RUMANIAN WOMEN GAIN VICTORY.

Star (Christchurch), Issue 18960, 6 January 1930, Page 13

RUMANIAN WOMEN GAIN VICTORY.

INTERESTING LETTER FROM PRINCESS. Mrs J. Carlile M’Donnell, who is acting-president of the Australian Federation of Women Voters, has received an interesting letter from the Princess Alexandrine Cantacuzene, of Rumania, whom she met when at Geneva as a substitute delegate to the League of Nations, states an Australian exchange. . Mrs M’Donnell described the Princess as a charming woman of great ability, the best-known woman after the Queen and Helene Vacaresco, the poet, in Rumanian public life. During the war she ran the largest hospital in Bucharest, and during the occupation of her country she organised kitchens for children and mothers, and did much to relieve the sufferings of prisoners in the concentration camps. A consistent worker for peace, the Princess took the first step, after the country had been divided by suffering and hatred during the war, to draw together the women of different races and religion in Rumania. She writes:—“My dear Colleague,—l have satisfaction in acquainting you with the news of the great victory gained by the Rumanian women in having obtained the right to vote, and also eligibility for the Commune, the Municipality, and the Department. They will take part in the elections of November, 1929. The law passed in August, 1929, says: “All women of twenty-one years of age belonging to the following categories have the right of voting and of eligibility: (1) These having followed a course of lower secondary education, or a course at normal and professional schools. (2) All women civil servants in the State, the Commune and the Department. (3) War widows. (4) Those having received honours for exceptional services. (5) Those who on the date of the proclamation of the present Act are at the head of societies charitable or cultural, women of recognised legal and moral standing. “The repercussion that this law is going to have in the political structure of Rumania is considerable. The thoughtful and serious attitude, the Rumanian women have adopted in regard to their great victory proves their fitness for it, and also how fully they realise the great responsibility it entails. It is an unprecedented .success, Ten years ago feminism in Rumania was non-existent: to-day, thanks to the Society for Promotion of Common Interests, Rumanian women have obtained part of their rights, and -n November the law according to them full civil rights will be voted. ine Society for the Promotion of Common Interest has nobly fulfilled its great work, and we are proud and happy to register this great victory of the Rumanian women “The fact that universal suffrage on the same terms as men has not been granted is due first to the resistance of the peasants, the husbands absolutely refusing to allow their wives to take part in politics; secondly, to the lack of education amongst the wives themselves. The fact that few of them are able either to read or write would render difficult their participation in politics. Nevertheless, in the near future these restrictions will also vanish Henceforward on us falls the work ot preparing these women and helping them to become enlightened and intelligent citizens.—Yours sincerely, (Princess) Alexandrine Cantacuzene.