If we had it on the same terms as men, we should very greatly
outnumber the men. There were over a million more women than men
before the war and a new electorate greater than all the men's numbers
brought in at once was not considered wise. To press for it would have
wrecked our chances.

This measure enfranchises six million women, and about ten million men
are now voters, so we have a very fair proportion.

The women's clause was carried, with only thirty-five dissentients and
later only seventeen voted against it.

In this same bill, with practically no discussion, an amendment was
carried enfranchising the wives of local government electors.

It is difficult to adequately express the confidence, the desire, and
the willingness to co-operate, that there is now between our men and
women.

We know, too, that the great woman's movement of our country, which
has worked to this end for fifty years and numbered our greatest women
among its adherents, has had much to do with the ability of our women
to take the great part they have in this crisis. If women had not
toiled and opened education and opportunities to women, and preached
the necessity of full service, we could not have done it.

One great thing the war has done for our women is to draw us all
closely together--in common sorrows, hopes and fears, we find how much
we are one and in so much of our work women of every rank of life
are together. We had that union before in many ways, but never so