Arizona republican., 1922-05-25
The Lat stronunold

The British House of Lords is the most conserva-
tive body in the world 1t alone appears to have
been unaffected by the tides which have swept every
thing else out of place. Its immobility was again
proved this week by its rejection of the claim Of
Lady Rhondda to seat in that body
It is nearly year and half since Lady
Rhondda as peeress in her own right pettioned
the king to issue to her summons to sit in the
House of Lords. There was no precedent for the
claim but no objection was raised on behalf OF
the crown by the attorney general three months ago
Lord Donoughmore chairman Of the committee
privileges, to which the petition referred stated
that the committee would report in accordance with
the petition That ruling understand made,
and it was understood that it would apply to all
other peeresses in the situation-abont twenty
1t would not however apply the Scotch peeresses
who only eligible by election. The English peer
it then stated. would probably receive their
to sit without the necessity submitting
individual petitions.
The claim of Lady Rhondda was made under the
Sex Disqualification Removal Act OF three years ago.
and as Lord Donoughmore stated its terms were so
clear and comprehensive that it applied no less
to the right of sitting in the House of Lords than
other cases OF disqualification. He regarded the
arguments in behalf of Lody Rhondda before the COM
mttee unanswerable. His colleagues, however.
appear not to have taken the trouble to make
answer; they merely rejected the claim.
So certain did it seem after the statement of the
chairman of the committee that the claim would be
admitted that other peeresses issued statements
gardins the field OF usefulness which was thus
opened to limited number of women among them
Baroness Beaumont, who said that the admission
of to the House of Lords would have marked
influence the passing of connected with
the welfare. education and housing of the poorer
classes and the general betterment of social con-
ditions.
1t should be stated that the rejection of Lady
Rhondda's claim was made arbitrarily by the
House of Lords, but, it is alleged for the reason
that the summons for which she had peitioned had
been sent. Though it had been recommended by
the attorney general behalf of the crown within
the three months since the recommendation
attorney general had succeeded.
Lady Rhondda. by the way, is the wife of Lord
Rhondda, who occupied the position of food admin
istrator in England during the war.
We have in this country no disqualification of
sex for admission to the american House of Lords
and woman. Mrs Olsen of Minnesota, we believe.
has announced her candidacy for nomination for
United States senator. But the disqualification
has not been nearly removed it has been in
Great Britain for though is not disquaii-
fled holding any office country in many of
states, Arizona among them. she cannot serve
jury
In of the states her property rights
inferior to those of her husband and in tried
not two weeks ago in of the eastern states
ancient law was successfully invoked to show that
the wife was a chattel OF her husband in hardly
less degree than his horse his COW.