East Midland Federation: Derby: A most successful public meeting was held in the Temperance Hall, on September 25th: Mrs. Henry Boden presided, and the speakers were Lady Willoughby de Broke and Dr. Saleeby. Lady Willoughby de Broke said that the Conciliation Bill was the one measure that had united Suffragists in Parliament whatever their party, and it was accepted by Suffragists outside of Parliament whatever their tactics. It was a compromise, but it was a practical solution. The position of women without a vote was a feeble one, and if proof were needed, the treatment of women under the Insurance Bill was enough to convince an Anti-Suffragist. Dr. Saleeby said that he was interested in Women’s Suffrage as a Eugenist. The worth of a nation was the development of life. Men had begun at the outside of the circle with sanitation, then they touched the worker with Factory Laws, next the child with natural education, and during the last ten years they had discovered the infant and were trying to prevent infant mortality. But Eugenists saw that there was one stage further beyond the infant, and that was the expectant mother. He believed that national education had been a failure because women, the up bringers of children, had not been consulted, and he asked how legislation affecting the infant and the expectant mother could be successful if wholly carried out by men. Another great problem was the care and segregation of the unfit. It was women who knew what the burden of the feeble-minded was, and it was women who should be consulted when such legislation was proposed. To-day any man who wanted information about the feeble-minded had to apply to one of three women, Miss Kirby, Miss Dendy, or Mrs. Pinsent. In the solution of the real problems that faced the nation the voice of women was needed, and he, on behalf of race culture, strongly supported Women’s Suffrage.
Transcribed in whole or part from scanned originals: Presented with or without modified text and punctuation. For absolute accuracy refer to the original newspapers. Source: The British Newspaper Archive.
Referenced
GRO0245 Devonport: Ellen Frances Parker: 1866 – 1949