May, 1914 Report to the Socialist Party’s leading National Committee on the work of the Party’s Woman’s Department covering it meetings and organizers, literature and press, foreign sections and Teacher’s Bureau, strike relief, national activities, and recommendations.

‘Report of the Woman’s Department’ by Winnie E. Branstetter from Party Builder.  No. 81. May 23, 1914.

WOMAN’S NATIONAL COMMITTEE: Gertrude Breslau Fuller, 209 E Reliance St., Pittsburgh, Pa. Alma M. Kriger, 403 S. Main St., Butte, Mont Lena Morrow Lewis, Fairbanks, Alaska, Gen Delivery. Bertha Howell Mailly, 140 E. 19th St, New York, N. Anna A. Maley, 140 E. 19th St, New York, N.Y. Gertrude Reilly, 306 Shippen St., West Hoboken, N.J. May Wood-Simons, 115 Auer Ave., Milwaukee, Wis. WINNIE E. BRANSTETTER, Director.

REPORT OF THE WOMAN’S DEPARTMENT TO NATIONAL COMMITTEE IN SESSION MAY 10, 1914.

Prior to 1908 practically no special effort had been made to induce women to become members of the Socialist party, the attitude of the average Socialist being either actual antagonism toward an increased woman membership, or that chivalrous sentimentality, which not only welcomed them into the party, but would elect them to office independent of their ability or knowledge of the organization. Because of this attitude we find in the 1908 convention the number of women delegates out of all proportion to the membership of women in the party.

Because of the indifference upon the part of the state and national officials toward propaganda and organization work among women National Woman’s Committee was elected at the 1908 convention to plan methods whereby women might be reached with the message of Socialism and brought directly into the party.

The result of the work of the Woman’s National Committee for the two years following was such as to necessitate the establishment of a Woman’s Department in the National Office, as it was no longer possible for the volume of correspondence to be carried on by the secretary of the committee. From this time forward the work of the Woman’s National Committee and the Woman’s Department has been very definite.

With the granting of woman suffrage in eleven states, including Alaska, it has become more important than ever that we educate these new voters and those women who will be granted the ballot within a short time. As the Progressive party would depend upon the gratitude of the newly enfranchised woman voter, thereby swinging into office, so the other political parties and the so-called non-partisans will in like manner endorse suffrage in order to use the conservative uninformed woman voter against the ever-increasing political strength of the awakening working class.

The political situation which confronts the Socialist party, the fact that a considerable per cent of our membership is still not only indifferent to propaganda work among women but are actually opposed to woman suffrage, and the effectiveness of our past work not only justifies the continuance of our special efforts to educate and organize women, would make it criminal for us to fail to increase our efforts along this line.

Organizers.

While there has been a greater need for women organizers than ever before, the heavy deficit under which the National Office is burdened has prevented the National Office from routing woman organizers during the past year. We have employed only one special woman organizer for the brief period of 60 days. This 60 days’ work was a test of the effectiveness of intensified organization work in cities. While the result was not as satisfactory as we had hoped, due largely to a lack of understanding between National, State and County Offices, I am convinced that this method has resulted in the holding of more propaganda meetings, in reaching more people, and in increasing the membership to a greater extent than the same amount of money and time spent in the regular propaganda method of one day routes.

Literature.

The Literature Department in the National Office carries 20 special leaflets for women. These leaflets were endorsed by the Woman’s Committee, edited and prepared for publication by the Woman’s Department. They treat of the conditions of the women workers in every occupation excepting those engaged in agricultural and domestic work. Prior to the establishment of the Literature Department the sale of these special leaflets was stimulated by the Woman’s Department only, but during the past year the Literature Department has advertised so effectively that 1,250,000 woman’s leaflets have been sold since July 1, as reported in detail in the report of the Literature Department.

In addition to these English leaflets the foreign translators have during the past year added to their stock of literature as follows:

Finnish Department, Five Leaflets and Pamphlets. Slovac Department, One Leaflet. Polish Department, One Leaflet. Bohemian Department, Two Leaflets. Hungarian Department, Three Leaflets and Pamphlets. German Department, Two Leaflets and Pamphlets. Jewish Department, Two Leaflets and Pamphlets.

