Page:Everywoman's World, Volume 8, Number 2.djvu/8

THE WOMEN OF RUSSIA TO
SAVE THE NEW RUSSIA

By OWEN E. McGILLICUDDY

Wife and daughters of the former Czar were tireless workers as Red Cross murses. Although of Royal birth, they were always democratic by deed. The daughters are now just plain Olga Romanoff and Tatiana Romanoff.

WOMAN is, for the first in the history of Russia, beginning to have some political influence. This one fact alone guarantees a solution of the many pressing problems that have, since the revolution, kept that country in turmoil.

We in Canada, in common with the people of the other allied countries, have a habit of looking for the nearest way out of war difficulties, forgetting that our allies have domestic problems just as intricate and just as hard hard to understand as our own. Yet, when we get the right perspective, it is readily seen that if the Russian people can establish a stable democratic government by the end of the present year, they will wrought a political miracle, the immensity of which has never before been accomplished.

For some time after this achievement, many reasons will be assigned and many person given credit for this happy condition of affairs. But, in the longer analysis, it will be seen that the women of Russia were directly responsible for bringing order out of chaos and instilling the higher ideals of national and international good will.

 

Woman's Place in the Nation

THE many problems that have, from time to time, confronted Russia are, on first acquaintance, very difficult to understand because of the different meanings that are given to old causes and old terms, the problems of which have been but partially solved in our own western hemisphere. But from the maze of class distinctions, racial differences, and vast ignorance that envelopes Russia (although in a somewhat lesser degree now than formerly) there stands out the single ray that was really responsible for the transformation that took place during the early months of this year. This enlightening influence was the intuitive feeling for high principled patriotism inherent in every woman who has the best interests of her family at heart, an influence that never shone out to greater advantage than in the present woman's movement in Russia,

When the position of the Russian women of a century ago and the condition into which these same women are merging to-day is considered, it is rather difficult to understand how it has all come about; in fact, so far as histories go and other works of reference, very little space is devoted to women at all. Yet from what meagre information can be gathered it is evident that up to one hundred years ago women in Russia were secluded from the men and filled a position in domestic life little short of vassalage. Even at the present time they are not permitted to come within the Ikonastes, the common altar, of the Greek Catholic Church, which is the State church of Russia. But, despite all her disabilities, the women of Russia have been the potent influence in both industrial and political bodies. They have been the natural propagandists among the peasantry, and are untiring in their efforts to keep alive the flame of freedom and thus work toward a more equitable distribution of justice,

The awakening of democracy, while it had been working quietly and in unseen ways for some years, really broke out into action, so far as the women were concerned, on April 11th, 1904, when, through the influence of Father Gapon, the "Assembly of Russian Factory and Mill Workers" came into being. Concerning this association, James Mavor, Ph.D., Professor of Political Science, University of Toronto, notes, on page 458 of his celebrated work, "The Economic History of Russia," that "the history of the labour movement in Russia was expounded and discussed at all meetings. Among the propagandists there was a small group of social democrats who necessarily gave a certain direction to the debates.

"Women became members of branches in considerable numbers. In the late autumn (1904) they numbered nearly a thousand in all branches. The leader among the women was an intelligent working woman known as 'V. M. K.' At first the presence of women was resented by the working men, and even by Father Gapon himself. The women's meetings were fairly succesful, although attempts to interest women of the intelligentsia in the movement conspicuously failed."

All women are, by nature, religious, and this is true of the Russian woman to a striking degree. The late Czar, by virtue of his position, was head of the Greek Catholic Church, and from that eminence, he held a peculiar power over the peasantry. This was one of the reasons why the movement toward democracy moved with such faltering steps and, but for the unusual conditions brought about by the pro-German sympathies of the bureaucracy in Russia, a limited monarchy would probably have been the net result of the recent revolution. Even to-day peasant women are heard to exclaim, "How shall we now say our prayers?" and it has to be explained to them that they can pray to the Duma in place of the Czar and their prayers will be abundantly answered.

The big feature that has helped the Provisional Government along their way has been a handicap to them as well; Russian women are certainly looking to the new Government to solve their food problem and to solve it quickly. When it is understood that this food problem, as it existed last winter, was primarily an artificial famine, it is readily seen, that to some extent, the condition of things will soon be ameliorated.

Another thing that has helped the forward movement of Russia immensely has been the prohibition measure inaugurated by the Czar at the start of the War. The women of Russia, like the women of every other country, have always hated alcohol because, they have always been the chief sufferers. In Russia to-day the bureaucrats claim that the Czar ruined himself by decreeing the abolition vodka. Their argument is that none but sober people could have carried out the revolution, and that had the heads of the populace in Petrograd and other cities, been besotted by drink they would never have understood or been able to defeat the reactionary plots; nor would the revolution have been so remarkably free from sanguinary excess on a large scale. The police were, on the other hand, the victims of drink. They had seized vodka by order of the Government and had kept plentiful supplies for themselves. Thus the revolution was in part a struggle between drunken reactionaries and sober citizens, and sobriety triumphed, ably assisted by women "burdened with the persecution of centuries."

