AMERICAN SUFFRAGISTS.

Dominion, Volume 6, Issue 1596, 13 November 1912, Page 2

AMERICAN SUFFRAGISTS.

.'. SIB GEOEGE BJ3ID OFFENDS, ';■ : Sir George Eeid, -dutin* his American visit, so seriously annoyed tho American women, and Australian women in thoStates who are working .to obtain.. tire franchise that the latter wrote the following letter, to Mr. fisher:— ■ ■ ■ "September 13, 1M2.-Th« Hoi}.;, tho Prime Minister, Melbourne, Dear Sir,—Sir George fteid, High Cominiss'ioner for Australia, at present on a, visit to the United-'States, has refused to.accept the courtesy of a reception io bo- tendered to Lady Keid by the suffragists,-on the ground that it would not 1» quit* politic (see clippings enclosed). It s&ems to us.o- strange position for an Australian official to take, that, when in-, a foreign country, he cannot stand for the principle. of equal suffrage embodied in the laws and • Constitu-tioh of Aiistralia, and such an action on the part-of the High ;CommiSsioncr is the more inexplicable, since btith Federal Houses some time ago cabled the British Prime Minister urging the -adop-< tion of woman's suffrage upon all nations enjoying' representative' government As Australians-we should like to know what is the explanation of the High Commissioner's attitude, which tends to discreditAustralia among the women of this country, for the question iuovitably arises, is' Sir George loid-H'igh Commissioner for Australia or for',Great Britain? Very ■ differoiit was'the conduct of Sir Joseph Ward tfhen visiting this country. When, questioned He freely 'acknowledged' his pride and-satisfaction in' representing a .commonwealth so advanced as to admit women-to full citizenship." -~''.' 'The cutting's referred' ''to'include' orti- . cles :wifh such suggestive headings as, "Women give up- plans to meet Sir SeoTge Reid," "Austrafian Commissioner declines' to talk upon suffrage/' "He says Ame.i> can campaigns aro considered a fares abroad," and "Politics keep Australian chief from opinions." ■ ■In'-a-' private letter from one of the heads of- the snffragists J Society'.the opinion is cxpres-sed - that ■ the incident has created- a profound and unfavourable im'prcssion among American women... Tho writer goes. ..on to say that Australian :wome'a in Chicago were. looking. forward . to entertaining the visitors; and 'that tho ladies who had arranged a monster reception included all the most distinguished women, in.the city, and no "militants" or "smart-setters." She also deplores-tho remarks of Lady Eeid, who is reported to have said that she did not know whether the female suffrage in Australia was successful or not..