Every evening, Wilmington daily commercial., 1921-08-10

| In an article entitled. "A Purgatory
III Womens 3 Rights" which appeared 30
leslie Weekly for July 10, Jane hoIcn
tells of the suffering endurcd by women
IN Russia today. Mrs Kolen. who,
before her marriage ia Rnssian chem.
ist. was Miss Klinnap Of Los Angeles
lived IN Ru9ia until January OF this
wear when abe managed 10 escape into
Roumania, thence 10 the United tafes
Mrs. Kolen says that when The
Soviet government announced that
women were to have equal rights with
men, the women were delighted. They
made speeches prociaining FL the
wonders they would work With Their
newly acquired freedom. Soon, however,
they were wishing, IT, private, for the
return Of days when they had less free
dom and more comfort. To quote the
writer.
Yes. the women OF Soviet Russia
received the same rights as men, and
being on an equal footing, il was but Just
that they assume the same responsible
ties and duties Hence the drafting of
women into the Red Army
They were not really put in the army,
nor were they taken for fighting pur-
poses, but only as cooks, charwomen,
field workers, etc. Every female be-
tween the ages Of sixteen and forty-five
had to appear and be enlisted. II she did
not comply with this law she WAS pun
ished as y deserter.
For conscription purposes the women
Of Russia were divided into three groups.
or categories.
First All women not belonging TO any
union leven If they worked for their
living), and those having no fixed occu-
patton or employment. This. Of course,
meant the burgeoisic class
Second .Lhe intellectual class, or
rather those Of the intellectual class hav-
ing profession, such as doctor, teacher,
student, etc.
Third Women working IN factories,
or belongirg q to any kind Of labor uniors
Wives and mothers Of large families
who had never kept servants Thereby
proving that they were no "burgeoIsleD
| III or deformed W omen and those about
to hecornc mothers or having infants
younger than one year.
I Women in the FIRST category were
| taken for work IN the fields, or employed
IN various other woys for the good of
the army. For examule they were put
to washing the dirty clothes or preparing
what food there was, for the soldiers.
cleaning the floors and windows Of tho
barracks, scrubbiDe, those of typhoid
hospitals, etc, etc This work was. oI
course. done gratis, as it was for tho
benefit Of the State"
4 Women IN the second category werr
sent into the country 20 instruct aad re.
form the peasanfry, cure the sick. etc
Like true soldiers, womsr were oblipes
10 90 where sent and fulsili their dutie.
without asklog any questions Or r@celv
ing any explanations as to the why's aae
wherefores"
The third group was excluded FIRM
compulsory work altogether. Ii wa,
found that they were The people whom
the government could not spare. There.
| fore they were no. disturbed.
Because women tired to evade the
conscription, the Soviet government
resorted TO tricks to get enough women
workers. They were trapped while
bathing at the beach, while walking OF
travelling. and put to work.
In Bolshevik Russia marriage and
divorce are simple The marriage by
law" is extremely lax, and simply re-
GuIres the appearance before magls-
4