The Richmond palladium and sun-telegram. [volume] (Richmond, Ind.) 1907-1939, 1912-02-12
Totes FOR WOMEN
IS LEADING TOPIC
Which Will Confront British
Parliament When 1t
Meets Thursday.
(NatJonal News AssociatIon)

(NaO004l news Ao0oc1AtIon)
LONDON, Feb. 12.-ChancellCi
Lloyd.0eorge openly and vehemently
championing the cause Of votes foi
women" and Premier Asquith set
Sternly against it-that Is the situation
among the government leaders on the
suffrage question AZ the opening OF
Parliament draws near. When the ma
tional legislature convenes next Thurs
day there will begin the greatest fight
for enfranchisement Of women in the
history Of the British Empire.
The taking UP the cudgel for equal
suffrage by the Chancellor OF the Ex-
chequer marks an epoch In the evolu-
ton OF the suffrage question. Never
before has q high government official
in England espoused the cause. The
fact that he and the Prime Minister
are at loggerheads on such an intense
issue 10 commented on by some as
signalling the advent OF a national
crisis.
Other big and just as important
problems will be threshed out during
the coming session OF Parliament.
dominant among them being the clash
over Home Rule for ireland, but not
even Home Rule will develop more
spectacular fight than that over stuff
rage.
Cabinet 10 Divided.
a sharp line Of demarcation divides
the entire cabinet into two hostile
camps. While the ants led by Pre-
mier Asquith. have majority OF the
holders OF portfolios on their side. their
margin numbers only two. They also
have considerably more followers in
Parliament. enough 30 as to make sue
cess for suffrage at the coming SEES
sion a possibility only by means Of UNI
forseen developments that would be
regarded as little short of miracles.
but the fight will be just as fiercely
and strenuously fought by Lloyd
George and his associates as II they
had tangible things on which to hinge
expectations Of victory. The suffrage
sympathixers are hoping to create 30
much sentiment for Votes for Women
at the coming session that the PROPOSE.
ton will be due for passage In the
next Parliament.
The National Anti.Suffrage league
on the one hand and the National Un-
ion Of Women Suffrage societies on
the other are laying their plans deep
~ for the final strokes Of the cam
paign, which will be waged with fierce
zeal by both sides.
The Chancellor has made bold
enough to request the arrangement OF
meeting to create sentiment for suff-
rage. and It will be held a week from
next Saturday IN Albert Hall. eight
days after the opening Of Parliament
and Just about the time that things
win begin to move in the House. As
time goes on. 1t becomes more and
more apparent that the difference over
the suffrage question threatens to
cause rupture between I.loyd-George
and the Premier. Already animosity
exists between them. and 1t is pre-
dicted that before the session is far
advanced, they will be directly fight
ing each other ON q personal basis.
II Is difficult to see how disaster to
the Liberal party can be averted. The
more thoughtful Liberals confess they
are disturbed at the serious danger
which IL looming ahead. Looking at
the Liberal party. we find the cabi-
net. the Ministry. Ministeralists in the
House of Commons. and Liberals in
the constituencies divided into two
hostile camps.