WOMEN'S FRANCHISE'

Evening Star, Issue 23372, 15 September 1939, Page 14

WOMEN'S FRANCHISE'

FINAL LECTURE * Woman’s Franchise: Its Significance,’ was the title of the last talk in the series ‘ Woman’s Right to Economic Security and Freedom,’ given on Wednesdays in the Douglas Social Credit Hall by Mrs S. Townend. She suggested that the right of franchise particularly from a woman’s point of view ought to exercise a powerful influence for the welfare and happiness of a country, but it could, not be said to do so to-day. She considered two main reasons were responsible for _ this; firstly, more people were beginning to see that whichever party was in power, it was held in chock by the same financial system, and therefore, that the results produced were much the same by any Secondly, more people were recognising the drawbacks of the party system, which placed a candidate’s loyalty with a programme rather than with the people he represented. It was necessary, therefore, to revise their ideas of true democracy and to see that if their franchise was to mean anything, they must demand specific results of their representatives and vote only for those candidates who promised to voice their will at all time* While the public was divided on many questions, it was conceivable that ther< could he a universal demand for individual freedom and security and the removal of the cause of wav. They did not need to concern themselves ns to how that demand might be made effective, hut knowing that such an objective was possible in this ago of plenty, it was the responsibility of every woman to voice her desire for these things. Mrs Townend thought that women could work towards creating a mass demand simply by preaching the gospel of commonsense and she felt that the greatest task women could undertake in the months which lay ahead was to help keep burning the torch of commonsense which had been kindled, for the world needed its light now and would need it even more when the war was over.

In conclusion, speaker thanked all who had made the meetings a success by their help and encouragement.