One argument in favour of women shows pictures of what men could be: A convict, lunatic, owner of white slaves, unfit for service and a drunkard. This portrayed men as being responsible, but they still could vote. Then it shows what women could achieve: Mayor, nurse, mother doctor or teacher or a factory hand, which showed them as responsible but they still couldn’t the vote.1 Men’s attitude towards women during the First World War was still negative. The ability of women to take on the roles of men meant that increasing numbers of men were vulnerable to conscription.2
The women were told that they couldn’t vote because they weren’t fighting for their country. They couldn’t fight because they weren’t allowed to. Women helped in the ammunition factories, where dangerous sulphur made their skin turn yellow.3 The government’s opinion changed from thinking that women were incapable of responsible positions. The government tried to ignore the fact that they worked in the ammunition factories, and said that they weren’t serving their country, but they finally accepted that through this and other types of work, women were serving their country.
In 1916 Prime Minister Asquith said, “What are you to do with women? I have no special desire to bring women within the franchise, but I have received a great many representations from those who speak for them”, and he went on to say “[The women] fill our munitions factories, they are doing jobs which men had to perform before”. He was finally admitting that women played a very important role in the war.4
Women working in an ammunitions factory
Emmeline Pankhurst
On 4th August 1914, England declared war on Germany. Two days later the announced that it was suspending all political activity until the war was over. The leadership of the began negotiating with the British government. On the 10th August the government announced it was releasing all suffragettes from prison. In return, the WSPU agreed to end their militant activities and help the . 3
The women learnt to cope with grief and bereavement and to support each other. They learnt to manage the affairs of the home while the men were away at war.
They began to make speeches, write letters to the MPs, to band together and protest. They could create a force to be heard. They learnt to believe in themselves and their right to vote.
Two Suffragists displaying a banner
Conclusion
During the war, women were given responsibility and knowledge to carry out skilled work. They became more confident in their ability to influence people and to have their say. If it wasn’t for the First World War, women could not have served for their country, so the government and public would still be using “They don’t serve for their country” as an excuse. The government still tried to ignore the suffragettes, but they had a crucial day looming: the general election.5 After nearly nine years of increasing militancy the women stared to win. Then the government appreciated the women serving in the war and finally gave them the vote in 1918. The incredible hard work and sacrifices and determination of the women won their right to vote, and benefited the country and its future.
By
Elijah Gould
3/2/04
1A postcard issued by the Suffragettes in 1910.
2War and Society in Britain 1899-1948, by Rex Pope, a historian, 1991
3Website found with Google
4A speech from Prime Minister Asquith
5Christabell Pankhurst from her memoirs, Unshackled, published in 1959