Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1909-11-21
ARMY OF WOMEN FOR THE FRAY
SPECTACULAR FEATURE OF
COMING BRITISH ELECTION.
Feminine Canvassers to Far Out
number the Men in All Parts
Of the Country.

Special CaLIegram to The Star.
LONDON. November 2O-When one
sees flaming news placards on the street
reading, The House of Lords Declares
Civil War;" and the radical press
shrieks that the revolution has already
begun. 1t begins to appear that there is
something doing in Great Britain. The
only reason for these Mysteries, to be
sure. is the announced intention of the
leader of the majority in the upper
house to refuse assent to the budget
until the country has had an oppor-
tunity to pass verdict upon the radi-
cal measure.
But the agitation is not as absurd as
this fact would lead one to believe.
England is more deeply stirred at the
present moment than at any time liz
modern political history. Public opin-
ion, however. can only be described as
chaotic. There is no clearly Defined
question before the country which must
be decided In January among the mex
tricable mass of conflicting issues on
which no thinking elector can be OF
one opinion.
The government would like to fight
the battle on the question of the constl-
tutional rights Of the second chamber.
They will not succeed in making this
even paramount Could they do so their
success would be more than doubtful.
considering the democratic terms CT
the lords protest.
Real Issue Tariff or Free Trade.
The unionists, if they had their way
would make war in general terms against
the general socialistic policy of the gov
eminent, but the issue which will chiefly
decide the election will really be the aues-
ton of tariff or free trade. This Is SO
complicated with other budget matters,
some general and some local, that no
body on either side is willing TO commit
himself to definite prophecy as TO the
result.
In fact, it is generally conceded that
the majority in the new parliament VIII
be small on either side. rms Will pe
unfortunate, for with the Irish members
holding the balance of power no settled
policy can be hoped for and another
election in the near future will be almost
inevitable. 10000.
America will hardly take much interest,"
in the tangle of British domestic poi,-
tics, but there is one feature or the END
ing campaign which will command Woriu-
wide attention. It is to be essentially an
amazon campaign.
Nav Prove Decisive Factor.
The moment parliament is dissolved a
great army of women will plunge into the
fray. This does not mean the suf-
fragettes alone. These will number
a beggarly quarter of million &C
cording to their own figures. No doubt
they will furnish the most picturesque
and exciting features of the feminine
section of the struggle but millions or
women will take an active part in the
campaign. This has long been a promi-
nent phase Of English elections, but this
year the woman canyassers will far out
number the men In all parts of the coun-
try. Their work and influence has by no
means been unimportant in the past, and
this year they represent the largest I'M
known factor in the campaign.
The suffragettes will work unanimously
against the government. Their efforts.
those of the militant section at all
events, will cut both ways. and it Is an
open question: perhaps. whether they will
most help or damage their own cause, but
the question of votes for women" may
prove the decisive factor in a close fight.