The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1931-01-20
By MARGARET NEAL.


THE history of the Russian Communist Party is
filled with examples of women revolutionists
who took equal part with men in the great strug-
giles that led to the victory Of the first workers
and peasants state. Hardly an important con-
ference an important elaboration, strike OF
any proportions, that did not include among its
foremost workers women. Equally important
vas the tremendous role played by the millions
of working class and peasant women in all the
battles Of Russian labor the extent to which
these women we're co-workers and co-fighters
with men And this was due in no small measure
to the correct clear-sghted policy towards wo-
men, worked out. under the direction of Com
rade Lenin.
1t was Lenin who clearly formulated the Com
munist attitude towards the problems OF the
woman worker which had so greatly puzzled
many Of the reyoutionists. To what extent is
the participation of women. in industry a per-
uaanent affair; do We Communists encourage
this participation, shall We try TO restore the
sid order of things, in which women remained
at home; how does our position differ from that
OF the fenninists; by what methods can working
women be brought into the general stream Of the
.lass struggle--to all these questions Lenin gave
clesr-cut answers, that still hold good today.
Thirty and more years ago, when the. develop
merit Of ca pitalism in Russia was drawing women
into industry by the thousands the capitalists
and many of the liberals asserted that women
20 Into Industry only temporarily that some work
for pin-noney others only until they arc mar
,ried, etc. and that eventually capitalism would
create paradise in which women would. be free
from industrial labor. AS early as 1900, Lenin
effectively nailed this lie Of the bourgeoisie
proving that working women are driven into In
.drstry BY bitter economic necessity, that for
81 IL hnr sc fe
and that the sin,plification OF the production
processes coming with the Development OF capt.
telisrn will Draw more and more of them into
the factories. How this analysis has been justj-
fled We can see today. particularly In the United
States. where the number Of working women,
and unemployed working women, has been con-
SANITY on the increase d.
How is the Revolutionary working class to view
this fact? Even today, there are voices to say
that womans place is not in the factory; some
rauddled liberals ask for an arrangement whereby
women can remain at home; the bosses and the
A. r. OF L. try TO make the workers believe that
II women we're withdrawn from industry uner
ployment would be materially decreased-thus
attempting TO set working men against working
women. s %
On this point Lenin said THE entrance OF
rcrren into industry, and their increasing num-
be1 Ii industry, is q progressive factor True.
The capitalist factory makes this q burden, and
puts the workers thereby In difficult position.
IN order to alleviate this. 1t is necessary to fight
for the shortening and regulation Of the wors-
ing day. But the desire TO forbid all particps :
ton Of women in industry and to reveret to a
pAtriarcaaI form OF living which excludes such
work. would be reactionary and Utopian' HI
also said;
1T 10 the business Of the bourgeoisie TO de-
velop trusts, to drive women and children into
the factories, to torture and debauch Them, TO
1oh6eEnn them to dire need We do not .deniand'
Gaxh development. We do not support it, We fight
aeainst it. But how do ne fight7 We do not