"As a matter of fact," admitted the Prime Minister, "we are
hampered by these votes-for-women creatures; they disturb our
meetings throughout the country, and they try to turn Downing
Street into a sort of political picnic-ground."

"They must be dealt with," said Hermann.

"Dealt with," said the Prime Minister; "exactly, just so; but
how?"

"I will draft you a Bill," said the King, sitting down at his
typewriting machine, "enacting that women shall vote at all future
elections. Shall vote, you observe; or, to put it plainer, must.
Voting will remain optional, as before, for male electors; but
every woman between the ages of twenty-one and seventy will be
obliged to vote, not only at elections for Parliament, county
councils, district boards, parish councils, and municipalities,
but for coroners, school inspectors, churchwardens, curators of
museums, sanitary authorities, police-court interpreters,
swimming-bath instructors, contractors, choir-masters, market
superintendents, art-school teachers, cathedral vergers, and other
local functionaries whose names I will add as they occur to me.
All these offices will become elective, and failure to vote at any
election falling within her area of residence will involve the
female elector in a penalty of £10. Absence, unsupported by an
adequate medical certificate, will not be accepted as an excuse.
Pass this Bill through the two Houses of Parliament and bring it
to me for signature the day after to-morrow."

From the very outset the Compulsory Female Franchise produced