The Brattleboro daily reformer. (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1913-1955, 1922-07-06
FEAR
british WOMEN
Refusal to Allow Peeresses
to Sit In House of Lords
May React
MAY
THE GOVERNMENT

Lady RhOndda and Leaders of WOmen's
Movement Insist Government Is Re
spOnsible for Decision - Sex Disqual-
i~ficatiOn Removal Act Fails
LONDON, July 6.-Coalition members
of parliament are 'manifesting alarm as
to what effect the refusal to allow peer
esses to sit in the house of lords may
have on the votes of women at the
next general election. Should women
in any large numbers vote against the
governmental candidates it is certain
that many of them would be defeated,
and probably Premier Lloyd George
would no longer be able to command a
majority in parliament. Therefore they
are anxious that The government be not
saddled with responsibility for a de-
cision which was made by the lords
themselves and in which the govern
ment was not openly involved.
Xiscountess Rhondda and leaders of
the Womens movement generally are
determined that the government shall
ne Saddled with the responsibility which
belongs to it and not be allowed to
shirk it if they can help it.
Lady RhOndda's Claim
Lady Rhondda herself "a that the
decision to exclude peeresses from the
| upper chamber was virtually that OF
the government and not of the house
Of lords. She points out that the
| original house of lords committee on
| privileges decided by seven to one in
favor of the right of peeresses to vote
n the house. Ordinarily such a de
cision, supported by such a majority,
would have been adopted by the lords
without question. But the lord chan
cellor. Lord B~irkenhead, a member OF
the cabinet, interviewed with an amend
ment referring the matter back to the
committee for consideration And re-
/ consideration by a committee which in
he interval had been strengthened by
ords of Lord Birkenhead's own way OF
thinking, resulted in reversing the
seven to one decision. The committee
decided 20 votes to four that peercsses
hould not sit and vote in the house
# lords.
1t seems pretty certain" says Lady
Rhoudda. that had it not been for the
ord chancellor women otherwise quail
led would not be excluded from the
house Of lords on the ground Of sex"
No Avail to Women
The sex disqualification removal act
taTts with the opening generalization.
a person shall not be disqualified by
scN or marriage from the exercise of
nv public function" and was loudly
acclaimed as women's new charter o.
liberty. Bat the act which purports to
i've equal opportunities for men and
women. Lady Bhondaa pyirts orrt. has
walled women nothing when challenged
Women IN the civil service have been
refused the same rights as men. Women
loetcrs in the employ of municipalities
nave been deprived OF their positions
when they married. although the act
I specifically stated that marriage should
| 20 longer be a bar to public service.
The government has made thousands
f enemies. Lady Rhondda SAYS, by its
allure to support its own act. "The
upstion TODAY Is" saws Lady Rhondda
does the sex disqualification removal
ct r~can what it APPEARS to mean, OIL
vas it simply a clever fraud nerpetratef
IN a section of the community new &c
political lodges BY an u~nscrupulou'
government 2"