The sun., 1918-08-18
WOMEN VOTERS
TO ELECT M. P.'S
In Some London BOrOughs
Suffragcttes Have Clear
Majority of Electorate.
LEAD 1000 IN YORK CITY
Fair Sex Will Seek Seats or
Change in Law if They Are
Not Now Eligible.
LEAD 1000 IN YORK CITY
sp,eio, correspondence to TaE Sun.

Speciol Correspondence TO THE Sun.
LONDON, Aug. with women voters
in a large number of Parliamentary di-
visions outnumbering the men all sec
tons Of politicians are busily engaged In
solving the problem as TO how these new
electors will vote.
In the city Of York women have
majority OF more than 1000 /. In some OF
the London and outer London boroughs
the women are in the majority In sufii-
cient numbers to turn the scale In any
election IL they vote straight ticket.
In many other places there are more
than 80 per cent. Of women electors on
the registers
The publication of the new registers
has caused candidates for Parliamentary
honors for the first time to take the
women's vote into serious consideration,
ard in the language OF the army.
number Of these already have the
wind up"
There Is some talk already of the
carelessness with which tho registers
have been compiled. and the hope has
been expressed that the next general
election may be deferred until after an
other registration OF electors shall have
been made, but this postponement during
the life OF the present Parliament Is
highly improbable. The election Is prac-
tically certain to take place this side OF
Christmas.
The women's movements are already
In the field with their candidates. and a.;
soon as the question OF the right OF
women to sit In Parliament has been set
tied by the law lords either In their
favor or against them they will start
active campaigning either for the intro
duction Of legislation that will permit
them to take seats or for the capture OF
the seats selected.
Labor Party Becomes Active.
The Labor party has nominated three
women already for constituencies ana
the party has drafted bill for introduce
ton in tho House of Commons in the
event OF the verdict Of the committee
being against the women. At the same
time the leaders Of the woman's party.
once known as the women's Social and
Political Union, state that they have
several women who will fght conptitu-
encIes o soon as the question OF their
eligibility has been settled.
As to how they will vote Joseph Bur.
cess. the Socialist who was one OF the
founders of the Independent Labor party
after canvassing a number OF northern
districts. gives II as his opinion that
they will vote almost on the same lines
as the male electors. He suggests that
IL the war still continues at the time Of
the election the women will uphold the
Government OF the day with little re-
gard to any other questions that may be
put forward in the planks of the opposi-
ton parties.
An expression OF opinion of just an
ordinary woman elector on the subject
Of What Women Want" has been pub
lished recently. The writer prefaced
ner remarks by saying: Let me say at
once that never took any part In the
fight for the vote. But having got 1t
unsought ] mean to use it, She takes
the homely side OF women's life to
demonstrate her theory of remedies
needed by women.
She first demands a homestead law
similar to that OF the United States and
says that IL one of the candidates in
the constituency will promise to support
a homestead law he will have her vote
whatever ticket he runs upon. She
points out that the homestead law TO
which she refers regards the home as
sacred and goes on to say that by the
law OF England the implements by
which a man earns his living cannot be
seized for debt, and asserts that a ma n
or woman's Nome should have the
same exemption.
Wants Tenant Law Changed.
This woman deals with the law OF
landlord and tenant and would like to
see the whole of tho law relative to re-
straint for rent altered.
ShA nhiectQ aptiraly In fha riIipp NJ
credit by tradesmen and would support
any scheme which would protect the
poor from the evils of the credit system
and suggests that the tradesman who
gives credit should be compelled to take
the risk himself and be deprived of the
| services Of the county court in collecting
his money, a course which would stop
credit giving and protect the trades
mans customers against themselves.
The system OF easy payments on the
instalment system she urges should he
subject to such legislation as would free
the public from the possibilities Of the
usurer and fix the interest payments on
a fair basis.
She demands that the candidate should
pledge himself to do something for the
mothers OF the nation. The suggestion is
that the Government should provide
training In domestic matters for the mu-
milton workers SO that they could do use
full service when their work in the shops
finishes. and appears to demand. though
she does not absolutely express the
thought, that the Government should
engage these trained women and put
them in charge OF the children Of the
nation in those cases where infant care
Is necessary.
In conclusion, she says:
But before all these things are carried
out want to see Germany beaten and
an honorable peace made. l shall vote
for no candidate who shows the slightest
hesitation in prosecuting the war to a
| successful end. which will save the next
generation from the horrors we have en-
dured during the last four years"