Omaha daily bee., 1910-01-30
AMERICAN WIVES CGNVASSED
Woman's WorA a Feature of the
English Election.
SOME OF THE RECENT WORKERS
Important Part Taken by the English
Woman i'm POIitics-American'
wives OF EngIishmen quick
20 Adopt the Custom.

LONDON, Jan. 1S.-One of the interesting
features Of the recent political campaign
In Great Britain was the part women
played In it. Not only were there some
5000 %suffragists and suffragettes>speaking
and working for their cause regardless Of
all others, but there we're thousands OF
other women who canvassed for votes from
door to door so as to aid husband. brother.
father or friend to gain a seat In Parlia-
ment.
London was a social desert owing to the
absorption OF women in politics. Shops.
dressmakers' establishments and milliners'
showrooms were empty. The English
woman laid down her role Of hostess and
housewife and took up that of public
speaker and ~canvasser. Instead Of dis
pensing tea in her drawing room and chat
ting about the latest play. she tramped
from house to house to discuss with the
butcher and the baker OF Mrs. Butcher and
Mrs. Baker the merits or eeils Of free
trade. of land taxes, etc.
She supplied herself with figures and sta
tistics. She was prepared to meet any
question. and II a voter appeared to be
wavering in his views she would argue
with him as skilfully and convipclngly as
the candidate himself.
Canvassing in England has been reduced
TO a science. There is a certain constitu-
ency to be contested and perhaps three
men are running, a liberal, a conservative
and a labor candidate At the headquarters
of each party there are election agents who
TAX charge of the canvassers. They pro
vide every voluntary worker for their
party with books containing the names and
addresses Of all the residents in the neigh
hOrhnnI Tyo,h ronrraggar hos a ,artato
number Of these residents apportioned to
her to visit.
II she finds that some Of them are of her
own party she merely marks them as such
and just chats with them about the prob
able outcome of the election, their own af-
fairs, etc. If they are of one Of the oppos-
ing parties she marks them according to
their convictions and does her best to
change their opinions, but 1t Ia when a
voter is Indifferent or undecided that she
has her opportunity.
She marshals her statistics and states
her arguments. Sometimes she accom-
plishes a great deal, sometimes she makes
little impression. In any case she marks
dCwn that voter as possible, and from
that time till the election takes place the
possible one receives more attention than
he ever had before. He receives calls
all day and half the night. His home
becomes a hunting ground Of the various
political parties. AS a matter of fact
nc generally enjoys this very much.
1t is in rural districts that the woman
caLvasser is most useful because men
workers of this kind are scarce there.
The men may be anxious to help but have
only evenings at their disposal. and can
v@ssing In these lonely parts must be done
In the daytime. The farmer must be seen
when he is in his fields working, or better
still, resting at MONDAY or teatime.
The woman canvasser trudges through
the field in search of him, and II she under
stands Hodge and his little way and can
interest him in her arguments she is a
valuable asset to the local agents.
Perhaps nothing shows the adapta-
bility OF the American woman better than
the way she accepts this feature of Eng
lish life. In her own country she takes
a small and very rarely a personal inter-
est in the political situation. She marries
an -Englishman who contests a constltu-
ency and she is as willing and able to help
him as are the English wives Of candi-
dates who have been born and bred in
this atmosphere OF political struggle.
In the recent canvass there were more
American political workers than ever
before. They laid aside all other interests
and spent their time visiting electors
or their wives, discussing political ques-
tions with them and pointing out the
best way to vote making addresses and
appearing with their husbands on the plat
forms at political meetings, always deeply
and intelligently Interested, always charm
ingly dressed and always a great factor
in the situation.
This year Waldorf Astor ran for ParlIa-