The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-12-01

IN admltClng the disgrace TO chicago wealthy
city of the insults and the McCormick's the
welfare commissioner warned that many of the
jobiess women are facing lives of shame-having
no other alternative Procurers for houses OF
prostitution were, Of course, active in the parks,
soliciting the women and making profits for their
masters out Of the helpless poverty of the girls
Increasing numbers of women have been forced
to sell their bodies in return for food and
shelter. Knowing that the numbers of pfosti-
tutes must have increased as the crisis deepened;
the American Social Hygiene Association wrote
a letter to all social agencies throughout the
country, asking for exact information as to the
increase. But the agencies in each community
were entirely unwilling to commit themselves as
to the increase of such vice in their own centers
and SO the Social Hygiene Association reported
to the Labor Reese rch Association that nothing
could be substantial in any report of such an
increase.
Back OF the homeless women, sleeping out in
parks or giving their SCI il reguIn for a mell is
the long story of houses broken ub evicfiors
hunger and despair. One social agency alone,
TIE Charity Organization Sc ciety OF Flew York
admits that for more than months an average
of 500 families week have been coming to the
society to report complete desttution. UJually
it is the women that come, bringing the children
ana asking II some way cannot possibly De IOunu
to Keep the home. Cnarity's answer is a long
investigation, to find out every intimate fact
about the familys lie, and then meager grocery
order or the answer that there are already too
many families On the list to receive attention.
The permanent effect of these starvation con-
ditions on the health and life of The working
class was to a certain extent admitted By Fran
oes Perkins industrial commissioner of New YORK
state when he spoke before the LaFollette COM
mittee of the Senate in Octcbr, 1851. Comment
ing on the increase of all minor illnesses due to
mHlnutrition, she stated: at is result that we
will not fully understand until several yeers have
passed and the crisis is all over
Gwen N Normal" Times
Even il 5o-caled normal times capitalism is
Killing women. The death rate of mothers in
child birth is higher in the United States richest
c. ot-Est country than in any other country in
tire world for which statistics are available, ard
the Uni.od States has held this record for 70
yccrs.
O-or 1900 mothers each year III tl.e Urited
States Gie lc1iiIe behind them their newborn
b1Jic3. ~ least 10000 CT thee dead mothers
coul& laws been saved each lear, physcians
admit, if the women had had money fer p-orer
ircti;al care. rest ard securit,.
CIV unemployment kills babies las already
bc2n lhCTn by Tie Labor Research Association.
5ctorc TIC critic of 1929-31. the United States
Clllircn'S Bureau proved i'll number o. s5udi2s
th-t the death OF babies in infancy is directly
rc'2ted to tie earnings OF the father. When the
fs .hcrs we're jcblcss and had no cs1ning5 the
r2.to OF dcGtl-5 is 2ll for every LOCO live births
In Ia loT or irccGn6 groups the rate Is l6f Tor
every 1000 live births, but in The higher income
grcuc- orly sc for cyery LOCO live births
Gor,ards OF Job.css Women Workers
In The face OF these conditions and thc failure
c. thc federal SC yerinlcnt to take any action
uncr'plo"cd women workers are making the fol-
loving daInand5: l. Equal unemplos nlent in
s1r acce for men end women workers; full wages
fo- all unemployed workers. 2. Equal unemploy
mont insurance for all single ana married women
workers. 3. No diSuliccc.l OF married women.
4. Special free municipal lodging houses for
homeless unemployed women 5. Fee mei;cal
care ior unemployed pregnant wcn1en at the
expense CT the STATE. G. Tree hol1tcl care dur
ilg ccilfc cmcnt and ITO weeks after confine-
ment for mother and child.