In the early '90's Mrs. Emmeline Pankhurst and bet daughter Christabel organized a revolt in which many women joined. Their society, the Women's Social and Political Union. adopted militant methods, which grew more vio lent as their treatment by the government be came more rigorous. hut not the slightest prog ress was made in obtaining woman suffrage from the Parliament The opponents simply had an excuse for their opposition which did not exist before. The situation was at its worst when the European War broke out in 1914. The Women's Social Political Union closed its headquarters and disintegrated, Mrs. Pank hurst personally devoting herself to the recruit ing of soldiers. The old National Association, of which Mrs. Fawcett had for many years been president, immediately placed its large equipment and well-trained forces at the service of the government and carried on for four and a half years what was probably the largest organized work of women during the war. By the autumn of 1916, the long-time demand for a reform in the franchise laws could no longer be deferred and a conference of members of Parliament from all parties was appointed to prepare the new measure. There was scarcely a question as to the inclusion of women. Prime Minister Asquith, who had been their most powerful opponent, sanctioned and promoted it. Lloyd George urged it. The conference re ported in February 1917, and the Representation of the People's Bill conferred the complete fran chise on all women who were on the local gov ernment list; on the wives of all men who were on this list and on all women holding a univer sity degree, but they must be 30 years old. This includes Ireland. The reason given for fixing this age was that 2.000,000 men voters would be added to the electorate and the addition of 7,000,000 women was all that could be under taken. This was very unsatisfactory to the suffragists but they accepted it as an ultima tum at that time.
There were many Parliamentary delays and it was not until December that the hill came before the House of Commons for final read ing. The suffrage clause was carried by a vote of more than two to one and the bill sent to the House of Lords. Here also it passed by two to one; the final vote was taken 6 Feb. 1918, and it immediately received the signature of king George. Men can vote at 21 and women also at all local elections, and they are now making a vigorous effort to have the age limit for the Parliamentary vote removed.
In granting the franchise to women Great Britain followed all her colonies except India and South Africa. The South African Parlia ment in 1919 voted its approval of woman suf frage and is likely soon to enact a law for it. There is a considerable demand for it among the educated women of India. In New Zea land, Australia and Canada women had the school and municipal franchise at an early date. The Parliament of New Zealand gave the com plete suffrage in 1893; that of South Australia m 1895; of West Australia in 1900. In 1901 the six states federated and in June 1902, the National Parliament gave the women of the entire commonwealth the vote and eligibility for that body. The Parliament of New South Wales granted the state suffrage in 1902; that of Tasmania in 1903; that in 1905 and that of Victoria in 1 There had long been a movement in Canada for the full enfranchisement of women, led at first by the National Suffrage Association and later also by the National Council of Wo men. The patriotism and efficiency of the
women during the European War increased public sentiment in its favor and accelerated the action of the state governments. Full suf frage was granted by the legislatures of Mani toba, Alberta, Saskatchewan, and by popular vote in British Columbia, in 1916; by the legis latures of Ontario in 1917; of Nova Scotia and New Brunswick in 1918; by the council of the Yukon in 1919. Quebec and Prince Ed ward Island have not given the state suffrage. In 1918 the Dominion Parliament conferred the national suffrage on all women. The bill contained some war time provisions which It is now thought best to remove. The govern ment has introduced a bill codifying all the franchise laws (1919). Women suffrage will undoubtedly be retained.
At the beginning of the present century, there was very little suffrage for women any where in the world outside of the United States and Great Britain and her colonies. In various parts of Europe women property-holders could vote by male proxy at local elections and in a few countries at Parliamentary elections. In Russia, among the peasant classes, women voted almost as freely as men at village elections, either as owner of property or proxy for the husband. Sweden in 1862 gave women rate payersa vote for all officials except members of Parliament — more than women possessed any where else in the world at that time. Widows and spinsters in Finland had local voting rights in 1865. Iceland gave women taxpayers the municipal vote in 1882. The ancient little king dom of the Isle of Man, with its independent government and its laws requiring only the sanc tion of the ruler of Great gave full suffrage to women property-owners in 1880 and to women ratepayers in 1892.
In 1906 the newly-formed government of Finland gave equal and universal woman suf frage. In 1901 Norway gave the municipal and in 1907 the full suffrage to women with a very small taxpaying qualification, which in 1913 was entirely removed. In 1913 Iceland gave the full suffrage. Denmark granted the municipal franchise an 1907 and adopted a new constitution with universal and equal suffrage in 1915.
The International Woman Suffrage Alli ance was formed in 1904. The International Council of Women organized in made woman suffrage a part of its work in 1904. These two great associations, with millions of members, through their congresses and propa ganda spread the doctrine among the women of all nations and a movement for enfranchise ment was making progress in many of them at the time the European War began in 1914. It was supposed this would delay it for years but it had just the contrary effect, largely because of the loyalty, work and sacrifices of women during the long contest. This has been referred to in the case of Great Britain, Canada and the United States. Universal suffrage was the first result of the Revolution in Russia.