The times dispatch. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1903-1914, 1913-01-25
Suffrage Battle Now Is
Raging in House of
Commons.
BILL LIKELY TO
. BE WITHDRAWN
Feeling Is General That Meas
ure Will Be So Mutilated by
Amendments That Govern
ment Will Not Push 1t to
Conclusion -Harcourt
Makes Bitter Attack.

London. January a.-The critical
stage in the forty-nve-year struggle to
obtain votes for women a struggle
which was started in the House of
commons by John Stuart Mill IN
1867. was reached this afternoon.
Alfred Lyttelton Immediately after
question time" moved the amendment
to eliminate the word male from the
franchise reform bill. The mover
arguments were along familiar lines
He urged that the trend of recent legis-
lation was TO call women into the coun-
sells of the nation. Already, he said.
women had been called 20 assist In
numerous departments.
Attacks His Colleagues.
Lewis Hsrcourt. Secretary OF state
for the Colonies. who has not forgotten
the attempt made some months ago oy
tho suffrsgettes 10 burn down his an
cestraI home at Nuneham Park. made
a bitter assault on won ans suffrage and
on his colleagues in he Cabinet, SIT
Edward Grey mad David Lloyd George
The adoption of methods of vol
Ience. % he urged. lis an indication OF the
type OF mental balance We may expect
from women IL they get the vote
MIR. Harcourt averred that Sir Ed
ward Grey and David Lloyd George
were attempting tc use the parliament
act to pass a proposal which had never
been before the electors and which
would gravely imperii the stability OF
that admirable amendment TO the
British constitution
II am against any form of parliament
tary suffrage for women, on the ground
that it is bad for the State and bad Tor
the women themselves ] do not be-
iieve the majority OF women want the
vote II it were given them II would con-
tribute nothing TO the happiness OF
their homes or the safety OF the coun-
try"
Mr.. Harcourt maintained that il wo-
men were TO be enfranchised the policy
of adult suffrage would be the only one
consistent with political honesty and
public Justice
why does the chancellor of the ex-
cheauer desire TO exclude 1910 ,ooe work
ing womenY' ne asked. Surely not
because they are mainly domestic ser
wants. The chancellor of the exchequer
does not fear to take their pence for
insurance Does he fear 70 take their
opinions"
Replies to Harcourt.
Lord Hugh Cecil said of the speech
by MIR Harcourt:
His antipathy 10 the Grey amend
ment suggests that he has been re-
Gently spanked or has never got over
the indignity of being born of woman
Lord Hugh characterized MI Har-
courts speech as the most damaging ne
ever heard agains. the present govern
ment.
The government won the preliminary
skirmist on the bill last night The
amendment proposed By 4 ndrew Bonar
Law. the opposition leader. TO reject
the Premier's time limitations in the
debate was defeated
At 8 O'Clock the discussion was I'D
iourned until Monday, when leaders
onboth sides are to be heard from
The feeling was general IN the lobbles
of the House that the government
ould decide to Withdraw the bill. IN
view of the Speaker srecent ruling that
the character of the measure would De
so changed by the amendments fnat
il would practically become a new bill