El Paso herald. (El Paso, Tex.) 1901-1931, 1917-05-17
GREAT BRITAIN QUIETLY MOVES
TO OPEN SUFFRAGE TO WOMEN

= a ENTI0EED inconspicupusy most newspapers
Nj IS announcement that an electoral reform bill
L has been introduced IN the house Of commons OF
the English parliament providing for the enfrsnchsement
of women. Early in 1914 such announcement would
have created sensation
The text of the bill is not yet available The essential
feature of it. as conveyed in the cables that women
be qualified vote upon reaching 80 years OF age
The support of the government is behind the measure
1t was introduced By Walter H. Long, secretary Of state
Tor the colonies who announced that the government
would do its bring about the passage Of the bill
This Is measure of the kind for which the militant
women Of England fought spectacuarly and futIey
and for which Mrs. PankhurSt and some OF her most
ardeut companions went to jail after bombarding and
Practically mObbng the then premier Asquth and ms as
socates Il will be recalled that forcble feeding
the colorfu incidents of the campaign the authorities
being opposed to allowing the women suffrage campaign
CTS who we're Jailed TO die Of starvation when they
sorted TO hunger strikes Crowds of women paraded the
streets London They laid siege to the homes of mem
bers of the cabinet They sought to force entry TO me
residence of premier Asquh to attempt TO secure from
him pledges of support They delivered street harangues
engaged IN fights, and, in general earned on propa-
ganda Of such extreme v1gor that TO most people the
words militant suffraget" recalled to mind Carrie Ma
ten and her Ratchet
In the United States people were not in sympathy
with that sort of campaign. The suffrage fight in the
United has been in respects spectacular but
not at all violent. II has in many states success
where earnestly waged, and much quickly than the
Paukhurst methods IN England, partly because the men
of this country less Solidy inrenched behind Iadi
ton and prejudice than their English brothers.
However with the oncoming Of the war in 1914, the
rtants in London and elsewhere England agreed to
abandon their campaign the interest Of internal order
and concentration on problems. 1t was COMPARE
lively recently that sufragst leaders, noting govern
ment announcement that It prepared to grant q
measure of home rule Ireland remarked that the gov
eminent doubtless ready extend the liberty
TO women who had been seeking the franchise The
answer that the government was, indeed prepared
20 extend the franchise to at early date,
through customary parliamentary action
The day has arrived and the government IS under
taking to make good its promise by the introduction OF the
suffrage measure.
al~n
headway In II states vote equality With
men, and in 10 others they have partial suffrage.
President Wilson has heretofore stood out In opposition
TO such measures the Susan Anthony proposed amend
ment TO the federal constitution whereby suffrage
would be established throughout the nation by act OF
yress The president has told all visiting delegations that
he was firmly convinced the extension Of the franchise to
include women for the legislatures of the states to de-
e Under the leadership of the Congressional Union for
Woman Suffrage the suagst contended for the Anthony
amendment because they believed it right and because of
the great difficulty securing the consideration Of suffrage
bills in the Legislatures Of many states
President Wilson has announced any change Of opn
ION On this subject It assumed he still believes the egis
lares should settle the suffrage question, each state for
itself But in address foreign and American labor
representatives Tuesday he made strong declaration for
cafTanchsng women not less strong because it brief
He said:
ave are fighting for democracy in larger sense
than can be expressed in any political term There
many forms of democratic government and not
lighting for any particular FORM but we fighting