The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-11-27
Organize the Women for Class Struggle

Ia strike that is still strong after ten
months. The organized participation
Of the women had much to do with
the remarkable vitality of this strike.
There, from the beginning, the left
wing leadership made special efforts
to draw in the women.
They had their own mass meeting.
where the issues Of the strike and the
problems of their own lives were ex-
planned to them. Then the Working
women's Councils were organized,
which drew in not only the striking
women but the wives of strikers and
sympathizers. The United Council OF
Workingclass Housewives opened
kitchens for the children, which the
women themselves conducted. The
/ Women's Councils went in for strike
work with scabs and on the picket
line. They raised money for relief
The housewives for the strikers chill
dren at Victory Playground. An or
ganization Of women has been built
up which has not only been a power
full support of the strike, but which
the women will maintain after the
strike is settled.
Cloakmakers Follow.
In the fourteenth week of the. cloak
makers strike the union called the
wives of the men to battle. 1t or
ganized them into committees and set
them to work at visiting scabs and
generally stiffening up the strike. The
women responded eagerly; at last
they were a power in a great strug-
gle; their confused. half-conscious
warnings and rebellions were crystal
lied into a conscious fight to win
their husbands demands. With the
strike settled the women will keep
their committees. The United Coun-
Gil of Workingclass Housewives is
helping everywhere to organize the
workers wives for the workers strug-
giles.
Movements spread quickly, as the
battles of the workers come thick and
fast. The 5000 paper box makers of
New York City have been on strike
for eight weeks against low wages
and conditions Of miserable exploita-
ton. Women, most of them young
girls, constitute 20 per cent of this
union. Shoulder to shoulder with the
men they have marched on the picket
line, taken the blows of policemens
clubs and gone to Jail.
Housewives Open Kitchen.
Punched by the continuation Of their
strike, the union leaders, Gale, Mar
kowitz, George Powers and Henrietta
Ray, called in the help of the United
Council Of Workingclass Housewives.
Nov. IL they came to the office of
Kate Gltlow, the secretary Of the or
ganization. and asked her TO help them
in establishing strikers kitchen.
She spoke at mass meeting the fol-
lowing Saturday afternoon and imme-
diately organized committee of ten
women and five men to conduct the
kitchen. That was Saturday after
noon. On Monday the kitchen opened,
with three women as managing COM
mittee. The strikers focked into tho
CHURCH Of All Nations on lower Sec
ond avenue, New York, where it was
housed. They were fed plentifully
and well. They enjoyed the satisfac-
ton Of eating In their own union
kitchen, the funds for which came
from organized labor. In keeping up
this kitchen, as we'll as in the other
work of the strike, the women will be
drawn in more and more.
Yes, the backward slaves, crushed
by the century.long exploitation OF the
home and the new burdens Of indus
try, are at last awakening. The
women are learning that only by
throwing themselves into the strug-
gle for power which tho working class
is waging can they free themselves
from those bonds which hamper their
awakening thirst FOR freedom. for
knowledge. for life.
W Pa