Chapter 4

GREAT BRITAIN 726

Situation as to woman suffrage at commencement of the present century -- Status of the Bill in Parliament in the first decade -- Premier Campbell-Bannerman advises "pestering" -- Strong hostility of Premier Asquith -- Beginning of "militancy" -- Its effect on the suffrage movement -- Mrs. Fawcett's opinion -- Constitutional societies repudiate it -- Labor party supports woman suffrage --Treachery in Parliament -- The Conciliation Bill -- Women left out of the Franchise Reform Bill -- Deputation to Premier Asquith -- Lloyd George's attitude -- Speaker Lowther kills Bill -- Suffragists go into politics -- Great suffrage "pilgrimage" -- Outbreak of war --Important war work of the suffrage societies -- Coalition Government -- Conference Committee on Electoral Reform Bill -- Premier Asquith supports Woman Suffrage -- Lloyd George becomes Premier -- Suffrage clause in Bill gets immense majority in House of Commons -- Big fight in House of Lords but goes through -- Royal assent given -- Two women elected to House of Commons -- Oxford University opened to women.