Probably the biggest reason why women in Russia have become more powerful is to be found in the fact that since the Great War broke out they have been more or less dependent on themselves in the many and new problems they have had to face. With their husbands, brothers, and sons, either in the battle line or working on munitions, they have had to look after the crops, to work in factories, and, to a certain extent, fill, but in lesser degree, the work our own women have been and are doing to help the common cause. This has given them a new and more direct interest, not only in their own welfare, but in the machinery of Government and it has vitalized latent forces that have never before been utilized.

Prominent Russian men and women attending an art exhibition. Mme. Maria Levinskaja, the famous Russian pianist is the figure in white.

Equal Suffrage in Russia

JUST as the Government of Great Britain and Ex-Premier Asquith have been won over to Woman Suffrage by women's efficient part in the nation's work, so have prominent leaders in Russia come to see that women must be given a higher citizenship than they possessed in the past. On the very eve of the revolution the labour leader, Kerenski, now Minister of Justice, commented enthusiastically on the Sacchi Woman Suffrage Bill which was recently brought into the Italian Chamber of Deputies.

"I am a firm supporter of the full Franchise for and emancipation of woman," he said. "I heartily welcome Signor Sacchi's Bill. I think that wars bring to women numerous new fields of endeavour which must destroy the last prejudices holding them subordinate to men and bring conviction to all opponents of electoral rights for women."

M. Roditcheff, another Duma member, stated that he sympathised heartily with the movement for Woman Suffrage.

"Italy's Woman Suffrage Bill," said Deputy Alexanderoff, "is cordially welcomed because it removes the injustice that has forcibly deprived woman's creative genius of the possibility of doing its share in directing the State's political life. I hope that the idea of Equal Rights for men and women will soon be realized in Russia. It is especially desirable that the women shall have votes in our town and country Zemstvos and Assemblies. This is demanded, not only on the principle of fairness, but because of simple, practical necessity."

Mme. Sheckshkina Yavin, President of the Council of the "Russian League for Equal Rights for Women," when interviewed, said: "Italy, where the cultural development of women is comparatively low, thinks it necessary to grant votes to women; in Russia, where the cultural level of women stands so high, the question of votes for women has long been ripe for settlement. I hope that the Bill will pass the Italian Chamber and that we shall gain similar rights in Russia before long."

Mme. Shebanoff, another prominent suffragist, rejoiced at the introduction of the Italian Bill and spoke hopefully of the situation in France and England. It was her opinion that Russian women would soon have the right to vote, and more quickly than is generally expected.

But, from a study of the racial, social and political difficulties, it is not likely that women will be granted yotes in the national Duma for some time yet, but it is highly probable that votes in the Zemstvos (provincial councils) and the town Assemblies will be Biven to women some time during this year.

When it is taken into consideration that there are ninety-eight provinces in Russia and that if a Republican form of Government be finally adopted it must resolve itself into a federation of free States, it is easily seen that modern democracy has taken a very long step forward, and that the day is not far of when Equal Suffrage will obtain all over Greater Russia.

 

The Blessings of War

A VERY few years ago, not more than a dozen or so, the percentage of illiteracy was very high among the peasant women of Russia. Nowadays schools are being opened everywhere, and the prejudice of the peasants against education is gradually disappearing. The War has, undoubtedly, had an immense influence in bringing this about and will probably eliminate the feeling formerly held against education. Already the desire to read letters from the Front has urged many a peasant woman to encourage her children to attend the village school, so that they may spell out the news written home by their fathers and brothers, and be able to write in reply.

In bringing about this improved condition of things in Russia the middle class women, or intelligentsia, as they are called, have been by far the biggest factors. In remote village communities, where life at the best is dull and monotonous, these earnest minded-girls, far from all home ties are spending their lives in teaching the peasant children the helpful blessings to be found in books. This has been and is a work of real sacrifice, and it is due entirely to the idealism which permeates Russian womanhood ae their work is, at last, becoming a success.

The enacting of the law prohibiting the sale of vodka dispensed with the old-time vodka shop and stiumulated the establishment of educational and recreational centres where all the members of the community might gather together and exchange thoughts on common problems. The People's Palaces, a recent institution, are filling this need admirably. In the larger communities these are usedf to the fullest possible degree. Buffet and tea rooms are attached where refreshments are served, (Continued on page 49)

Energetic Russian society women on ome of the committees to provide comforts for the soldiers. In the picture are shown Zia and Nada Torby, daughters of the former Grand Duke Michael.