30 MARCH 1912, Page 2

An analysis of the vote shows that the Bill was

defeated by the action of the Nationalists. Forty-seven of them voted against the Bill and none in favour of it, though ten abstained, among those ten being the Irish members of the Conciliation Committee. This action was, it is understood, due in no small measure to the conviction that if the Bill were not killed a great deal of time would be spent upon the suffrage question which the Irish desired to see devoted to Home Rule. The Nationalists were also well aware that if the Suffrage question were pushed to the final issue a break-up of the Cabinet and the consequent loss of the Home Rule Bill was a certainty. It is significant that the Nationalists, who are very keen electioneers, were not in the least troubled by the thought that their action might lead to the influence of the women being thrown against Home Rule at a General Election. They know that at General Elections the influence of the Suffragists is too insignificant to be troubled about.