The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1928-02-11

result of the tremendous influx of
women into American industry. The
development of capitalism has drawn
millions of women into the vortex OF
industrial exploitation. There are
eight and a half million women en-
gagged in gainful occupations, of whom
two-fifths are under rs years of age,
and two million are married.
Women Make Munitions.
Not alone in those industries which
have been regarded as tradiriOnaiiy
hers---such as textile and clothing
because. they were the first 70 utilize
her labor power, but in many differ
ent industries that have been con-
sidered as mans monopoly, have
women come to stay. During the last
war, hundreds of thousands OF women
contributed their labor power in the
manufacture of munitions and other
implements of warfare, finding their
place also on railroads, in foundries,
electrical establishments, shipbuild-
ing companies, automobile factories,
glass plants, etc. Capitalist industry
draws no distinction of sex where
hands are able to manipulate machines
and otherwise carry on the work OF
men, especially when woman labor is
adaptable and cheap.
The use of women in industry dur
ing the war opened for capitalism
new and tremendous possibilities fol
industrial mobilization in the next
great conflict. Her continuation in
these industries after the war, the
steady growth of the number OF
women engaged in industry, has
created a tremendous industrial army
leading to her recognition as an es-
sential and significant element in in
dustry and labor.
This, toget her with her entrance
directly upon the political arena
through the suffrage amendment, has
gradually established her as factor
not alone in industry, but in politic4
as well. Capitalism has been quicl
to recognize women's political po-
tentialities, quick to devise means to
harness her in it's class interests.
Try to Preserve Reaction.
Numerous bourgeois women's or
CARNATIONS have sprung up all over
the country, aiming to bind women
closely to the capitalist system
through the medium of the capitalist
political parties, and striving to
utilize this vast reserve of political
power for the buttressing and
strengthening of the capitalist state
and capitalist political institutions.
There is the National League Of
Women Voters, formed after the pas
sage of the women suffrage amend
ment. Branches have been es. ablished
in more than three-fourths Of the 43
congressional districts in the United
States. Their aim is, to train women
in citizenship from a non-partisan
viewpoint which from the workers
point of view rleans to bind them to
capitalist politics. In fact, the League
, urges work through the existing
capitalist parties, in nc way operates
against them, and leading women Of
the democratic and republican parties
are prominent members of It While
it proposes to pay special attention
to the "human welfare" side Of gov
eminent, especially as concern S
women, a review of it's convention
proceedings - 1923 and 1925 - and
atements of it's leaders, shows a
complete disregard of women's posi-
ton in industry, the bitter exploita-
ton to which she is subjected, and
problems of legal protection such as
minimum wage laws. etc.