Women's Constitutional Association
An Excellent Meeting
What the Vote has done for Women
There was a crowded meeting of members and friends of the Buntingford and District Women's Constitutional Association held at the Assembly Room, the George Hotel, on Wednesday afternoon.
The President (Mrs H.H. Williams) presided, and was supported by Mrs G. Coutts-Deacon (Hon. Treas.) and Mrs Holman.
The President introduced Mrs Holman, who gave a most interesting address on "What the vote has done for women." In a well-prepared address, the speaker alluded to the fact that since the beginning of time women took a wonderful part in the life of the world. Christ himself put woman on a level with man, and many of his best friends were women. Referring to more recent years, the speaker said that some of the queens of England had done as much for our country as the kings.
Mrs Holman dealt at some length with the League of Nations and the excellent work carried out for the cause by Lord Robert Cecil. Dealing with the suffrage movement, the speaker said it was about 1906 when women began to think about the vote, and after the long years of the great war, when women did so much for their country, they were given a say in matters of state.
Instead of being just a political thing, the vote was one of the greatest milestones in the history of woman. For the first time they were real citizens of their country. It was a great milestone on the journey through the ages towards better conditions, and it was the duty of all women to use the vote right, and to carry on and go further and further until they felt they were doing their very best for their homes and country. Some men had said when the women were allowed a vote "You have it for all we care. It has not done us much good." The speaker hoped that women had not looked upon the vote in that light.It was a great thing to have a say in the affairs of state and to be able to help in the share of the country's work.
Several other points of interest were ably dealt with, and at the close Mrs Holman was accorded very hearty applause.
After tea, which was served to nearly 100 present, songs were rendered by Mrs Scarborough Taylor, and songs and recitations by Mrs G. Coutts-Deacon.
Both were heartily applauded and thanked for adding to the success of the meeting, which concluded with the singing of the National Anthem.