Cite: http://nla.gov.au/nla.news-article1231810
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"THE. FLAPPER VOTE."
THE long and hcioic struggle of the women of Great Britain
1 ?*? nas been cmwmxt w.'ik «.,,"_ _i . J I. w i
-" W1 i_ulUo, ndb ueen aescroyect by that venerab i
chamber passing the second reading, of the bill by 1 1'4 to 35 Tlu
division shows a manifest change of heart on the path of hereditary
legislature. From the first mooting of the idea of giving votes to
women the Lords had opposed it; but gradually theil opposition
was worn down by the indefatigable persislence of the advocates
o feminism. Hie wonderful part played by women during the ter-
rible years of the Great War convinced a considerable section of
both houses that female suffrage was only a fair thing. In 1 9lo,
when the war was still raging, a restricted franchise was granted...
there being an age limit of 30 before the power to vote was valict
Some humourists averred that this was equivalent to withholding,
the vote altogether, as it was well known that very few women
would confess to* having reached lhal agc of discretion. But in
actual practice the women largely discarded the sentimental dread
of admitting the date on their birth certificates, and went to the
polls in good numbers.
Having obtained a portion of 'what was their due, 'the women
did not lest content. ,7 he agitation for full adult suffrage con-
tinued, although it was shorn of the objectionable features of vio-
lence and hysteria, which had unfortunately accompanied the .
movement for some years preceding the war. The bill just passed
is the fruition of that later activity, and, owing to its enfranchising
the younger women, it has been, half-satirically, termed the "Flap-
pers' Act." The granting of full suffrage to women is a mo-
mentous innovation in an old country like Great Britain, where the
females outnumber the males. According to the'eensus of 1921,
the adult population of the United Kingdom is, in' round numbers,
42 millions, the sexes being approximately 20 million men and 22
million women. This disparity is always increasing, owing to two
factors, the heavier death-rate among males, and the considerably
larger numbers of males who migrate abroad.
The old "die-hard" section of the House of Lords apparently
took fright at the formidable forces in favour of .the bill, and many
of them voted in its favour, the desire to be on the winning side
being as marked among the wearers of the purple, as among the
general public. - Lord Birkenhead took ä. sensible (view. Recog-
nising that it would be hopeless for the reactionaries to try and
reject the measure,'he attributed the impending disaster-as he
evidently considered it would be-to the "madness" engendered
by the war. He sagely counselled the wearers of coronets to vote>f
for It, "if not -with enthusiasm, yet in a spirit of resolute resigna"'
tion"-a happiy phrase, worthy of remembrance-and record. 1.
The granting of the "flapper vote" in Great Britain may^bS
considered the storming of the laet redoubt of opposition tcPthe,
movement. The women are to be sincerely congratulated. The"
demand for the granting of all adult women of a voice in the',
choice of their representatives, who will formulate the laws both .
men and women are compelled to ^bey, is a legitimate act of de
mocracy. It is the outcome of a movement which began, in a
humble and inconspicuous way, over a hundred years ago. But '
we rrlust remember that a hundred yeais ago a very limited num-
ber of men were allowed to vote. The United Kingdom was a
congeries of "rotten boroughs," ' some, of them with only a few
dozen inhabitants, while some great cities went without representa- '
tion at all. It was considered a triumph when, after years of agi-
tation, in 1832, the first Reform Bill made a redistribution of elec-
torates, and conferred the franchise on ten pound male house-
holders. Now, at last, adults vote on no other qualification than
citizenship. . .ii
It ia to be regretted, however, that along with this inevitable,
democratic movement the power of democracy to make its voici
really heard is diminishing. By the implacable operation of ma-
chine politics. Parliament is threatened with virtual extinction, a«i
the genuine and repiesentativc loud-speaker of the whole people.
More and more the powers of organized minorities to choose dele-
gates foi the people is growing. Parliamentary government is on
its trial. When there is such a trend in several countries toward
practically abolishing parliament, no country can (¡eel safe from
a fear that, in the end, some form of autocratie government may
take its place. We imagine that. With all its defects parliament-
ary government is the nearest approach lo theoretical pciieclion,
and we contend strenuously for its picservation. But, w.lhthe
women's vote have much effect? Possibly it may in social , e
glslation. In the United States the disgruntled Wets accuse, he
dornen of "putting over" prohibition; but. taken all in aJJ^c
female vote duplicates the male vote. No elysium is ushered in
by ft Women as a sex, take little heed of politics, and many
would be puzzled to explain the difference between various points
of the constitution. But the same probably holds good of many
diet Ïvls among the men In any case, the female votes
ire largely the reflex of those of their male associates. 1 lie
,3weethegatys and wives follow the lead of the mere men whose
has been, in England, too long delayed.
South Auslialia-Mateo (Î, yalilea ,
ß, Can Klon Hi, Wilmington 42, Apilla
17, Pine ga. Naruly 47, Hi ouKhton 40,
f'l-ire :ir), Ti'iouif 0, Kooringa 85, '
Wallaroo G'l, Curranuilka 4 5, Warooka j
42, Kingscote .1, Rivciton li, ICapltnd t
87, Mallala^!!, Gawler 44, Pleasant B2,
Siirli'-i" 70 'Strathalbyn 57. Willunda'
42, Kllioli r.0, allison 42, Wauka!Inga
28, Manahill 9,- Cockburn ¡1, Jt en intuit
10, Morgan Dil, Blaneheto\vn~48, Miuï
|mim C4, Calling-ton 72, Wellington 75
I'innaroo B,-l«uncroo 17, Meningie Ofi.
| Bordertown 28, Narracotte 27, Penola
24, William Creek 1, » Farina 10,
Antrusta C8, Snowtown 2fi, Adelaide
52, Cook 7, Mullarbor 1. (Fowlers 12,
Streaky 44, Lincoln 4tl, Borda 30, Bal
.tana C, Blinman 25, Hawker 4 0,
Cowell 84, Robe 5!l, Gambier ?5,
¡.Northumberland 59.
| Tapmnnia-Goulds ti. St. H fions 1í>. I
Scamander 28, Mathinna 27, Franklin
8, Waratah 22, Miena 0, Swansea !'
Sheffield 82, Waddamana 1, Bronte 8,
Hobart 1,
j * 4> I
West Australia.-Mav 24: Mardie, 4. j
Donnybiook. 3, Bridgetown 3, Samuel
21), Kookynie 8, Wandeling 2.*Muy<'5:
Marble Barm. Carnarvon 3 5S, ^lamo,
liii' Pool T32, ,C3.eraldl,on, 3, kNaturaJisl<r
50, Sandstone 2, Oiie S, )Swirñtñlng
Pool 2. r_ / \ " t ?*