Voice of action. [volume] (Seattle, Wash.) 1933-1936, 1934-07-27
Phamplet Review
WOMEN WHO WORK Grace
Hutchins, SC at the Workers
Bookshop, 1915 list Avenue.

~SSNShSFi 4SAS 4SS nv SAA~'
In every large city in America
recruiters for vice dens are sOlic-
iting American women on the
streets and in the parks, taking
advantage OF their hunger and
persuading them to sell them
selves for meal. In one country,
the Soviet Union, all women who
wish jobs have them. UnemplOy-
ment and prostitution have dis
appeared. Why does the rest OF
the world not follow such an ex-
ample ?
In 1928 the girls in the cotton
mills of Dover, New Hampshire,
struck against the inhumane con-
ditiOns under which they had to
work. Ever since then the work
ing women of America have TAX
en- active parts in the strikes and
militant labor work of the cOun-
try. In many of the larger cities
Of the country wage cuts have
been withdrawn, evictiOns stop
ped, food prices reduced, and
unemployment relief increased as
a direct result of militant work
carried on by women workers.
Women in the L. S. form % per
cent of all workers. In Germany,
France and England, 30 to 40 per
cent of all workers are women.
Between 1920 and 1880 the num-
Der of American women workers
increased by about One-fOurth.
OF all the women workers the
negroes are the most exploited.
They do the dirtiest jobs at the
lowest pay, and are used in racial
hatred schemes by the capitalist
class to keep the races from sol
idarity, hence away from effect
i've militant action in many reg
ions. More than half of the negro
women living with their hus-
bands are forced to work for
wages, while only One-fifth of the
white wives do so.
In munitions work wOmen's Ia
Dor is of such Importance that a
high officer of the army says that
women will play a greater part
in future wars. Governments, in
Guiding our own, have been stud
ying the use of women in war"
More than 100000 of the 10 mil
lion women workers are under IL
years of age. More than a million
are from 16 to 20. Nearly half are
under 25; and nearly all of them
look old and worn out before
they are 35. Men are usually con-
sideTed too old to hire on new
jobs after they are 40. With wO-
men it is often 80. Since the pen.
sion laws in most states care for
none under 20 years of age, many
of these people worn out and cast
aside by industry are steadily on
relief.
In three southern states more
than one fifth of the married
women work for wages. But often
married women that are in great
need of work can't get it. II per
cent of American cities won't hire
women as teachers, and
the same is true in many other
lines of work.
More than one-half of the work
ing women labor so hours a week
or more. One fifth of them work
more than "a hours, many as
much as Y hours. Even in states
that have the eight hour law for
women and restrictions on night
work these laws are seldom well
enforced. Night work for women
is legal in 80 of the 48 states.
Speed, Earring of machinery,
poisonous infections due to ma
terial worked with, tuberculosis
all these are often found fatally
injuring the health of women
workers. Out of the 5000 moth
ers who die annually in child
birth in America, doctors SAL that
10000 could be saved under de-
cent conditions of work and liv-
ing.
Women are almost always paid
less for the same work as men, u.s.
ually rs per cent less and often as
much as so per cent less. Wages
as low as $500 for a full time
week are often reported.
In only one country is there
equal pay for equal work, men
and women alike. In only one
country have unemployment, bad
working conditions and starva-
tiOn wages been eliminated. Is 1t
any wonder that the working
women of the world are coming
to look with hopeful eyes on
Russia and her system and try
ing to bring about such a system
I'm America?
And the women I'm their mill
tant unions and other organiza-
tiOns are fitting companions for
their militant men. They are
marching hand In hand-to vie
toryl