SERFS OF THE STATE

Rotorua Morning Post, Volume 2, Issue 445, 1 February 1933, Page 7

SERFS OF THE STATE

RUSSIA'S WOMEN VICTIMS OF GREATEST TRICK IN HISTORY. The Soviet woman, says an American writer, who recently returned from a year in Russia, is the victim of the "greatest trick in history." Miss Paula Leclere gave her views on a year's travels, most of it without guides. She said she left dummy luggage in hotel rooms where she registered and went out alone to see conditions for herself. "The whole system of civilisation has crashed about the heads of Russia's women," she said. "They are the victim s of the greatest trick in history, the tragic victims of militai'r ism, the most maligned and mis-prized lot, hiologically and spiritually, of any women on earth. They exist wretchedly under a system of cajolery and coercion hereft of all femi- , nine consideration and worked like serfs hy the Government. "The State nurseries and laundries and kitchens are practically nonfunctioning, which means that every woman, must eare for her home and children as well as doing her indus- - trial jobs. "The man of the family can wallc out of his ohligations to his wife by announcing that she has heen divorced. He can do this successively as many times as he wants to,^ with the promise that one-third of his income goes to any children he leaves with the mother. But when a man has . done it eight times, you can figure i how much is left for the latest wife's | child." ! Miss Leclerc said she saw women working in mines, hauling agricul- ' tural implements, puddling bare'foot in , mills. She seldom saw any of them i smile.