The toiler. [volume] (Cleveland, Ohio) 1919-1922, 1921-02-19
BY THE FEDERATED PRESS.

New York On. Y. Bur.).-A slender
pamphlet has just been turned off the
press here which contains between its
two grey covers enough reason and
clarity to dispel all the lies circulated
about the status of women in Soviet
Russia. Its title is "The Marriage Laws
of Soviet Russia" and it is the first
complete English text of the code of
laws drawn up in Russia dealing with
marriage, the family and domestic re-
lations.
Not word that might be interpreted
by the most clever exegist as sanction
ing the naturalization of women"
is to be found in this code, which was
adopted by the All-Russian Central
Executive Committee on September 16.
LBS. What does distinguish the laws
above all else is their recognition of
the rightful social function and eco.
nomic status of women. They disclose
no trace of the old, political, economic
ana legal Discrimination between tncs
sexes. tfu M
How the rights of various groups of
the population are provided for in this
code may be learned from the following
typical clauses:
Rights of Married Women-"Mar.
riage does not establish community of
property between the married persons.
And to strengthen this proviso and
weaken the pressure of old customs
which tended to diminish the wife 3
economic rights, supplementary clause
adds that any agreement between hus-
band and wife tending to impair his or
her property rights shall be deemed
void. Moreover the change of residence
by one of the parties to a marriage
shall not impose an obligation on the
other party to follow the former"
Rights of Children-Parents are OBJ
liged to keep their children with them
and are responsible for their care and
education and their instruction in
useful activity" Parents may not con-
tract for the employment of their
children between the ages Of 16 and IS
without the chldren's consent. Employ
ment of children under 10 is forbidden
by the labor laws. After the age of IA
children may profess whatever religious
beliefs they choose regardless Of the
religious affiliation Of their parents.
Rights Of Parents-The obligation
of parents for the care, maintenance and
education Of their minor children is
accompanied by an equal obligation
upon mature children for the mainten.
ance of their parents if the latter are
INDECENT and unable to work, provided
that the parents are not receiving sup.
port from the government. Men Of 55
and women Of so are not required to
show any proof Of incapacity for work.
Rights of "Illegitimate" Children
"Children descending from parents
who are not married have equal rights
with those descending from parents liv.
ing in registered marriage.
"The right to establish the actual
descent Of child is reserved to the in.
terested parties, including the mother. I"
Full obligation is imposed on the un.
married father for his equal share in
the expenses connected with the gesta.
J ton, delivery and maintenance Of the
; child"
The tentative and experimental quail.
ity Of this code is fully recognized by
its trainers Says A. G. Haichberg, edit.
or in chief Of the Collegium Of Laws;
"It is to be understood that in publish.
, ing this code the government Of the
, Iproletariat engaged in establishing 80.
cialism in Russia, does not aim to make
them Of long duration. II does not de-.
sire to establish eternal codes. The
| proletarian government constructs It's
Jaws so that each day Of their exist.
lence should make their continuance