New Britain herald., 1917-03-29

moved him especially, he added. was the problem of reconstruction after the war. He considered 1t to be neither just nor expedient to withhold from women the power or the right to make their voices heard directly.
 The fact that for three years there had been no recurrence of the "de- testable campaign which had dis-i figured our public life," said MT. As Quith, would make it possible for any one to say that in changing their position in regard to suffrage he and his associates had yielded to force what they had refused to yield to argument With the exception of the actual bearing of arms in the field, there was hardly service which had contributed to maintenance of the cause of the Allies in which women had not been as active and efficient as men. Wherever one turned might be seen women who, without detri- ment to the prerogatives of their sex, were performing work which three years ago would have been regarded as falling exclusively within the prov ince of men. After the war questions would arise with regard to women's labor functions and activities in which SAAO WoAACA AAuSL IIdS0 a VOlC6,
 MT. Asquith also supported strong ly the other proposals for electoral reform. and expressed the opinion that the recon mmendation that all elections should take place on one day dealt with one of the greatest reforms which could be introduced. He understood that the life of the parliament would be extended fur ther until the end of November. and hoped that new register on the lines of the reforms suggested would be ready. should an election be neces- sary at that time.
 Bonar Law Stands for Suffrare.
 Bonar Law. addressing himself to the conservative opponents of the recommendations of the speakers conference, said he had always held the view that the conservative party. which was not 8 national party. might as we'll go out of business altogether There was going to be a new world after the war, and it was certain. at least, that no party need attempt to exist which could not hope to have the support of the men and the bulk of the nation which had saved the liberties of the empire. If there could, then. be 9 better understand Ing between all classes in the recog- milton that increased production was for the benefit of all. the recovery from the devastation of war would be quick.
 The war. Bonar Law declared. had altered his view on the subject of woman suffrage. and he would do his bsst to prevent any extension of the anchise to mem if women were left x Salter's amendment was re-
 541 to 62. and MT. Asquith's
 ton was carried. s embefs of small group in the &ee Of the debate expressed their & ntinued firm opposition to woman J{sikfAge but their numbers were too lx1a1 t0 carry great weight. The ma. 3oIla 1lstsl announced that they would S6pbcft Mr. Asqnith's motion. As a reeult of the debate the gov s4fuuaenf, n Bonar Law announced, will proceed with legislation to give ! &1Iefk to the recommendations of the H& &ter1nce. The hill wiM embody all TT the c0mmendattons except those &&rrfop0ftional representation and sTSS TT euEra8e. These will be omit tel because the government is sff1a IT d1cIded on the question, and, second because 1t h held that parlia- as1A1it must first of all express ac- ,coptance of the principle of woman aS11rake. 5s
 hs prssent idea is to make the bill aS 1iftle contentious as possible, so thatg gEhe second reading may sbe easily secured; then, in committee. these tyro to the bill, thus giv- ing the House an opportunity to re- cord it's opinion. J
 Lcsfslation Certain. a
 It cannot he doubted that the views expressed today by MT. Asquith, Wal ter Hume Long and others who were formerly prominent opponents of wo-' man suffrage, will influence many other opposing {, members In any case, during the war this opposition has been a rapidly dwindling one. It is still possible that the women may have to wait until after the war for the fullest recognition of their claims but tho vote for women in some shape is now certain. @
 The new bill will not be introduced until some considerable time after Easter, as the budget and other ur-s gent business claim priority.
 Apparently Premier Lloyd George, in his speech yesterday, outlined q program for electoral reform in ac- cordance with the government bill in- troduced in June. 1912, with the ad- dition of measure granting woman. suffrage, the threat of which amend-. ment five years ago caused the orig inal bill to be withdrawn. ;.
 The original bill provided that person should not be registered or vote for more than one constituency; that an elector should be qualified only by residence or occupation, the property qualification being abol- ished; that the residential qualifca- ton should be six months: that par