Omaha daily bee. (Omaha [Neb.]) 187?-1922, 1906-04-22
BRITISH SOLONS IN SESSION
An American Woman's Experiences in the
House Of Commons.
FEATURES OF THE NEW PARLIAMENT
why women Spectators Are Obliged
60 Go Away Back and SIT Down
Behind UnfriendIy Iron
Lattice.

respondent and globe-girdler, contributes
to Leslie's Weekly an illuminatlve pen
picture Of the British House of Commons
In session and the difficulties women ex-
perience in securing admission to the
chamber. The letter follows;
Never before, perhaps, in the history Of
this country has the public eye been so
resolutely and expectantly fixed upon its
body of legislators as it is just now. Never
before has such a parliament been housed
in the proud, old beautiful building nigh
the river Thames as that which now by
turns horrihes, amuses, astounds, annoys,
and gratlfes the British public. In Amer
lea our lawmakers are so far removed from
the general public that we are infrequently
! drawn into their strifes and dificulties.
/ We read reportorial versions OF their do
| ings in washington, but, as q rule, these
make only the haziest sort OF an impress
sion and we are satisfied to let them 60
their own way. however bunglingly, 50
long as nothing blatantly disgraceful is
attempted ana nothing OF particular ma
tional interest is under discussion. But not
30 In England. The house Of parliament
/ is the nations heart. 1t is situated in the
very midst Of the nations greatest activity.
II IL sermons in stone" to the busy
throngs that daily pass and repass within
/ It's Ildny loWeTeu bnhuOMb. II IL lHe uedT
and eloquent representative Of the spirit
Of Britain. a spirit SO insistently alive that
only it's insistence is necessary to make
and unmake laws. So, whatever is done
by the legislators sent by the nation to de-
liberate within its honored chambers is Of
paramount Importance to the public and is
more freely and more frequently discussed
than any other topic Of the hour.
Intereet in Politics.
Women show almost a greater interest
in English politics than men do, and not
to be up on the latest debate before 1.-THE
house" is to be quite disqualified for social
existence. Is 1t an ''at home" where
women gather to drink tea and gossip, or
discuss things purely feminine? The sub
ject invariably turns upon some conspicu-
Gus member OF Parliament or upon some
issue before the house. Mousy little Eng
lish women, whose looks belle their pos
session of any mentality beyond that which
is proverbially sufficient to keep them in
out Of the wet, will sit up and discuss fiscal
reform, free trade, colonial administration,
home rule and such things by the hour,
and with such refined astuteness, indeed,
as would make the oldest parliamentarian' s
head ache. II may be a dinner party, and
things may be moving along in the usual
pohgs OAut IG1AAuA party SNylt u lNASA
to English dinner parties, not American),
when somebody carelessly observes that
Winston Churchill makes him tired, and
that Great Britain has come to a pretty
pass when its government must be in
trusted to the tender mercies of such an
assembly as the present House of Com
mons. Bing! Winston Churchill is one
Of the eleverest men in England! Grant
you he is little raw on colonial admins
tration, but he is young yet. And just you
wait. He can't pass measures by him
self. any way. and his clever speeches are
certainly entertaining Some woman says
this who has spent afternoons In the wom-
ems gallery and knows Then the discus
sion becomes fast and furious. and some OF
the little impromptu and unreported
speeohessthat issue from smiling, carmined
lips would do much execution IL they were
Numbered from bench in the House OF
Commons Too bad English women cannot
have a voice in English politics; they are
such clever little politicians. They doubt
less have, In fact, but it is this same still
small voice that Is heard across dinner
, tables or through the vapors of a fragrant
| cup OF tea. From the great, beautiful
Gothic palace in Westminster, so allurine
{ because so exclusive, woman is barred like
. an alien criminal, and red indeed is the
/ tape which must be unwound in reels be.
J fore she can be admitted to even a screened
t and wholly unsatisfactory view OF the au.
gust body composed OF her unheroio mer
folks.
Coveted Honor.
One day recently received note from
, friend who has been for years a member
! OF this same august body" saying he in
closed a seat for the ladies' gallery for tho
following Wednesday. ana hoped coult
come, as there would be an interesting
debate. The ticket" was only card ad
dressed to the honorable member himself
saying that his ballot for seats in tn,
ladies' gallery had been drawn on a certain
date. and that he would be entitled to on,
on the following wednesday. This wa
to present to the guard at the entrance ant
would be conducted to my place. didn'
I know anything about the House OF Com
q mons then. 1 knew more or less abou
a what was going on there. because on tina
q subject information is being CONSTANT,
n thrust upon one, but had never seen tn
! inside Of the house. 90 ! accepted the invita-
e ton with great glee. ! hadn't even hear,
what the ladies' gallery was like Blu
! ignorance was bliss, and fondly imagine,
4 myself enjoying long afternoon in a com
r Portable seat In a beautiful big, airy gal
n lery overlooking, TO the best possible ad
e vantage, a spirited scene beneath. pu
o on pretty clothes and strutted down 70 m,
e club In Piccadilly for luncheon. so / woul
e be sure to arrive at the house later thai
o the appointed hour. 1t was a glorious day
i the first I had seen since last Novembe
s in New York. and / wanted to stay out Il
e IL, but wanted more TO go into the Hous
OF Commons. I felt profoundly gratihe'
n when my cabby drove at last through tn
d great iron gate which leads into the in
= closure behind Westminster hall upo
which had CARED so often from the bridg
: above. He didn't seem quite certain wher
e 1 wanted to go,
d ITO the 'Ouse, ma ann
IS Yes, to the ladies entrance"
n Dreams Shattered.
He looked at me doubtfully and the
stopped to ask policeman at the gat
II 1t was all right. 1t was; so he drov
on under the archway into a great. dar
= court. There wasn't any broad doorwa
leading into a marble corridor throug
which I could sweep 10 an ''alabaster stair
case" as I rosily imagined there woul
be. There was Just an ordinary httl
J. wooden door set II a solid. smileless blan
y stone wall and guarded by just an ordinar
d little wooden bobby This bobby heIpe
ie me down and led the way for me into tn