The Indianapolis times. [volume] (Indianapolis [Ind.]) 1922-1965, 1934-11-06
Tiny Wonan
Hopes TOGO
toCOngreSS
Mrs. Rachel Panken, on
Socialist Ticket,
States Views.
By EVELYN SEELEY
Tine. gnr~faf Wrffrr

NEW YORK, Nov. 6.-Persons
L Y have realized they had 70 BE-
gin thinking some time according
to Mrs Rachel Panken. Socialist
candidate for congress from the
Fourteenth district Of New York.
And little Mrs. Panken has done
her share 70 make them think
I may be little" says she. who
stands 4 feet II and looks demure
and housevifely in her apartment.
but I can make myself heard in
congress-"
Mrs. Panken. wife OF former
judge Jacob Panken. Is hoarse from
much sOap-bOxing and speaking be-
fore labor unions.
They call this country civilized, .
she storms in her quiet voice, her
pale blue eyes flashing. And in
the midst Of wealth and tremendous
labor power and raw products yet
untouched YOU find persons BY the
thousand freezing in cOld-Water
fats. That is why I have been
Socialist practically all my life"
She came from Russia, with her
parents. when she vas a baby. She
lived IN New Jersey factory towns.
where her father worked in the
needle trades. At Q Rachel was act
ing as Interpreter for her father in
organizing the needle trades union.
She was the school rebel. After
she was graduated from Hunter col
lcge and a course at Ethical Culture
school she began TO teach. Fellow
teachers dubbed her red" and
scOrned her efforts to organize a
teachers union. Then, she pointed
out. almost every graduate got a
Job: now thousands wait in vain;
now there is a teachers union.
She met a fiery young speaker at
a Socialist meeting and later mar
RCD him. He was Jacob Panken-
the Judge" 10 her since his career
on the bench a few years ago.
Sees Tragedy Of Youth
She has learned the tragedy Of
contemporary youth through her
daughter HermiOne. who is two
wears out Of college. HermiOne IS
employed. but she brings friends to
the house who present a different
picture.
Mrs. Panken is out tn work in
congress for unemployment insur-
anCe. supported by industrialiStS and
government. not by workers; abOli-
ton Of child labor; adequate relief
that is not dole but work paid by
tax on the higher income brackets;
decent housing. more soundly based
than the limited dividend corpora
ton Of which KnickerbOcker Village
seems TO her the bad example; mu-
nitions taken out Of private hands
50 there Will be no profit in blood
shed.
The present administration is
doomed 10 failure" she said, If
labor continues 10 have no repre-
sentatiOn in code authority. II is
undemOCratic. The only codes that
are effective are those whose in
duStries are strongly organized"
No. Mrs. Panken docs not believe
she can achieve socialism suddenly.
II must be done by democratic
methods" through reason" And
what they can do now is TO make a
dent in congress by blocking the
moves against workers and letting
the people know what is going on"
Her lcftward sisters do not con-
slider Mrs. Panken left at all. They
do not mention her in the same
breath with Margaret COwl. Com
munist candidate for state senator
from the Twelfth district.
She was seventh Of thirteen chill
drcn in Brooklyn. She went TO work
when she was y in a tobacco fac
tory. earned $50 a week for ten
hours daily work. Rundown. she
went TO the country at doctors or
ders and worked as a maid. She
worked twelve hours a day. had one
night of and earned $50 a month
She took no time of for bitter
ness. Tweuy years ago she got into
the labor movement. Like Mrs.
Panken. she can not achieve her
idealism IN a capitalist state. I'm
like Mrs. Panken, she has little hope
for democratic means" She wants,
from the state senate. equal pay for
equal work for women; unemploy-
ment insurance: paid by employers
and not by workers; abolition Of
anti-birth control laws and eStab-
feHr,,~s-t Of f~oo clinics