the
part of women for political recognition commanded their respect, and
would have their support, and yet there were four hundred and odd
members who had got into the House of Commons very largely through the
efforts of women--oh, yes, we know all about that! We've been helping
the men at elections for years.'

'What party?'

Adroitly she replied, 'We have members of every party in our ranks.'

'Are you a Conservative?'

'No, I myself am not a Conservative----'

'You work for the Labour men--I know!'

'It's child's play belonging to any party till we get the vote,' she
dismissed it. 'In future we are neither for Liberal nor Conservative nor
Labour. We are for Women. When we get the sex bar removed, it will be
time for us to sort ourselves into parties. At present we are united
against any Government that continues to ignore its duty to the women of
the country. In the past we were so confiding that when a candidate said
he was in favour of Woman's Suffrage (he was usually a Liberal), we
worked like slaves to get that man elected, so that a voice might be
raised for women's interests in the next Parliament. Again and again the
man we worked for got in. But the voice that was to speak for us--that
voice was mute. We had served his purpose in helping him to win his
seat, and we found ourselves invariably forgotten or ignored. The
Conservatives have never shown the abysmal hypocrisy of the Liberals. We
can get on with our open enemies; it's these _cowards_' ('Boo!' and
groans)--'these cowards, I say--who, in order to sneak into a place in
the House, pretend to sympathize with this reform--who use us, and then
betray us; it's these who are women's enemies!'

'Why are you always worrying the Liberals? Why don't you ask the
Conservatives to give you the vote?'

'You don't go to a person for something he hasn't got unless you're a
fool. The Liberals are in power; the Liberals were readiest with fair
promises; and so we go to the Liberals. And we shall continue to go to
them. We shall never leave off' (boos and groans) 'till they leave
office. Then we'll begin on the Conservatives.' She ended in a chorus of
laughter and cheers, 'I will now call upon Miss Cynthia Chisholm to
propose the resolution.'

Wherewith the chairman gave way to the younger of the two girls. This
one of the Gracchi--a gentle-seeming creature, carelessly dressed, grave
and simple--faced the mob with evident trepidation, a few notes, to
which sh