The Washington times., 1917-03-27
ELECTORATE
OPPOSED IN BRITAIN
Radical Changes After the War
Predicted-Home Rule
Soon for Ireland.

LONDON, March 27.-The lesson Of
the Russian revolution has not been
learned by the Bourbons of England.
A compromise electoral scheme has
been recommended by a coalition con-
ference. but 1t Is far from being
democratic franchise yet. A section
Of the Conservatives will oppose IT in
the House of Commons tomorrow. 1t
is clear that the forceful leadership
of Lloyd George is proving irksome
to the reactionaries, and they would
like to get an election soon on the
antiquated register, in the hope of
stopping progressive reform
Such people are strangely out of
touch with the opinions of the work
ers and of the fighting men. The men
who have been lighting In the
trenches and suffered from the
scourge of war are not going to ht
into the old political machine when
they return, and will not be tied to
old party shibboleths. but will in
fuse a strong democratic and progress
sive sentiment into public life. The
Russian revolution will not have been
lost upon them. They will resent the
idea embodied in q compromise fran
chise that a man should have a vote
because OF the property he owns, and
they will insist that the mass of the
people shall obtain a greater share
in the wealth which the nation pro-
duces, with a greater part in choos-
ing their government.
II the British Bourbons do not ac-
cept the thin end of the wedge repre-
sented by this electoral reform
scheme to be discussed tomorrow.
they will in a few years time have
to take the thick end. 1t is the only
barrier which stands between them
and adult suffrage. England will be
a much more radical country after
the war. This is one of the compen-
sations, as a progressive sees it, for
the losses which we have suffered
and the price we have paid. The
same reactionary element which
would seek election on an unrepre-
sentative register full OF plural voters
Is opposed to a settlement in Ireland.
Such a policy would get little sup
port from the people were they free
to exercise their opinions. The settle
ment OF Ireland on a basis of home
rule is inevitable. 1t may be expect.
ed in the near future.
While the prime minister Is IN the
midst of political factions. he holds
himself .aloof from them He is sur
rounded by colleagues who are now
trusted friends. not, strictly speaking,
political partisans.
His own future Is of more concern
to other people than ii is to himself.
He is concentrating his faculties and
all his energies on the direction and
prosecution of the war. Nothing else
matters. He is to Great Britain what
Lincoln was to the North. His daily
task is to get bit more out of the
machinery for running the war and
increase by organization the coun-
try's capacity to endure.
The Internal situation. considering
that the country is between two food
seasons, is good. The policy of food
conservation is a necessary precau-
ton, and Is one of the means OF de-
feating the submarine campaign.
Voluntary rationing works well. and
the stocks of all vital articles of food
are certainly not decreasing. The Brit
ish people understand that submarine
campaign is the enemy's last des-
perate effort TO win stalemate peace
by starving the allies into submission,
and they are prepared to make the
sacrifices which the present grim sit
uation imposes.