Lord Birkenhead, however, took the view very strongly that peeresses
in their own right had no hereditary claim whatever to admission. Their peerages had been con- ferred on them solely in order that, if possible, a peerage might be saved for the male line. This function they had not discharged with noticeable success. They were not, -therefore, deserving of a special benefit. He was by no means averse from throwing open the House to all women, .but he could not approve of-throwing it open for an inadequate reason to a few. We cannot say that Lord Birkenhead's speech was highly relevant; and its con- temptuous and personal argument was in bad taste. However, the speech had its effect and the Bill was rejected by 125 votes to 80. The issue in the division was not so much—what it ought to have been—whether justice should be done • as whether the admission of peeresses would not be a kind of inadequate beginning of the reform of the House.
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