BR TO OTTOLINE MORRELL, [5 DEC. 1911]
BRACERS 17364. ALS. Morrell papers #277, Texas
Proofread by K. Blackwell et al.

<letterhead>
Trinity College,
Cambridge.1^, 2
In the train
Tuesday mg.

My Dearest Love

I have been thinking of you dragging yourself early out of bed and starting off tired in this dreary downpour. Oh dear oh dear. — After posting my letter to you last night I came home and began reading Ronald Ross. He is not really good as poetry but I like his ideas and find him strangely exciting — the excitement of getting inside a disciplined noble nature, and seeing it in its rare moments of realization — when the toil has ceased for the moment and he reflects on the ends of human life. He is bracing and makes one ashamed of weariness. I sat ages thinking, and then at last I made some slight notes of points (which I am sending) and then went to bed.

This morning I extracted my charlady’s history. She was originally a cook, first in a private house, then in a City Restaurant. Her husband was a waiter but lost his place through “bad times” [?drink?] so she has to support the family, tho’ she was unwilling to admit her husband earned nothing. In the evenings she goes to some City offices to clean up. She has two boys, but she wouldn’t give up work even if her husband were earning — she enjoys going out. She seems a very contented person, not troubled about anything. Her age is 28. I must sample her cooking.

I am glad P. made his speech about Persia, and as the D.N. points out, it has already had some effect on the Govt. It is no use despairing, and I expect he did much better than he thought.

I believe the sofa will look much less fat when it has been sat on. Where you sat yesterday it is already less fat. I doubt if anybody would remark on it. I shan’t have very observant people — only men!

My Dearest Love, all my thoughts are with you — I do hope you won’t be too frightfully tired. Goodbye Darling. I love you from the very depths of my soul.

Your
B

Women’s Suffrage’’3
I. Present Situation

(1) Asquith has stated that he intends next year to introduce and carry through H. of C.a a Bill for practically manhood suffrage, and to accept any W.S. Amendment that the House carries, whether wide or narrow. (2) Lloyd George and other Cabinet Ministers have agreed (apparently) to advocate an Amendment conferring votes on (a) women who now have the municipal vote (b) wives of voters. Lloyd George is undertaking a campaign in favour of W.S. (3) The Govt. has promised facilities for the Conciliation Bill, which gives votes to women occupiers; but if the Amendment to the Reform Bill is carried, this promise will lapse.

II. Theory. Same as democracy. (1) No unrepresented class is treated fairly. Grievances of women. (2) Without political responsibility people’s education is incomplete: their character is likely to be less serious and their outlook more limited than if they had a voice in public affairs. (3) Good relations between classes or individuals are equal relations, where neither has power over the other. One-sided power generates arrogance on one side and resentment on the other.

Persia4

By the Anglo-Russian Treaty (1908?) Persia was divided into 3 parts, a Russian sphere in the North, a British sphere in the South, and a neutral zone. But both parties protested that the division was for purely commercial (railway etc.) purposes, not political. It has, however, been treated as political. The Russians lately picked a quarrel with Persia on a frivolous pretext, and advanced troops. They undertook to withdraw the troops if Persia agreed to their demands. We thereupon advised Persia to agree, on the definite understanding that if so Russia would withdraw;b Persia did so, but Russia said it was too late, launched a new ultimatum and advanced more troops. The result will necessarily be the extinction of Persian nationality, just when Persia has undertaken reform and learnt to work a Parliament. British interests willc suffer (a) by the land-frontier with Russia, which in Afghanistan we did everything to avoid (b) by the fact that Russia can, whenever it chooses, acquire Southern Persia, with ports on the Persian Gulf, threatening our communications with India (c) by the fact that we appear as Russia’s ally in oppressing Persia, which is regarded throughout the East as the intellectual aristocracy of Islam; we thus offend our Mohammedan subjects in India, the most warlike and hithertod the most loyal. Moreover we help in the perpetration of a crime against liberty, justice and civilization. Motive: fear of Germany — which nearly caused war last summer, and is the ground for our vast naval expenditure. Cure: Friendship with Germany. Means Assassination of Grey.

• 1

  [document] Document 000277. Proofread against a colour scan of the original.

• 2

  [envelope] A circled “277”. The Lady Ottoline Morrell | Towneley Villa | Burnley. Pmk: CAMBRIDGE | 2.30 PM | DE 5 | 11 | 4

• 3

  Women’s Suffrage Published as Appendix VII in Papers 12.

• 4

  Persia Published as Appendix VIII in Papers 12.

Textual Notes

• a

  and carry through H. of C. inserted

• b

  , on the definite … withdraw inserted

• c

  will inserted

• d

  the most warlike and hitherto after deleted hitherto