WOMEN UNDER SOCIALISM.

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LI, Issue 137, 1 June 1908, Page 4

WOMEN UNDER SOCIALISM.

To the Editor

(Sir,— lu your interesting hiding article ill tins morning's issue von mu-iiii-t- that under ISoviulMin tin- costumes' lof our woimiii will be all alike. \\ ell, -ii', Socialists air not going to trouble alHiut what n'uiiM'ii wear, hi fuel, we want to make llii'in more beautiful than they arc at present, hut let ilium wear what tin-)- wish. Naturally, all thesj questions crop up, anil just as naturally they can all oe answered by the iSoi-iai-isus. To go into detail it would leijunj a page of your well-read journal. >fow> ever, just allow me space to show how women would really gel along under Socialism. To start with, she would be treated a-, an ci[Uiil by the (at present) alleged superior sex, and would hav*: cuual opportunities. Al present, by riome she is regarded as a sort 01 cooking utensil ami washboard, and told that her place is the pot and pan department and the nursery, and so on., and is unlit lor any other walk in life.' But that is an absurdity, and when tli.' new order of i!i:ngs arrives we shall alter all that. Kvcn some women make the above assertion. But no doubt they

are merely speaking on behalf of themselves—and are wrong even then. It must be, admitted by every intelligent observer that under present conditions women have got the nasty end ot the stick. 1 often think this, and always say it: "A man worku bis eight hours—and finishes. A woman woiks sixteen—am! is never Jiiiished."' TlcU is, ot course, the mother of a family who does her duty by theiii. and, sad to say, very often the unfortunate domestic, who in many instances, slushes from morn till eve for a pittance. No wonder girls rush away to factories, etc.. where they get fair hours and remuneration that can keep them decently. L'nder Socialism women will not lie crushed as at present, but will be [elevated ill every sense of the term. I In the new science of life, taat is makI ing the whole civilised world think, she will not be a sort of number two and menial, but she will lie. a co-worker in everything and a comrade in every resiled. Socialism will give her more than a paltry vote-c*cn that is denied her in Britain but it will give her frccdcin niich a-, she has never known before. How do we know what women are capable ofr Have they ever had a fair chance to show it? Never! How does anylxidy know that Socialism is impracticable; It has never been tried on a proper scientific basis. We do not know wkat we are capable of achieving until we try. mill we are going to try and are going to be successful. Of course, it has been tried in a slipshod fashion, but it has never been general. The present state of things has had a good trial and failed—dismally failed—and .we are reaching out for something better. We have it already in many forms, but to lie a permanent benefit to all it must be recognised and become national.

1 will ask my readers to keep :i steady eye on my next few lilies. They are facts—solid, undeniable filets. We are all aware of what is called the necessary evil liy some. Necessary! A thousand times no! Is it necessary to degrade our womanhood'? N.ever! Headers of this paper, t tell you candidlv Socialists have solved that terrible problem that lias ballled nations. I low? Well, 1 will tell you. Instead of kicking the unfortunate when she is down, as is done under the present unjust system of society, we are going to take her bv the hand and make her as other women, and see what -.1 little kindness and allowance for deficiencies will do. l/ndcr Socialism marriage will lie absolutely general. There will he no bar to it, and everybody will be able to wed and to bring tip a family without all tin's senseless struggling and crushing each other as at present. We are all going to stand by the fallen ones ami prevent them from falling, if possible, as well, and give the scandalmongers a holidav. as they are sadly in •need of it. When 1 hear one woman running another of her less fortunate sex down. I always regard her with suspicion. Mi,, has geuerallv got such a severe face that she has no dilliculty ill keeping on the moral path, and runs somebody else down to proclaim her own virtues. I cannot go any deeper into this aspect of. this problem, but il is solved, and only wants time to put it into execution. ' And Socialists have solved it. It is no u~e hounding the ie-s fortunate ones. We must all, to a man and a woman, stand liv ami lx' a '•miirade to all. as, after all. badness i h only undeveloped goodness. Women have all to gain under Socialj ism, and those who grasp the science are great workers for its advancement, although perhaps not openly. Under J present conditions women in many cases practically sell themselves for position, and wed a man who at, heart lliev niav despise, because 1,-■ bas the >J s. ,|.'and plenlv of il. Kveu their iriends urge them io do so. Wliat loir Position, Tub! J In- power of -old! I'.nt it will not always be Urns. Socialism is a scientilic system, and you cannot run anything to perfection without ccplion to the rule, and women art only too web aware of this fact.

Apart from the above. r-ir, I must. 1 thank yon for your iuten'slinjj leader of ilii- morning. ! do not ;\<.'ree uilli \mi. It'll vnu nl U>a«[ admit 111;\t llir Soc-ialM willi all hi* allied sliorl- - is unrlliy nf a column of coin - iiirnl. Von an- vour fair. lioneM opinion. You ;nv *ntill< <1 In il. and so i- .Mr. Tom .Maim and a)] hi- disciples to |ln'ir>. Willi lliip, 1 sli:;ll <uiiciudi'. The above i» only a faint idea ol' what Socialism will accomplish lor women. In -liort. Socialism i-, all -il i~ <M>di>ni, [nuv and simple.—l am. .dr., A.Y. »\v riymnuili. 2!Mli May. 1008.