.