The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1929-03-08
The American Women Workers
and the Revolutionary Struggle
By JULIET STUART PoYNTz.

by JULIET STUART POIMTL.
INTERNATIONAL Women's Day is
worldwide mobilization OF
working women, a demonstration Of
international solidarity in the strug-
gle of labor against the capitalist
offensive in all countries, against
Imperialism and the war danger.
Millions Of working women will
be represented in the meetings and
demonstrations that take place in
all countries in the international
Women's Day campaign on March
Sth and during the entire month of
March. They viii come together on
the call of the Communist Interna-
tional as the revolutionary vanguard
Of the great masses of working wo-
men toiling in the factories and
workshops under terrible conditions
Of exploitation, working at home
bearing and rearing their children
in a struggle with restitution and
the growing CO.'S of living.
In tie year 1899, international
Women's Day is demonstration of
tremendous import. The world crisis
of capitalism is broadening and
deepening. The imperialist rivalry
of the great capitalist powers for
markets, for world trade, for finan-
cial domination, is growing ever
more intense and leading inevitably
to another world conflict, while
within each country capitalist ration
alization brings a greatly intensified
speed-up in the factories and re-
duction in the standards of labor.
wage cuts, lengthaning of hours and
the open shop drive.
Force Women to Factories.
Capitalist naturalization, the in
creased mechanization of industry
and the growing importance of un-
skilled and semi-skilled workers in
the labor force is drawing women
workers into industry in eyer-in-
lcreasing numbers, while the worsen-
| ing conditions of the working class
in general; growing impoyerishment
wage cuts, unemployment, are fore
ing women out of the home into the
shops and factories. The number OF
women wage earners in America has
increased from 100000 in 1910 t.
probably about 100000 today. Ii
clerical occupations and trades they
constitute more than half of all the
workers, while in industry they are
from 25 to 30 per cent and continu-
ally increasing. Married women anc
mothers are an ever larger proper,
ton of the women workers, already
100000 in 1890 and today much
more.
Do Work Men Did.
| Women workers dur.ag the las
world war took the places of mef
at work never before performed BY
women--in the heavy industry ant
industries manufacturing war ma
terials, steel, rubber, auto, airplane
etc. In the present period of ration
alization and preparation for new
wars women workers are on the in
crease in all the heavy industries
and are ever more exploited; they
will play an all important role there
in the event of war.
The great masses of the womei
waee-earEers in America are work
ling in this land of Hooyerian "pros
lperity" under terrible conditions O
exploitation, Encouragement AM
oyer-work. Starvation wages are tn,
Irule everywhere. More than half tn,
working women in leading industia
states get less than $40 to $15 ;
week, while in the textile states O.
the South, half get less than SO an.
SO a week-wages of S., So and s.
are common everywhere
Irregular and seasonal employ
ment, especially prevalent in indus
tries employing women, reduce thes'
starvation wages still further, Will,
lengthening of unlimited hours ant
speed-up are universal. So-callet
labor Legislation for the protection
of women workers, laws limiting
hours and night work, minimum
wage laws, etc., have proven fare
in capitalist America, as also anti
child-labor laws and measures fo
protection of working mothers. So
eiai insurance is non-existant. I'm
limited and unrestra,ned exploita
ton of women workers is the ruiz
everywhere.
BOSSES Cntting Wage.
The employers, however, are con
Quoting drive today to pare ava!
even these miserable conditions
Wage cuts are the rule in all indus
tries employing women and especial
Ily in textiles. Systematic drives t,
llengthen hours and wipe out laboi
Legislation are being conducted b!