A new plan of work for women in cities and a leaflet for women on naturalization has been adopted by the Woman’s National Committee, and are now in the hands of the editing committee.

Press.

The Socialist Propaganda Press Service furnishes this department with a medium of propaganda which until the past year has never been appreciated. The Woman’s Department this year has induced the Socialist and Labor Press to publish two special editions, furnishing sufficient copy for these editions. For the Children’s Day edition, published Christmas week, we furnished 59 pages, for the special Woman’s Day edition, published the third week in March, we furnished 35 pages. This in addition to articles sent through the regular service from time to time.

The value of the Woman’s Page in the Party Builder should be appreciated by your committee. This page in the official bulletin of our party places the work of the Woman’s Department in the hands of state officials and the membership in such a manner as to force their attention, to a far greater extent than we were ever able to do through heavy and expensive circulation, thus saving the National Office a considerable postage bill. This page also gives the membership the advantages of state, national and international news items.

Foreign Sections.

Finnish section has 33 1/3 per cent women. Bohemian section has 10 per cent women. Scandinavian section has 15 per cent women. Polish section has 10 per cent women. German section has 15 per cent women. Jewish section has 10 per cent women. So. Slavic section has 1 per cent women. Italian section has 1 per cent women. Hungarian section has 20 per cent women. In order to stimulate propaganda, organization and naturalization among foreign speaking women the Woman’s Committee organized a sub-committee known as the Foreign Relationship Committee, which consists of one woman representative appointed by the Executive Committee of each language federation with two members appointed by the Woman’s Committee. At the request of this sub-committee we will publish a naturalization leaflet for women. A member of this committee recently acted as fraternal de gate to the National Convention of the Workmen’s Circle held in New Haven.

Teachers’ Bureau.

The increased number of Socialists elected to school boards increases the possibility of placing Socialist teachers. Last year we were able to place about 25 first class Socialist teachers in positions where they could train the minds of young people toward the ideals of Socialism, thus counteracting the capitalistic tendencies toward false patriotism, racial prejudice, individual competition and snobbishness.

We are now preparing a list of teachers for the school term of 1914-1915 and will no doubt be able to double last year’s record.

General Results of Work, 1913-1914. Thirty-seven states have elected state correspondents who co-operate with this department, thus carrying out the plan and suggestions of the Woman’s National Committee. Every effort has been made to induce the other states to take up this line of work, but it will probably be considerable time before the weaker states realize the importance of this special work. Until they do so the work of organizing women into the Socialist party must rest with the Woman’s Department in the National Office. This department furnishes supplies and literature to these weaker states upon request. Personal letters continually are forwarded to names sent by organizers and state officials.

We have a special mailing list of over 3,000. Personal correspondence upon every phase of the woman question, social, political and economic, is handled in this department. Points and arguments for debate are furnished frequently. This department is co-operating with the Information Department in gathering and giving out information upon legislation and statistics pertaining to women and children.

National Activities.

National Woman’s Day was celebrated on March 19. Large propaganda meetings were held in practically every city in the United States and in many villages and country school houses. Program for set entertainment was prepared and furnished locals. National Socialist Children’s Day was observed on the Sunday following Christmas. This was the first celebration of this character in the United States although it is an established custom in some of the foreign countries. The celebration of this day was entered into more enthusiastically than the Woman’s Day celebration, due no doubt to the fact that it occurred at the Holiday season.

Recommendations.

I recommend to your committee that special propaganda and organization work among women be carried on through the Woman’s Department in the State Offices. The state correspondents to be appointed by the State Executive Committee and the State Secretary.

This recommendation is based upon the fact that effective work cannot be carried on by the state correspondent living at a distance from the state office, harmony and co-operation and efficiency depending upon her proximity to the files, the mailing lists and the regular party machinery.

