The Women's Victory—and After: Personal Reminiscences, 1911-1918 — John Stuart Mill — John Shaqi
The Women's Victory—and After: Personal Reminiscences, 1911-1918
John Stuart Mill · en
Analyzing the causes of our defeat, we found that, whereas in 1911
thirty-one followers of Mr. John Redmond had supported the Bill,
including Mr. William Redmond, Professor Kettle, Mr. Stephen Gwynn,
and other men in a leading position in their party, in 1912 not a
single one voted for it. The only Irish Nationalists who continued
their support to the Bill were three O'Brienites, Mr. William O'Brien
himself, Mr. Timothy Healy, and Mr. Gilhooley. Twenty-two Liberals,
twelve Nationalists, and eight Conservatives, who had hitherto
supported the Bill, now voted against it. A far larger number withdrew
their support, but did not give a hostile vote.
What perturbed us more than anything else was the knowledge that
the same underhand and unscrupulous methods which had been used to
defeat the Conciliation Bill would also in all probability be used
to defeat the women's suffrage amendments to the Government Reform
Bill. We appealed, quite unsuccessfully, to our leading friends in the
Government to check these hostile influences.
One outstanding instance of the methods employed against us must here
be described. Some years before, Dr. Louisa Martindale, a lady of the
highest character and professional standing, belonging to a family
universally respected in their place of residence in the South of
England, had written a book called "Beneath the Surface." It was, in
a far briefer form, on the lines of Mr. A. Flexner's well-known book
on the History of Prostitution in Europe. It was in part historical
and in part a warning to men and women of the physical risks connected
with promiscuous sexual intercourse, and its dangers to the race as
well as to the individual. The literature department of the N.U.W.S.S.
stocked this volume, and placed its title in the list of books and
pamphlets they were prepared to supply. Then suddenly there appeared
in the list of questions to be addressed by M.P.'s to members of the
Government one by the Marquis of Tullibardine (now the Duke of Atholl),
to ask the Home Secretary if he intended to prosecute the N.U.W.S.S.
for circulating an "obscene book," meaning the one by Dr. Martindale.
The Home Secretary, Mr. R. McKenna, could give no positive answer; he
must take time to make enquiries; the question must be repeated. A few
days later it was repeated; again the Home Secretary delayed his reply;
he found it necessary to consult the Law Officers. The Under Secretary
for the Home Department answered these questions more than once, but
at last owned that the Law Officers advised that a prosecution would
not be successful. As no one in his senses could possibly think that
this little book was obscene, it would have been simpler to reply
that the prosecution would be unsuccessful on this account; but this
straightforward course was avoided. It became evident to us that the
object of the whole business was to bring up the question in the
House of Commons as often as possible with a view of prejudicing the