of food production and as mothers of small children growing up their fathers.
demands women, like all those who stayed at increasing shortage of food were now evCI physical psychological exertion at work.' Increasing amounts of blank space were to appear in its columns as the war drew on. The editorial board allowed this to occur to reveal to their members the democracy perialism at war. Lines ran from the offices of Die Gleichheit Switzerland, England, France and the In 1915 Clara Zetkin organised the Women's Party leaders. Women from all the without which pacifism.
LelKIn
rested in August. The began prepare and measures against women.
in Germany had of imto Louise Zietz, Sie Greichheit thas Pised Gleichheit was used against this expulsion onference thorn in their side.
tual'.
Led in 1919. about belligerent countries participated and voted through a resolution of opposition to the war, after a big debate on returned only to be party leaders their Conten the left-wing The oppositional social democrats THe cenci oppose the party line and formed the Social Democratic Working Group' reduced This tendency was condemned by the policy, Chen the majority moved to expe minority left-wing Executive. protest but then the Party leaders moted against the real neglected.
Zetkin was forced out of editorune terests or workers' women workers'.
The magazine now had a totally different flavour. The paper was to become less popular, "intellecIts report of the 1917 Conference of German Social Democratic women gave political content to these supposquestions of style. reported: "The conference was not completely drenched, as such conferences usually are, in radical verbiage.' The 'radical verbiage' that gone of course was the opposition of German Democratic women's movement to World War I.
Clara Zetkin was thus forced out party into the Independent Social Democratic Party, only going over to the Spartacus League set up by Luxemburg and Liebknecht after Social Democracy had committed its final betrayal of the German workers The attack unleashed Zetkin and the movement of women behind her is very relevant today. The leaders-of the social democracy were afraid to bring the debate out into the bringing Gleichheit into line with 'the needs of the masses who no intellectual political background' , they hoped to obscure Ture tient over August 4th policy and the clash between left and right within the party They denounced Zetkin for the decline in circulation of the magazin when the real cause was the decline ir L Was ove ment because of their craven support for the war.
In fact the party had deliberately the circulation Gleichheit because of anti-war encouraging, through women to read Gewerkschaftliche Frauenzeitung (Women's Trade Union Paper).
The emphasis of this trade union Beeper was versication pro political education democratic women began to explicitly countersor's pen.
Coinciding with the massive infrom 9.5 million to 15 million its cir- crease women's culation rose to 100,000 a year after it launched War Gleichheit and the membership of the women's section began to decline Many party leaders were forced to admit that the split with Zetkin and left-wing women Kater toning had Mrs. Kahler, gave her explanation as to what had happened:
They (the women) have increasingly moved to the left-wing of the Party, and therefore, attitude of the USPD more acceptable to we tell them During the Malvinas war socialists and feminists in Britain gained a sense of what it means to stand up Clara argue against a war being carried out directly by your own your own ruling class.
At the Labour Conference in Newcastle last the platiorm took minutes to try withdrawal of the fleet and yet, by a for such a stand TENe The feminists who backed their capitalist governments in waging th First World War paid a price. sacrificed their patriotism.
In Germany Democratic Women's became a shadow of its former militant self, reduced to state supportive Die work when its militant chopped oft the the USA, the Women's Party continued to camWiste House with sison that core trasted 'Kaiser Russia' where women had the vote after 1917 On the other hand the Nationa American Women's Suffrage Assoc ing for the vote ceased as the Women's Social and Political Union mounted demonstrations callpaigning for protests unemployment 1916 while Die no bounds. The mans. women had weakened the speaking in service for Sylvia, even today, the tion • seems muci WSPU them than what road.
and government, Party Women's June, men qualification over twenty and explain i why the should not call for a victory was gained The women in feminism for the Movement These head was feminism the left-wing picketing the Wilson' women. On Day iation prioritised war work over camJune voe dissociating themselves with women's party tivists who were sent to jail for their In England when the war broke Pankhurst's anti- German zeal knew Christobel Emmeline Brittania, Christobel's new journal, harangued the cabinet to take a stronger stand against the GerAll campaigning for the vote ceasPolitical Union mounted demonstra Women's tions calling for compulsory national women financed by that well known feminist lovd George.
whose East End Federahad been expelled from the took a completely different Not only did her The Dreadnought, campaign against the war but she continued to fight for the vote and for maximum protection for the rights of women workers in the new jobs they were forced to take up Ironically enough in 1916, after years of campaigning for women to be given the vote on the same terms a on the basis of a of a property - the leaders turned full circle and said that women were quite willing to forgo their right to vote to allow soldiers and sallors to have the vote' of the struggles of War I are crystal clear and have a burning relevance for women today involved in the disarma ment and the feminist movements.
The feminists who stood up their imperialist rulers and fought ought most consistently for the most consistently demands of women.
are traditions in one that bases itselt or class struggle and one that bases itself ON CRES CORDO LOR Only a resolute struggle by women on behalf of their ser and all the op pressed will achieve the liberation of this International Women's March 1983 Socialist Challenge will be celebrating the former and not the latter tradition.
Socialist Challenge 4 March 1983 page 7
SOLIDARITY with women in the leadership of the PI.O is as
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ing for compulsory national service for women, demonstrations financed by that well known feminist Lloyd George!