23 DECEMBER 1911, Page 2

Sir Edward Grey went on to explain the situation which

bad now been created. He had been prepared to support the Conciliation Bill though he recognized its defects and draw- backs. But he believed that the introduction of the Govern- ment's Manhood Suffrage Bill, open to a woman suffrage amendment, improved the chances of the women. In his view the first main objective on which the supporters of woman suffrage should unite was to put into the Government Bill an amendment which would do all that the Conciliation Bill would have done, and would include married women as well, It was impossible for pro-suffrage members of the Cabinet to put the amendment into the Bill because it would break up the Cabinet. However much they differed on woman suffrage, they were all united in loyalty to the Prime Minister, and they would not do anything that was going to make him resign. If they did they would be no better off, since they were not going to get a Government either way which would include woman suffrage in the Bill which it introduced into the House of Commons.