only
means of restoring the liberties of the country which we have destroyed
by compulsory military service.

MITCHENER. Infernal impudence?

BALSQUITH. The Labor party is taking the same line. They say the men got
the Factory Acts by hiding behind the women's petticoats, and that they
will get votes for the army in the same way.

MITCHENER. Balsquith: we must not yield to clamor. I have just told this
lady that I am at last convinced--

BALSQUITH (joyfully). That the suffragets must be supported.

MITCHENER. No: that the anti-suffragets must be put down at all hazards.

BALSQUITH. Same thing.

MITCHENER. No. For you now tell me that the Labor Party demands votes
for women. That makes it impossible to give them, because it would be
yielding to clamor. The one condition on which we can consent to grant
anything in this country is that nobody shall presume to want it.

BALSQUITH (earnestly). Mitchener: its no use. You cant have the
conveniences of Democracy without its occasional inconveniences.

MITCHENER. What are its conveniences, I should like to know?

BALSQUITH. When you tell people that they are the real rulers and they
can do what they like, nine times out of ten, they say, "All right, tell
us what to do." But it happens sometimes that they get an idea of their
own; and then of course youre landed.

MITCHENER. Sh--

BALSQUITH (desperately shouting him down). No: its no use telling me to
shoot them down: Im not going to do it. After all, I dont suppose votes
for women will make much difference. It hasnt in the other countries in
which it has been tried.

MITCHENER. I never supposed it would make much difference. What I cant
stand is giving in to that Pankhurst lot. Hang it all, Balsquith, it
seems only yesterday that we put them in quod for a month. I said at the
time that it ought to have been ten years. If my advice had been taken
this wouldnt have happened. Its a consolation to me that events are
proving how thoroughly right I was.

The Orderly rushes in.

THE ORDERLY. Look ere, sir: Mrs. Banger locked the door of General
Sandstone's room on the inside; and shes sitting on his ead until he
signs a proclamation for women to serve in the army.

MITCHENER. Put your shoulder to the door and burst it open.

THE ORDERLY. Its only in story books that doors burst open as easy as
that. Besides, Im only too thankful to have a locked door between me and
Mrs. B.; and so is all the rest of us.

MITCHE