New-York tribune. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1866-1924, 1913-01-24
Speaker of House of Commons
Makes a Ruling Which May
Cause Government to
Drop the Bill.
ASQUITH MAJORITY is So
If Word Male" Is Struck Out,
Franchise Bill Will Have
To Be Read First and
Second Time All
Over Again.

London. Jan. 2l-The Speaker yes
,rday dropped bombshcll into the
ranks Of supporters of woman suffrage
Answering a point of order raised by
Mir. Bonar Law. he made il quite
plain that if any form Of woman suf-
bill he will rule that the measure has
been so materially altered that it in
effect is not the same bill that was
first introduced to the House and that
therefore fresh bill must be intro
duced.
This ruling created big sensation in
the House, and the general impression
among members last night was that IL
means farewell TO the aspirations of
the women. for al this late period Of the
session il would be impossible for the
government TO draft and carry through
all its stages a new bill, and next ses-
sion's bills will be no longer under the
sheltering egis of the Parliament act
j. C.. il will no longer be possible to
send them up thrice in the lifetime of
this Parliament TO the House Of Lords.
On a Point Of Order.
\ situation of profound gravity is
thus clearly sprung upon the House.
only few hours previously deputa-
ton of women had been assured in
tones of the utmost solemnity that the
Of in hn an
the suffrage question was to be full
filled, and now the whole movement is
to he sidetracked on point of order.
Whatever view is taken of the merits
Of the amendments. it is clear that the
grievance felt by many women and adj
mitted by Sir Edward Grey and Mr..
Lloyd George, will be accentuated
hundredfcld through this eleventh hour
decision OF the Speaker. Tho fear 10
that il will lead to . serious and wide
spread outburst Of resentment, in view
Of the tarele into which the question
has developed.
\ Cabinet council will be held be-
fore to-day's Parliamentary session
begins. It is considered inevitable that
the government will drop the bill.
The Daily Chronicle" advises the
government to drop. the present bill,
thus sacrificing manhood suffrage, and
give facilities for the immediate dis
cussion of alternative bills correspond
ing to each of the amendments, with
the assurance that any bill 80 passed
would enjoy the same advantages as It
would have enjoyed as any successful
amendment Of the present bill in re-
spect to the operation of the Parlia-
rnent act and at the same time adopt
Harold Bakers bill for the abolition
Of plural voting which has already been
passed its second reading.
First Victory 10 for ANTS"
Another evil augury for success to-
day was the result Of the preliminary
skirmish on the franchise bill in the
House OF Commons last night. Tn"
amendment proposed by Andrew Bonar
Law, the Opposition leader to reject
he Premler's time limitations in the
debate was defeated by vote Of 259
to 1871 indicating majority Of Us be-
hind Mr.. Asquith.
In moving the adoption OF the time
to BILE. the Premier said that opinion on
woman suffrage was so sharply divided
on both sides OF the House that II was
impossible for any government to pro-
pose the enactment Of vote for women.
While he himself was a strong OPP
ponent Of the policy, he realized that
this vas a great hardship on support
srs Of the movement. Therefore. with
the full consent Of the Cabinet, he had
decided 10 leave the question to the
free judgment OF the House.
London. Jan. 81 hope we shall win
on Monday" David Lloyd George, Chan
celor OF the Exchequer. to-day, told a
deputation Of suffragettes representing
the working women Of the British Isles
ri ho