A sixteen-year-old Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, from a family of Socialists, greets the formation of the Socialist Women of the Bronx and offers her agitational services.

‘Socialist Women of The Bronx’ by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn from The Weekly People. Vol. 16 No. 34. November 17, 1906.

Continue Work of Organization and Education

Despite the very bad weather of Sunday afternoon, November 11, “The Socialist Women of the Bronx” held another well-attended meeting of their organization at the home of Mrs. Florence Johnson, 816 East One Hundred and Forty-first street. A great deal of business was transacted. Committees on lectures and halls were appointed. A discussion on the Daily People Thanksgiving Day Festival also took place. Many of the features of the festival were considered and committees appointed to look after them. There will be some surprises sprung by “The Socialist Women of the Bronx” at the fair. Presents were also received in its behalf, and arrangements made to provide for more. The educational work of the organization will be taken more conspicuously in hand as soon as the fair is over.

One new member, was present at the last meeting; more are expected to be present at the next, which will be held at the home of Mrs. Samuel French, 397 Willis avenue, Tuesday evening, November 20.

The communication from Mrs. Rhoda Brooks of Binghamton, N.Y., was read and received with great enthusiasm; as was also the following from Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn:

***

To the Socialist Women of the Bronx, Dear Comrades and Friends:

I am very glad to read in the Daily People of your efforts to rouse an interest in Socialism among women, by inaugurating a club of Socialist women for active work, and I extend to you the hand of welcome and comradeship. My best wishes for your success, and heartiest congratulations go out to you, from one who has been lonesome for women in the movement, and I hope you will go right ahead and carry out your plans.

Ever since I first came in touch with the Socialist agitation work, a short time ago, I have been discouraged and disappointed again and again by my failures to interest women, by the scarcity of women in the political and economic fields of the movement and by the stubborn prejudice so many wives and daughters of Socialists hold against Socialism. I have wondered if there were no remedy for these difficulties, and if your club can find this remedy and apply it, it will be a great boon to Socialism. I know it is hard to interest women, because their position in the homes is so absorbing and apt to shut them from outside interests, and being dependents they have no political power. Even so, the bad conditions of present-day society, the difficulty of making ends meet, are very plain to them, or at least are clear to the wives of workingmen, in whom we alone are interested. If they could but understand the connection between these difficulties and Socialism, the cause of the economic trouble and the relief as pointed out by Socialism, then I am certain their prejudice and lack of interest would begin to give way.

Then there is the ever-increasing number of women who work in the shops and factories, to be reached. Women, who stand in exactly the same position as workingmen, and to whom we should be able to appeal very easily, constitute this division. They are the ones we must organize in the industrial movement, which is no small task.

Lastly, I might mention those who while in all these different classes, stand nearest to us, and yet we have not been able to make much headway with them, the wives and daughters of Socialist men. Some of them have so little interest or are so stubbornly set against it, that many a good worker gets discouraged, feeling if he cannot reach his own family, how possibly can he reach the vast outside world. I myself stand as the daughter of a Socialist, but there are not many in the movement and I wish these young folks could only feel the inspiration and help it is to have some common interest in ideas, in the family. I am sure they would all be students of Socialism, if for this reason alone. Then further there is another side to consider.

If the men are doing their part in the proletarian movement, we must not be left behind. We, too, are of the working class and there is a part of the work that we should each be doing. We must be just as intelligent, as progressive and earnest as the men of the working class. There is so much for women in the working class emancipation. ECONOMIC INDEPENDENCE, that means a great deal to the women who have felt the grind of the economic slavery on herself, her husband and children. A chance for each child that comes into this world, with no distinctions of class as we have today. For now the child of a workingman has but one future open, to toil and support in luxury the child of the capitalist, in place of their parents, the worker supporting the employer today. There is so much more resultant from economic freedom, that it would be impossible to name them over, but certainly there is proportionately every reason why we should study up and know what Socialism is and what we can do for it; organize industrially and if we perchance get the ballot, we will know how to use it, for the workingmen and workingwomen. If we should vote, just to continue the capitalist system, our votes as women are of no consequence. If, on the contrary, we add our political voice to the workers as a protest against capitalism, that voice will eventually be heard.

Now I am afraid I have trespassed too far upon your patience and time so I will close by becoming personal. I understand that at present you are busy making arrangements for the Daily People Fair on Thanksgiving Day. As I have no experience, I can do nothing to help you and would probably only hinder you. But when you get at the educational and agitation work and I can help you, I shall be only too glad to do so, and you will need only call on me. Meanwhile, I remain,

Your comrade for Socialism, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn. 795 East 134th Street.

November 10, 1906.

***

Women who feel interested in the work of “The Socialist Women of the Bronx,” and would like to join, assist in, or know more about the same, are requested to write the organizer, Mrs. Anna Touroff, 598 St. Mary’s street, Bronx, New York.

New York Labor News Publishing belonged to the Socialist Labor Party and produced books, pamphlets and The People. The People was the official paper of the Socialist Labor Party of America (SLP), established in New York City in 1891 as a weekly. The New York SLP, and The People, were dominated Daniel DeLeon and his supporters, the dominant ideological leader of the SLP from the 1890s until the time of his death. The People became a daily in 1900. It’s first editor was the French socialist Lucien Sanial who was quickly replaced by DeLeon who held the position until his death in 1914. After De Leon’s death the editor of The People became Edmund Seidel, who favored unity with the Socialist Party. He was replaced in 1918 by Olive M. Johnson, who held the post until 1938.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/the-people-slp/061117-weeklypeople-v16n34.pdf