Detroit evening times. (Detroit, Mich) 1921-1958, 1942-11-14
Wallace
Criticized on
Democracy
Vice President Halls Red
Women's Freedom
BY WESTBROOK PEGLER

BY WESTBROOK PEGLER
CONCERNING democracy In
~ the treatment of the sexes.
as he put ii, Henry Wallace. the
vice president. said in his speech
10 the Congress of American
Soviet Friendship, whatever that
was. last Sunday, that it had
taken the war experience OF
Russia to demonstrate the COM
pleteness of our own failure.
THE average woman (of
Russia) does about rs much
work rs the average man and In
paid as much," he said.
Thousands of Russian women
are In uniform, either actively
fighting or standing guard.
I'VE In the United States have
not yet, In the same way as the
Russians, called on the tremen-
dous reserve power which IL I'm
our women, but before this war
II over we may be forced to
give the women the opportunity
10 demonstrate that with proper
training, they are equal to man
In most kinds of work"
THAT is Mr.. Wallace's idea OF
Il one of the meanings OF de-
mocTacy.
II means that women become
soldiers or factory hands and
have the privilege OF performing
most of the kinds of work that
men do.
II is true that in the United
States women are the victims OF
a wage differential in most lines
OF work.
That, however, can be adj
justed by raising their pay with
out any alteration Of the Ameri-
can form of government or
change in the relations of the
government 10 the governed.
1t represents only faulty oper-
alton OF the American system.
not a fault Of the system itself.
Otherwise women in the
United States enjoy equality
with men.
They vote and. except in a
few states which cling TO old
laws, without the conscious
knowledge Of their people. their
property rights are fully re-
spected and protected.
INDEED, they enjoy special
Il legal protection as the home
makers and the mothers OF
children. and American thought
has always imposed on the hus-
bands and fathers duty 10 pro-
vide homes and the necessities
of life for their families.
II would seem that in Mr..
Wallace'S concept OF democracy
woman is degraded by this legal
recognition of her dependency,
but the American people will be
slow 10 emancipate her in this
respect.
The enfran n sement OF
women in the United States.
regrettably. has caused no per-
ceptible improvement in the po-
lltiCal hygiene Of the country.
II is only coincidence, TO be
sure, and the women are not 10
blame, but our political life
never was more sordid than il
has been under the administra-
ton Of which Mr. Wallace has
been one of the leading spirits
since 1882.
One woman senat tor was
elected by the intercession OF
the most brutal and dangerous
politician IN all our history,
Huey Long. who was a dictator
of Hitlerian stripe. The lady's
career has been otherwise un-
distinguished, one way or an
other.
Another woman was sent 10
Congress by the Frank Hague
machine Of jersey City.
A third lady has been serving
as cabinet officer of Mr.. Wal
lace'S administration since 1882
and has been negative figure
at best.
THERE is disagreement as 10
Il the quality of Mrs. Roose-
velt's contribution. 10 American
political and social life.
But contrary 10 Mr.. Wallsce's
theme. Mrs. Roosevelt has been
amazingly active. whereas the
wife Of the dictator of Soviet
Russia has no public existence
at all.
American women frequent
our saloons, they 60 about unat-
tended, they have educational
opportunities equal 10 those of
men and in the matter of en-
ployment are hampered only out
of consideration for their physi-
cal delicacy.
Some Of the restrictions may
be unreasonable, but il is hardly
an argument for democracy or
freedom 10 insist women be
hired for hard physical work.
And it should be noted that
Russia is an invaded country,
right under the guns. in which
every pair of hands and every
muscle counts.