Vote for Flappers

COMMONWEALTH (British Commonwealth of Nations)

"I am sorry that women have been brought into the House of Commons. I am still more sorry that women have been admitted to juries. The plain fact is that men and women cannot be brought together in association without either attracting one another or irritating one another." Thus, last week, wrote that most respected bachelor, Lord Hugh Cecil, 57, Conservative M. P., Privy Councilor, LL.D., High Churchman, War-time Lieutenant of the Royal Flying Corps.

When the great dames and ladies of Britain's woman's suffrage movement read these crass words they took up the telephones, called "Regent 500," and told Lord Hugh Cecil with plaintive good humor what they thought of him. . . .

To the press Mrs. Pankhurst said: "Lord Hugh is a back number." Declared Lady Rhondda, famed feminine industrialist: "Of course Lord Hugh is talking perfect nonsense."

This so great excitement in high places over a few trivial words mounted, last week, because the Government is reported on the verge of introducing a bill to extend the franchise to women below the present minimum voting age of 30 -- perhaps even down to "flappers" of 21.

Therefore, last week, as the press wrote jocularly of "Votes for Flappers," the attitude of one so close to the present Conservative Government as Lord Hugh Cecil was of significant import. His elder brother, the Marquess of Salisbury, sits in the Baldwin Cabinet as Lord Privy Seal and Leader of the House of Lords. Another brother is Viscount Cecil of Chelwood, onetime Lord Robert Cecil, famed peace-man. Hence, if the opinion of these potent Cecils upon the woman's suffrage bill is truly mirrored by the words of Lord Hugh Cecil last week, a definite faction in the Cabinet is disclosed militating against the known liberal attitude of Premier Baldwin toward the bill.