New-York tribune., 1921-01-09
Rivalry With Oxford Causes
Cambridge to Exclude Women
I'y Vote of 904 to 712 Old English University Has
Decided to Remain an Inst,l-
lion for Men Alone

From Inc Ir.tune's Iaropcan Bureau
LONDON, Dec. -. Cam bridge Uni
versity has defeated the proposal to
admit women to membership and to
degrees. There had been strong rcs
son 70 believe that tine women would
succeed. There had been stronger rea-
son TO believe that they would fail
and they did fail. Since the voting,
the question most discussed in univer
slty circles has been, "How did i
happen ?''
hen the agitation frs. began. The
moment seemed Favorable Parliament
mad declared that nothing in the stat
utes Of a university should binder The
adm ss ion Of women. in the Sex Dis
qualification Removal Act Of 1919
Inc franchise had elevated vomeu's
political status. By doing mems worl.
during the war, women had proved
their osilities in many new lines Ok
ford University had just given full
membership to its women students. Ii
seemed q fortunate hour for. the women
of Cambridge.
Rivalry Is Keen
As thc discussion proceeded, how-
ever, it became evident that this good
fortune was not unmitIgated Some Of
the advantages, even. double-edged
"ere Disadvantages at the same time
o%Tord and Cambridge arc rivals quito
as much as they arc companions. and
Nbcn one OF them Introduces an limo
Nation, the other is disposed to take
exception. Let us sec what Oxford
makes Of this mad experiment. SAID
many a. Cambridge. LET US preserve
at least one English university for the
education Of men Suffrage had
aroused not little Of that latent feel
mo of antaCOOiq1o
due to- the majority in England Of
women over men. Disturbances Incl
dent 70 unemployment and cconmic
rlYairX had been growing more and
more acute, and particularly in the
professions N CT were feeling that thcS
must protect their interests against
the ncursion OF women. As tho VOTING
meInoership OF Cambridge is composed
IN large part Of professional men, this
decision
The votes cast in favor OF admission
numbered 7l2; those cast against it
we're 904. giving Ii majority Of l92.
Yet even IN this defeat the women arc
not altogether dsconsolatc, bccausc
more friends arose to support them
than in 1897, when their request to re
ceive not full membership, but only
ltular degrees, was refused by 1,713
votes against GG2
ne proposal that was voted upon
"as brought forward by syndicate ap-
pointed ycar ago to consider the re-
iation OF wo1ncn students to the univer-
atty. The syndicate was itself divided.
and submitted two reports. known fa-
nillarly az scheme A. and "Schemc
b.. 1t was "Schcme A. that came be-
fore Cambridge Senate. the governing
body
Scheme A"
Scheme A" provided that women
snould be admitted to the university
on the same conditions as men. pro
Vided they were Students at Cirton. or
newman College, or at any otner col
lege Tor women thnt the university
should cstablish Women we're to be
allowed 10 FIJI university or1ces, except
That OF proctor. a disciplinary officer
Tor men The effect Of this would have
been to give Glrton and Ncwnham col
leges the came standing at Cambridge
Of Trinity, Chrlst's, Kings, Emmanuel
or Corpus Christ
The dispute was heated and inccs-
sant. J he opponents .of admission laid
ntrcrs upon the crowded quarters Of the
Cambridge colleges. There was not
enough room, 50 they said, in the lee
tNrc halls and laboratories for all the
msn who wanted TO enter II would be
sheer folly u add TO the congestion bv
opening the doors to any more women.
lhen. ~ women should sit on the gov
frniny bodies and have y voice in mat
ters or curricula ard discipline, they
cont~nded further, they undoubtedly
would loHcr the scholaetic standard
and "rakcu the discipline FOR tho bcne-