The House of Lords on Tuesday decided by a majority
of 132 votes to 42 to insert a complete scheme of Proportional Represen- tation in the Franchise BilL Lord Curzon, as in the case of the proposal to omit Woman Suffrage, blessed the amendment but urged his fellow-Peers not to vote for it lest they should wreck the Bill. This thus, however, they rejected his advice, and not without reason. The House of Commons had adopted Woman Suffrage by an, overwhelming majority, with which it was useless to quarrel In regard to Proportional Representation, the House has thrice rejected the proposal, but the adverse majorities were small, and indicated no very definite feeling of hostility to the scheme. Further- more, the Speaker's Conference, which reported in favour of Woman Suffrage, also unanimously recommended a limited scheme of " P.R." for London and the large boroughs. The House of Commons, in rejecting " P.R.," violated the spirit of the compromise expressed in that Report. It is only right that the House of Lords should invite the House of Commons to reconsider its very unfortunate decision.
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