The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1924-08-19
(Continued from Fac 1.l

(COnLluueu from rage H.
all countries and to take back with
them the decisions, advice and the in
spiration of the conference.
Clara Zetkin, the old war horse, now
weak and white, but still alive with
her unconquerable idealism and enthu-
siasm, is the founder of the interna-
tional women's movement. For thirty
years she has been a ceaseless worker
in the battle Of the proletariat, against
the exploiter, and the women's inter-
national is one of her latest and finest
achievements.
The peasant women all over Russia,
from the Ukraine and the Caucauses,
from the Volga and the Don Bias, were
represented. They told of the educa-
tional and cultural work among the
peasant women, who formerly could
not read or write, and were as much
without rights as the women of the
orient.
Women Praise ProIearian Revolution.
The Russian proletarian revolution
has completely changed the status of
women, both industrial and peasant,
all over Russia. The rights Of the
women in Russia are exactly the same
as those of the men, and this means
not only before the law, but in the
shops, factories and trade unions.
There are special laws for working
women, such as the prohibition of
night work and dangerous work, and
maternity laws providing two months
rest before and after birth. Therefore
the % Russian delegates have much
to tell to their sisters from bourgeois
countries, where the power is still in
the hands of proft-gorged and blood
stained capitalists.
The Women of the Far East.
Comrade Casparava, in charge OF
the eastern section, gave detailed
report on the problems and struggles
of the proletarian women in the near
and far east. She said in China and
Japan there is complete disenfran
chisement of women, and a state Of
virtual slavery exists because of the
illiteracy of the women and their alb
soIute subsection to the heads of tho
household. In China women are
bought and sold, and upon marriage
become the complete property of theii
husbands. In Japan a woman is pun
ished with thirty days Imprisonment
for participating in political move
ment. Thus the fight in these coun
tries takes the form of fight for the
emancipation of women from barbar
GUS marital and suffrage laws; The
fight for education, the stamping ou
of prostitution, as well as equality
with men.
But even in these backward coun
tries the women have already resortec
to strikes in industry, altho in Japar
at present there are only 5000 organ
lied women. In November and De
cember three textile strikes took place
in which 5000 women took part, II
per cent of the Japanese peasants are
hired laborers and semi-proletarians
In China in 1928 there were S5 strikes
involving 10000 women.
The problems affecting the womeI
of other eastern countries like India
and Korea are practically the same
that is the fight for education and the
emancipation of women from ancient
and barbarous customs.
Problems Facing Western Women.
In western countries, particularly
Germany, we find different situation
Here the feminist fight is thing o.
the past. Here it is question of the
class struggle. The German prole
tariat is on the eve Of taking power
The German women both in indus
try and in the homes must be mobil
ized' for the final struggle. The Ger
man proletarian women must stanC
solidly in the ranks with labor and b.
their numbers and power add to thu
fighting capacity of the entire work
ing class.
In Germany, France, England ant
America, the question is therefore
one of organization. The question o
the shop nuclei becomes one Of para
mount Importance. The shop nucle
must be organized and spurred on t
activity. They must begin at once thu
work of awakening the self interes
of women in the shop. The question
Of wages, hours, shop conditions
equal pay for equal work with tn
men, shop committees ETC., must b
brot before the workers. The Com
munist women nucleus in sho
must be in constant touch with tn
womens committee of the party an,
this, in turn, with the central com
mittee.