A NEW ERA IN GERMANY

Dominion, Volume 15, Issue 75, 21 December 1921, Page 5

A NEW ERA IN GERMANY

INFLUENCE OF THE WOMAN’S VOTE. W. J. Ellis Barker - writes in the “Fortnightly Review” for October that at the German Federal election, the two sexes voted as follows i— Female Malo Votes. Votes.

The largest percentage of women’s votes was given to iTib Centre Party, which represents the most conservative element in Germany—the Roman Catholic Church. Then comes ihe Old Conservative party, tho party of the Junkers, which has assumed a new title. In the party which represents largo capitalistic interests, and which is dominated' by men such as Stinnes, the women are in a small majority as compared with the men. The number of women voters rapidly shrinks when we look at tho more advanced parties. It declines from 47 per cent, in the case of Democrats to 37 per cent, in the case of the Communists.

Woman, as Bismarck frequently stated, is a conservative factor. Women fill the churches in all countries. They are religious, and incline towards the defence of existing institutions. In Germany the female element is now particularly influential, because not only have the two sexes been given identical political rights as voters, but 'also because women representatives are in large numbers in the national and local Parliaments and Assemblies. In the German Reichstag there are at present, tlurtysix women members, and t in the Prussian Landlag there are forty women members. Owing to their influence, both as voters and a? legislators, the stability of Germany should bo strengthened, and tho sense of order, duty, nnd discipline should grow. Germany, after having been a perfectly organised army nnd military camp, may become an equally perfectly organised economic entity. The Germans hope to regain in peace what they have lost m war, and they may well succeed in view of their physical and human resources, and in view of tho spirit which animates the people.

P.O. P.C. Roman Catholic Centre Party 59 41 German National People’s Party (Conser.) 56 44 German People’s Party (heavy industries) 51 49 German Democratic Party... •17 53 Majority Socialists (Moder- . ales) 43 57 Independent Socialists (Extremists) . 41 59 Communists ‘(Bolshevists) ... 37 63