Document 30: Ella M. Sherwin to Florence Kitchelt, 19 January 1946, Florence Ledyard Cross Kitchelt Papers, 1885-1961, A-61, Box 8, Folder 229, Schlesinger Library, Radcliffe Institute, Harvard University, Cambridge, Mass. 2 pp.


Introduction

   Ella Sherwin, longtime activist in the National Woman's Party, responded to Kitchelt's part in an exchange of arguments about the ERA in The New Republic. (See Documents 29A and 29B) She insisted that "hours and wage laws are no longer for the highly exploited, helpless, over-worked man or woman, but are primarily for the protection of our economic system--spreading employment and putting money into the hands of people with which they can buy goods and keep industry producing."


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ELLA M. SHERWIN, PRES., CORR. SEC.
MEMBER
INTERNATIONAL TYPOGRAPHICAL.
UNION
A. F. L. AFFILIATE

MALONEY, VICE-PRES.
MEMBER
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD
OF BOOKBINDERS
A. F. L. AFFILIATE

KATHRYNE B. WITHROW, SEC.-TREAS.
MEMBER
STATE, COUNTY AND
MUNICIPAL WORKERS
C. I. O. AFFILIATE

Industrial Women's League for Equality

ROOM 616, 220 WEST 42ND STREET, NEW YORK, N. Y.

OBJECT: To secure the enactment of the Equal Rights Amendment to the
Constitution of the United States
.

EXECUTIVE BOARD:

HAZEL GRIFFITHS BARKER
MEMBER
AMERICAN FED. OF TEACHERS
A. F. L. AFFILIATE

JOSEPHINE CASEY
LABOR ORGANIZER

BEA DON COURT
MEMBER
AMER. FED. MUSICIANS
A. F. L. AFFILIATE

MARGARET KERR FIRTH
MEMBER
INT'L TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION
A. F. L. AFFILIATE

CLAIRE LIGGETT
MEMBER
INT'L TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION
A. F. L. AFFILIATE

JENNIE LING
MEMBER
MEAT CUTTER'S UNION
A. F. L. AFFILIATE

MARY MARKAJANI
MEMBER
UNITED AIRCRAFT, AUTOMOBILE
& AGRICULTURAL IMPLEMENT
WORKERS OF AMERICA
C. I. O. AFFILIATE

MARGARET MURPHY
MEMBER
INTERNATIONAL BROTHERHOOD
OF BOOKBINDERS
A. F. L. AFFILIATE

MARY MURRAY
MEMBER
TRANSPORT WORKERS UNION
C. I. O. AFFILIATE

CLARA SCOTT
MEMBER
INT'L TYPOGRAPHICAL UNION
A. F. L. AFFILIATE

GEORGIA STORMS
UNITED AUTOMOBILE WORKERS
C. I. O. AFFILIATE

MARION DEWOLF
UNAFFILIATED

IDA STACY
UNAFFILIATED

MARGARET GOOD
UNAFFILIATED

Jan. 19, 1946

Dear Mrs. Kitchelt:

    At last the copies of the New Republic have come. I'm enclosing your letter and the reply--it is a reply! Since when do editors ask for an article and then show it to someone to write the answer to appear at the same time? If he wanted a debate in which copy was to be shown it should have been shown to both participants and you should have had the same opportunity to answer her that she had to answer you.

    You have an exemple here of what happens when you do not cover the labor laws in your letter. Your opponent will not leave them out and you have no chance to point out her error. I agree with you that it would be desirable not to talk about them, but the opponents won't let you do that. And when they get the only word they just plain lie!

    Widows pensions under the Social Security Act, indeed! Do you realize that every working woman pays into the fund the same percentage of earnings as men and then the men's widows get a pension but the women's widowers do not? Women are paying for pensions for other men's wives instead of paying for pensions for their own husbands and children. If you don't know about that I'll try to write it out or find a description of it. I think it has been covered in some of the things I've had in Equal Rights.

    We have to hammer home the idea that hours and wage laws are no longer for the highly exploited, helpless, over-worked man or woman, but are primarily for the protection of our economic; system--spreading employment and putting money into the hands of people with which they can buy goods and keep industry producing.

    I have at last caught up to an organizer who will, I hope, be able to build up our league membership and to get endorsements from unions. She has been successful before in this work and she is willing to do it. But, Mrs. Kitchelt, she will do it by explaining that laws must be identical for men and women, not by saying the Amendment will not make impossible laws for women which do not apply to men. I think when you can see the labor movement accepting the Amendment you will find it easier accept our explanation of the effect of the Amendment on labor laws.

Hastily

[signed] Ella M. Sherwin

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Do you know the Senate Judiciary Committee is to consider reporting the Amendment? They will at a meeting to be held Monday, Jan. 21, at 10:30 a.m. Watch for announcement in the papers of action they have taken. We hope for an immediate favorable report--of course.



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