In a question addressed to the Minister for the Colonies, Miss Eleanor Rathbone, an Independent member, representing the English Combined Universities, drew attention yesterday to the vagueness attending the women’s right to municipal suffrage under the new Draft Law governing the organization of the Palestine municipalities.
Miss Rathbone who has interested herself considerably in the problems of women’s rights and status abroad as well as in England, pointed out that under the new law Jewish women, who had hitherto been secured in their right to vote and be elected to the municipal councils, might be deprived of that right. Arab women, on the other hand, had not previously been enfranchised. She inquired whether it would not be better policy and more in keeping with progressive ideas to raise the Arab women to the level of the Jewish rather than to debase the Jewish women to the Arab level.
In reply Sir Philip Cunliffe Lister drew attention to the articles of the ordinance empowering the High Commissioner to extend the franchise to women, adding that the High Commissioner would undoubtedly exercise that discretion wisely.
At the same time Sir Philip Cunliffe Lister pointed out the advantages accruing from the new law to townships like Tel Aviv which were up to the present no more than Local Councils, enjoying fewer rights than primitive and remote townlets.
The Archive of the Jewish Telegraphic Agency includes articles published from 1923 to 2008. Archive stories reflect the journalistic standards and practices of the time they were published.
