THE WOMAN'S VOTE IN FRANCE

Dominion, Volume 13, Issue 47, 19 November 1919, Page 4

THE WOMAN'S VOTE IN FRANCE

Ht-YIVIANI'S WARNING. Nothin'c could have beon brighter than the prospects of women's suitrage ii Fance «» l nie weeks ,a K o, writes Amifred Steilhons, lroin l'avis, recently. It eds'if «U .ecx disqualifications W, about to be swept out ot politics, lor oil May 20 last the Chamber, by a niatoity of 217, passed a resolution; that to women ofirance and Algeria should bo allowed to vote on the same terns, as men, and should bo eliKibk for election to all public bodies It looked as if Frenchwomen, completely voteleß. since tho liovolution, were at ono stndo to outdistance their newly enfranchised English sisters. . i . . . ' „ "The Chamber in' its lavish liberalitj, wrote a French suffragist, "has far surpassed our hopes While we; were resigned to demanding no more -than the municipal vote, the Chamber has declared for complete, political equality between men and women, lor us fiultrngists this 20th. of May-is our 4th oi August." ' , ~ . But a'as! events have proved Uiat, while the Chamber may propose, tie Senate disposes. For now comes the news that the Senatorial Commission on Women's Suffrage has decided, by it) votes against 3, and one abstention, %to reject not only .the Chamber's sweeping, resolution, but a more moderate measure for enfranchising women over JO. Despite the -overwhelming majority in the Lower House, despite the fact Hint mnfny leading organs of the French Press have eloquently pleaded the women's cause, the Senate remains obdurate'' It-is, no doubt, encouraged by the support of the Prime Minister, lor 11. Clemanceau, though he has said no would not oppose the granting oi the municipal'vote to women, is known to be against their Parliamentary enfranchisement. , , ■' •Ever, sinco May 20 .Senators have been besieged by letters and denutations from tho numerous women's suffrage societiesin Franco. Representatives of 1G of them ween received onlv recently. The usual renly was that puerile one with which wo in this' country grew 60 famiHar: "Ah, ladies, if all women w.ero like- you, we would .grant yoii the vote with the urea test' pleasure, we. would even "ivo up to you' our places here, for vou would do far better than we can both in the . Senate and the Chamber." This hostile declaration, therefore, is not unexpected. But now what remains to be doho? During the debate on May 20 the women's suffrage ■ cause was eloquently pleaded by the two greatest orators in France, two ex-Prime Ministers, 31. Briand and M. Viviani. The latter, re-ferring-to tho Semite's known hostility to the measure, uttered a defiant note: "We rightly seek to maintain harmony between tho two houses." he said. "Nevertheless, the House elected by universal suffrage has rights which it willnot always allow to be overshadowed. Wo ■ may , therefore expect that thf Chamber, having , once so cnrdinllv espoused the cause of women's euffrasje. will jint quietly lie clown under this Senatorial rebuff. We may also reflect that the French elections are appronclw ing, and that M. Viviani is being talked or as M. Clemeuceau's successor. • 'Varsity Oarswomen. Rowing, it seems probable, will b'e tho next sport which- women will take up seriously (states an English exchange). The lwinff ■ match at Marlow in Juno last between eights from Newnham College, Cambridge, and the London School of Medicine added stimulus to tho movement. And now it is rumoured that an Oxford and Cambridge University Boat Club for Women is shortly to be formed in London, with a boatlioime on the Thames, where the girls will practice serious rowing in eigiita and fours. 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