The Birmingham age-herald., 1914-11-03
MRS. WARDA|DS ENGL|SRWOMEN
 TOWARD BALLOT Head of Anti-Suffragists Has Won More Than
 All Agitators
WORK INTERRUPTED
 BY PRESENT WAR
Joint Advisory Committee Will Re- sume Its Meeting in House of Commons as Soon as
 Hostilities Cease

London, october 17-(Special)-By one of the ironies of politics, Mrs. Humphrey Ward, who is generally looked upon here ar the head and front of the anti-suffra- gists, has been largely influential in an undertaking that has given women more power in English legislation than has been won by all the agitation in other directions. The thing has been done so quietly that practically nothing has been written about it, although it seems to have 8 significance far beyond the con- siderable actual results it has already accomplished.
 The most important of those results up to date is the fact that, during the last session of Parliament, important changes and alterations in several gov ernment bills affecting the welfare of women were secured. This wns due to the efforts of powerful body, principal lv composed of prominent women work CTS, but also numbering no less than 25 members of Parliament, which was called Into being by Mrs. Ward, at whose London house. In fact, It's first meetings were held. This body calls itself the joint advisory committee, and It's avowed object is to bring pressure-the pressure of the considered judgment of the best feminine brains in the country-on Par liament in all such matters as affect the women, and particularly the children, of Great Britain.
 Quite lot of the 50-odd women of rote, who are members of this commit tee, are the possessors of titles, but each and every one of them is also distin- guished by reason of her practical ac- ouaintance and work in connection with the leading economic questions of the day. while the others are we'll known authorities on social work, the majority of whom either hold government posts or are members of local or public bodies such as royal commissions, county or town councils, departmental committees, board of guardians. school management committees, etc.
 Distinguished Women Members
 Among the titled women mentioned are Countess Ferrers. president of the Personal Service league; Viscountess St. Cyres, head of the Hampshire County Nursing association; Lady Aberconway, whose husband is one of the powers at the local government board: Lady Ed mund Talbot and Lady Dorothy Wood, both of whom are renowned for their work in connection with social reform. Other distinguished literary women be- sides Mrs Ward herself, who are mem- rers of the committee, are Mrs. W. L.. Courtney, the wife of the famous literary critic, and Mrs. J. s. Spender. whose hus- hand Is editor of the Westminster Ga- zette, while the official members include such recognized authorities as Miss Ethel Pickersgill- Cunliffe, the chairman of the advisory board in connection with female convicts; Miss c. Keeling of the Ken sjngton Borough council; the Hon. Mrs. Bernard Mallet of the Banstead Poor Law schools, and the Hon. Mrs. Eliot Yorke of the Women's Total Abstinence union. The members of Parliament who belong to the committee include Sir Charles Nicholson, Bart, who is it's chairman; !. W. Hills of Durham, Sir William An- son, Chiozza Money; Lord Arthur Thyme. who sits for Bath, and w. G. c. Glad stone. who is, of course, a grandson of the famous statesman, to mention only the most renowned. The honorary secre- tary of the committee is Mrs. Humpnry Ward herself.
 So far as possible, the members of this joint advisory committee represent In equal proportion both the ministerial and unionist parties, and at the outset 1t was agreed that the question of female suffrage should be- excluded from the de- bates and action of the committee. Sit- ting in one of the Westminster hall com miftee rooms of the House of Commons itsaIf this influential body held monthly meetings from April to July of tile present year or until the parliamentary vaca- tton. with results which appeared to nyomise great things for the future.
 It received reports from subcommittee of women on the bills actually before Par liament and made arrangements to deal immediately in the House with the rec concentrations adopted. and so success fully, as has been said. that important changes in many of them were secured Such questions as the special treatment oe female prisoners, the establishment of play centers and of special schools for physically and mentally defective chil- dren Ca field of activity which Mrs. Ward has made peculiarly her own and in which she has taken a leading part, and the eligibility of women for service on various administrative bodies were dealt with. and the experiment proved so interesting to all concerned that 1t cer- tainly will be revived in quieter times. The scene in the committee room was quite unprecedented. and the members of Parliament who attended were SC