I further recommend that clause three of article 13, which reads:

“The Woman’s National Committee shall meet in regular session once in each year, in conjunction with the session of the NATIONAL COMMITTEE. Special meeting of the Woman’s Committee may be called at any time by the concurrent consent of the Executive Committee and the Woman’s National Committee,” shall be amended to read:

“The Woman’s National Committee shall meet in conjunction with the NATIONAL EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE at the time of the first meeting following the annual National Committee meeting. Special meeting of the Woman’s National Committee may be called at any time by the concurrent consent of the Executive Committee and the Woman’s National Committee.”

As the constitution now reads the outgoing Woman’s National Committee meets immediately prior to retiring from office, therefore the entire purpose of their meeting is lost to the party and to the incoming Woman’s National Committee. If the newly elected committee meets just after election, effective work can be planned for the coming year.

I wish also to concur in the Executive Secretary’s recommendation that the general correspondent shall be elected at the same time and in the same manner as the heads of the other departments. The woman’s being the first department established in the National Office and at a time when the membership was prone to care more for the exercise of democracy than for securing efficiency, it was natural that the general correspondent should be elected. I believe the time has come, however, when chivalry and special privileges should be removed from this department and the Woman’s Committee, and that they should rest upon their own merits equal with other departments and committees.

Strike Children’s Relief Fund.

(See Page 2, Executive Committee’s Report.) Insofar as there has been some criticism as to the informal method of initiating the Strike Children’s Relief Fund and in justice to the Executive Secretary and myself I am herewith submitting the facts in the case to your committee.

The entire idea of the Strike Children’s Relief Fund unfolded itself in connection with National Children’s Day and with the Colorado and Michigan Strike situation. There was not sufficient time for this matter to be referred either to the Woman’s Committee or to the National Executive Committee. Insofar as the Socialist party had upon various occasions collected funds to be used in national and even international strikes I had no idea that this would not meet with the entire approval of both committees.

I placed the plan before Comrade Lanfersiek and after consideration he gave me permission to proceed with the work. I communicated with International Secretaries of the American Federation of Labor, the United Mine Workers and the Western Federation of Miners. Securing through these sources a list of over 15,000 local union secretaries, the most complete roster or union secretaries that the National Office has ever been able to obtain. Just as the work was well under way 11,000 circular letters having been sent out and wide spread publicity obtained through the Associate and United Press Service, the National Executive Committee met and passed a resolution instructing the Executive Secretary and the head of the Woman’s Department to discontinue further stimulative work.

The result of the small effort upon our part at a total expense of only $199.45 is the collection of $6,147.27, more than 75 per cent of which has been donated by union locals. This money has been used in the purchasing of clothing and shoes at wholesale prices and shipped by freight into the strike districts as follows:

To Colorado $3,081.07

To Michigan 2,943.07

To Colliers, W. Va. 163.75

I have received scores of communications from National and State Officials of the United Mine Workers, the Western Federation of Labor and other unions, which communications indicate that the establishment of the Strike Children’s Relief Fund by the Socialist party would become one of the strongest factors in harmonizing the economic and political working class forces in America, In view of these facts and because I am firmly convinced that the continuance of the Strike Children’s Relief Fund would be a splendid move upon the part of the Socialist party, I hereby recommend to your committee that this fund shall be continued with such detailed improvements as your committee may deem advisable.

WINNIE E. BRANSTETTER, Director Woman’s Dept.

For a variety of reasons, the national Socialist Party of America did not have an official publication until May 1904 when the national convention mandated the monthly Socialist Party Official Bulletin as a way for the Party to communicate to its members. The name was changed to Socialist Party Monthly Bulletin in October 1911. The Party Builder became the name in 1913 and also became a subscription paper and a weekly. In 1914 the Socialist Party replaced The Party Builder with a regular propaganda newspaper, The American Socialist. These Party paper contain National Committee and National Executive Committee minutes, National Secretary reports, membership figures, financial statements, letters from party members, articles by prominent party leaders, and the figures for election of party officers and internal questions.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/spa-bulletins/140523-partybuilder-w81-reportstonc.pdf