Evening star., 1926-05-23

NN The National " oman
Party insists that legisla
ton limiting the hours
women may be emplayed or prohibit
lngs the employment of women at
night, instead of being protection" is
observation-disclosures favor of men. The
party insists that the so-called pro.
tective labor laws for women are man
made and in the interest of men, not
women. since they enable men to get
the jobs from which woman are ex-
cluded.
Now the fight, which the Nationol
Woman'S Party has been waging In
the United States to bring about eco
nomic and industrial equality for
women is about to be transferred to
An International battle-ground.
This is not to he interpreted as an
abandonment of the struggle in Amer
ica for such equality between women
and men. Far from it. But the Ma
tfonal Woman's Party leaders believe
that the cause of economic equality
for women can be tremendously
furthered through international effort
on the part of women.
A delegation representing the Ma
tional Woman's Party is now in
Europe to take part in the World
Congress of the International
Noman's Suffrage Alliance. which
is to be held in Paris during the week
of May 80 to June 9.
Fighting Organized Labor. =.
The National Woman's Party-the
militant branch of the woman suffrage
group in this country during the fight
for political equaiity-realizeS that 1t
has a real battle on its hands to bring
about economic and industrial equal
ity of women. In the first place, here
in America. it has run counter right
off the bat to the American Fedora
tion of Labor. and the organizations
of woman workers affiliated with the
federation or organized separately. The
contest with the American Federation
of Labor comes over the laws enacted
in a number of States giving women
so-called protection in industry.
These laws limit the number of hours
which women may work for pay
though as Miss Alice Paul. founder
of the National Womans Party.
pointed out, there are no laws which
limit the number of hours which
women may work without pay. Again,
these protective laws in some cases
provide that women shall not work at
night. or during certain hours of the
night, etc.
members of the National Woman's
Party point out, make it more difficult
for women to get jobs. and II they
get them to receive pay equal to the
pay which would be demanded and
obtained by men in the same job. In
other words, the laws, while apparent
ly in the interest of the women, are
really in the interest of the man
workers. who are enabled to get the
Jobs and to get the higher pay be-
cause the laws put an embargo on the
employment of women to a certain
extent.
NO wonder the men in the Amer
lean Federation of Labor are in favor
of these protective laws for women" !"
said a member of the Woman's Party.
The only wonder is that woman
workers affiliated with the federation
or organizations of women permit the
wool to be pulled over their eyes"
Asks Equal Work Terms.
The contention of the National
Womans Party is that if women have
to work-and many do have to work
in the present day world--they should
be permitted to work on the same
terms as men.
To assure them the right to work
on equal terms with men. the Ma
tional Party has had introduced in
Congress the following proposed
amendment to the Constitution:
Men and women shall have equal
rights throughout the United States
and every place subject to its juris
dction''
The women declare that once this
amendment is adopted. all legal dis
crimiua tions against women will be a
an end in This country. OF course, their.
campaign is waged not alone against
the so-called protective labor laws now
initiating against the employment of
women, but against other legal dis
ordinations such as the power of the
child from it's mother, which exists
In three States: laws making the
father the sole natural guardian of
minor children. emitting the father
alone to the services and earnings of
a child-as Massachusetts, and New
York; laws In 40 States which declare
that the services of the wife belong
to the husband.
In one State the common law rule
that the earnings of married woman
belong to her husband is still in force.
In many States q married woman is
limited in her power to contract and
assume business liabilities and obli
cations. In some. the husband is en-
titled to manage and control his Wifes
separate property or to manage and
dispose of joint property. or enjoy its
rents and profits even though the wife
price. In one State, only male citi-
zens are permitted to be members of
the Legislature. In more than half Of