New-York tribune., 1919-06-24
The Woman Question

IT. HE Russian, who has had n.
former mode of living shatt.r.s
by the war and the revolution !.
calling as loud as he can for culture !.
come to his aid in adapting himsAlf =
his new environment. He is now tur,
ing to the newspaper with his var;or.
problems and demands an answsr :.
them.
Here, for instance, is a commune.
ton from a group Of soldiers Of ~.
Caucasian army:
Instances Of horrible revenge ~ ..,.
diers on their unfaithful wives ara =.
creasing daily. Will you take y.
trouble, please, to see that the enIiOAt
ened classes and the social press comb.
these occurrences by enlighteninr tha
people and telling them that the woms,
are innocent7 We who write this lst4.,
know who is to blame. We do not -.
cuse the women; we know human
nature"
And here is another communicatsm
on the same subject:
II write this on the train. A soId,s,
has just told me with tears in his am.
that he had deserted from the front ind
is going home to take care Of his svo
little children, who were deserted by
his light-minded wife. He vows that hs
will revenge himself on her. Thousand,
upon thousands have deserted on &C.
count Of the conduct of their wiyss
What can be done about it?"
'In Rostov on the Don," reads another
letter, Soldiers drove a woman through
the streets naked, with her hair fiyins
loose. Using tin pail for drum, they
proclaimed to the crowds the woman's
intidelity. This procession was organized
jointly by the husband Of the woman
and her lover, corporal. Permit to
add that the fear Of shame does not
tame the instinct. On the other hand
through such public punishments chill.
dren become aware Of the misdemeanor.
Why are the newspapers silent?"
Here, however, is a letter which deals
with the woman question from another
viewpoint:
II ask you to tell me either by regis
tered letter or in your newspaper how
one is to understand the newly granted
equality to woman, and what women are
permitted to do under this new order.
The peasants are greatly worried about
this new order of things. This will no
doubt increase lawlessness, because the
entire village is now dependent upon
the women. The family is being de-
stroyed, and that will bring ruin to the
economic life of the peasant"
This writer goes on to say:
Il inform you, who are friend Of
humanity, that in the villages frightful
nonsense is taking place. The soldiers
now serving are assigned the worst
pieces of land which are Of no use, and
their wives are bowling. When the
men come back after the war there will
be some fights. The peasant must be
told to use justice in the distribution Of
the land"
In conclusion this letter says:
"Send US little book about womenS
rights"
l have only cited few Of the many
letters which discuss the same problem.
There is, however, another matter In
this same connection with which people
are constantly turning to me. This d
the request for books on all subjects.
They write to tell me Of their rels.
tions to the priest. They inquire If tho
immigration laws are still the same;
they ask that / write something about
America. Then there are letters asking
how one is to treat syphilis, and there
are letters asking that start move
ment to send onions to the soldiers in
the trenches, as onions are a very good
antidote to scurvy.
cannot, of course, find room for oil
of these requests in my newspaper.
It is time the freedom of the press
was used less in the direction Of per-
sonal squabbles and more in the inter
ests Of the living problems Of democ-
racy. Have not we all the same inter
est that the great Russian masses BE-
gill to know something of the objective
worth and beauty Of culture?