THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN RUSSIA

New Zealand Times, Volume XLIV, Issue 10282, 17 May 1919, Page 10

THE STATUS OF WOMEN IN RUSSIA

To the Editor “N.Z. Times.” Sir, —Some months ago you, in common with the entire daily Press of New Zealand, gave publicity to cablegrams announcing that tho Soviet Government of Russia passed and published a monstrous decree for tho nationalisation of women, many leading articles abusive of tho Bolsheviks were penned on the assumption that the information contained in the cable messages was authentic, and a shudder of Horror and disgust ran through tho entire country. General credence - was given to the shocking story, except among those who understood something about Socialism and its standard of sex equality, and those latter simply laugh ed at the absurdity of the assertions, in spite of their cleveriy doctored term of publication. The infamous canard first saw light in the columns of ‘‘The New Europe,” a weekly periodical, which in its list of collaborators includes men like Mr H. Wickham Steed (editor of thu London “Times”), It. , \v. Seton Watson, Professor H. Spencer Wilkinson, Professor Ramsay Muir, Frederic Harrison, J. L. Garvin (editor of .the London “Observer”), Professor Thomas G. Masaryk, and Professor Sir Paul Vinograff. ! Tho issue of “The New Europe” for March 13th contains tho following statement, under the heading “The Bolsheviks and the Status of Women” :

“We have received the following communication from our collaboxatoi, Dr Harold Williams: “ ‘The statement has been frequontlj made of late in the Press and in public speeches that the Bolsheviks have, issued a monstrous decree for the nationalisation of women, and a Women’s Society in Paris is reported to have undertaken a campaign against the Bolsheviks on this particular ground. Personally, 1 cannot bo accused (it any prepossession in the Bolsheviks’ favour, but just because 1 feel so acutely the enormity of their real crimes and the iniquity of their whole regime, I consider it -wrong to weaken tho case against them by imputing to them crimes they have not committed. “ ‘I have made particular inquiries among friends recently arrived from Russia as to the alleged nationalisation of women, and they ail assure -me positively that they have never heard or read of such a decree. It is certain that -the Central Bolshevik Government has issued no order of the kind, and if Anarchists in Smolensk or schoolboys in some other provincial town have printed such abominable productions, the Central Government cannot bo held responsible. The position of women and of everybody else under the Bolshevik regime is far too tragical to be made the subject of such gross caricature as those reports of tho nationalisation of women really aro.’

“We gladly give prominence to the above declaration, since (according to uhe ‘Russian -Information Bureau,’ tho Bolshevik Agency in London), an article entitled ‘The.Bolsheviks and the -Status of Women,’ published in No. 107 of ‘The New Europe,’ appears to nave set the ball rolling. In it we gave a translation of a decree issued jy the Bolsheviks of Vladimir, and published in the official Soviet organ Tzvestija,’ which had been supplied o us by an Englishman personally well piainted with Russian --nag tho war, and of unquestionablegood faith. We now find that he was inaccurate in quoting the document from the official organ Tzvestija,’ and that he had confused it with the local Vladimir newspapers of the same name- Tzvestija’ being the Russian for news. As this puts an entirely different complexion on the mattei, and as the Central Moscow Government cannot -be held responsible for the lucubrations of every local committee, we desire to withdraw unreservedly the imputation, and to express our regret for the mistake.” I have no doubt, sir, hut that you will he pleased to give as much publicity to.this refutation by Dr Harold Williams of an accusation against the Soviet Government as filthy as it was untrue, and of the “New Europe’s” withdrawal and expression of. regret, as you did to the original cable messages on the matter. I cannot -help regretting for the sake of tho cable service to the New Zealand Press that the “New Europe’s” retraction was not given the same prominence as its gross misrepresentation or invention. Pi FRASER, M.P. Wellington Central. Wellington, May 14th, 1919.