The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1912-02-25
WOMEN OF ITALY
WILL ASK HEARING
First skirmish for Suffrage at
Coming Session OF Par
lament.
SEEK ONLY LIMITED VOTE
Right for the Present to Be
Granted to Those Who Have
University Degrees.
BY HENRY WOOD.

Especial Gable to The Times Dispatch.)
Rome. February 2i.--At the coming
sesEion OF Parliament the women OF
ish for suffrage.
The suffrage campaign In italy has
differed greatly from those in other
European countries. in tina. 1t has been
conducted with lack of publicity. II
has been exclusively In the hands OF
the educated women, AMI slnco not q
line about the struggle has scarcely
ever appeared In the public press. the
greater part OF the female pop ulution
Is not even aware Of the movement.
The tact. however, that the l.mited
number OF women, largely Roman mu
irons, VINO are back OF tho movement
are confident that they wiil be able 70
get e. hearing this year betor. purlia-
rlent would Indicate that they have
really done hard and extensive cam
prisn work.
The opportunity for setting the de-
sired Hill before Parliament comes from
the fact that the principal tenn OF
business that VIII be disposed of thls
year Id an electoral reform bill de-
s!sHed 10 grant practically universal
suffrage to all cI0Sses OF men III Italy.
4 he women are confident. therefore.
that The bill can be amenuau so that ut
least part OF their number Will be
Biven the right to vote.
However. TO offset this favorable OPP
portun!iy, lies the certainty that II the
clause for woInRns suffrage should
piov an ahstaClo 10 the passage Of
the electoral reform biz. IL would be
smothered without discussion. preinicr
GiplittVs elevation TO power and tn.
election OF Parliament TO back him
was based largely upon. his promise tor
GENERAL suffrage l.: Italy. and II Us ret
expected THAT mc wa! permit the efforts
% the women 20 stand IN the way OF
getting his pei measure through iar-
lament
Tne electoral reform bill is now IN
the hands OF commissl upon the
members OF which tae RCman uatrouA
are bringing influence TO sccu-e the IN
sert!On OF clause for women. SO far
they have been asked 10 reduce their
dSinund 10 the lowest possible terms
and have been assured thgt IL they do
.ot ask too much the clause may be
inECrted in the general reform bill
The woman's committee has there
fo.e decided 10 ask for the present on
j. that the right OF suffrage be grant
eli TO women laureate, or those who
have received university degrees In
secured the right OF franchise section
rs section. and the women feel that
their best chance for success is 10 de-
Mand the rgh, In the same manner
IN making their preliml nary demand
therefore, the women feel that they
VIII disarm the possibility OF opposi-
tion on the grounds OF both intel!ec.
tual and physical unf!tuess.
Naturally, even should the commits
sion agree TO insert this cause in the
electoral bill for the women II win
then be necessary TO secure permission
from Premier Giolitti, The Iron han
OF Italy TO allow IL to be discussed in
Parliament. However, all of the wo-
mon relatives of Giolitti are aligned
with the movement, ana the commit
tee In charge is depending entirely
upon these. through the subtle win
ming influences which the Italian wo-
man can always bring 10 bear, TO Sc
cure for them the desired permission.
Just how much this movement means
TO some OF the women who are dght-
ing 80 quietly for it. car possibly be
judged from the statement by Lady
Giacinta Martini Marcscheti, the found
e. OF the movement in italy. and who
Is Still It's leader.
~ have fought so much and suffer
ed so much for this IDEAL" she decler-
ed, II have bound to this hope so
much of my very life. that / would die
content IL we were able to attain Il,
even in the most infnitesimal part.
Put while we would be content now
even with the recognition of the right
OF women TO vote, we do not mean that
IL should apply only to the Intellectual
class for whom we are first dema ndinE
1t. believe that all women who work
and think should have this right, no
matter how humble they are But we
cannot hope to come to this grand con-
cession all at once and therefore, we
shall be satisfied if, as the men havo
done. we can approach 1t by degrees"