Twenty-five Years of Women's Suffrage
Twenty-five years ago, on February 6th, 1918, the Royal Assent was given to the first Women's Suffrage Bill. What fifty years of constitutional advocacy, and three or four years of militancy had failed to achieve before was willingly granted during the Great War ; women's contribution to war-work had provided in 1918 the final conclusive argument. Under the modern conception of democracy it is difficult to believe that the resistance to the reform should so recently have been so resolute. The change has not been revolu- tionary in its consequences. It is less than fair to contend that women's share in responsibility has not had the promised effect of maintaining world peace, since, in fact, never has this country been so pacifist in word and deed as between the two wars ; and it may reasonably be maintained that women's influence as exercised through the vote has had its effect on legislation and administration, especially in the fields of housing, child welfare. the marriage laws, and social security. But what we look for from the adequate representation of both sexes in Parliamentary govern- ment is not specifically feminist legislation—there are many women who strongly repudiate such an object—but a true reflection of the whole mind of the nation in all its public activities. There will always be some public questions where women's influence is specially needed. But in the main the movement will be held to have won its objectives in proportion as the purely sex influence counts for less.
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