Public Affairs; Women's Liberation Day

Need in southern areas. That's the latest news from United Press International. This is the eastern Public Radio Network where. I am. The overture to wall Ferrari's opera The secret of Susanna serves to introduce singer's world each week on this station. Wayne Conner the host of the program is one of the country's most knowledgeable and boozy Asti collectors of great vocal recordings of the past. On this series you'll hear rare recordings of well-known and not so well-known figures whose voices were immortalized in wax during both the acoustical and electrical era of 78 rpm discs. Mr. Connors library is inclusive. His familiarity with the period extensive. His enthusiasm for the series contagious. So join us for singers world each Sunday evening at 7 p.m. on WGBH FM in Boston. You know Mrs. Robert Kerry was speaking to you from the John F. Kennedy

Austin City Hall on the eastern public radio network of women's rights day the golden anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States. It's a bright sunny day with fairly stiff breeze blowing off the water now about 3000 people gathered. Judy my heart into these demonstrations are three quality in education and employment free 24 hour childcare centers and free abortion on demand today at this hour a couple of thousand of women and men have gathered here in the City Hall Plaza. They're going to be representatives from nine different groups in the Boston area who will be speaking this afternoon as well as a smattering of skits some music and theater. There are several signs sprinkled throughout the cloud crowd giving different slogans equal pay for equal work free childcare centers and

abortion on demand. The first speaker this afternoon is Jane Pauley who is very active in the National Organization for Women. She's president of the eastern Massachusetts branch of that organization. Jane Pollack is now approaching the podium is going to give a general introduction. Today's rally we take you now to the podium. Well the young Socialist Alliance. Well the Women's International League for Peace and Freedom. Welcome the voice of women. Welcome daughters of the micas. Welcome. Welfare Rights Organization. Welcome Unitarian-Universalist Women's Federation welcome sister. Yes. I think I should begin with some communications we've received recently.

I'm going to read. From a letter. Dated August 21st. And signed by Senate president Maurice DONOHUE. I quote. I shall give my our unqualified support to the efforts to obtain ratification in Massachusetts in the Massachusetts General Court. Of the pending Equal Rights Amendment to the United States Constitution. I assure you I shall continue to work in support of it either as a private citizen or as a governor of the Commonwealth. Mayor Kevin White. Whereas the elimination of discrimination on the basis of sex. Is a crucial element in the battle to eliminate discrimination of all kinds from American society. The second whereas the signal victory in the early days of this moment was the wanting of the right to vote by American women. And. Whereas

August 26 1970 marks the 50th anniversary of the ratification of the 19th Amendment to the Constitution of the United States embodying the right of women to vote. Now therefore I Kevin age white mayor of Boston do hereby declare August 26 1970 as. Women's Rights Day in the city of Boston. From Governor sidemen. I am pleased to join you. The National Women's Rights Day in the celebration of the 50th anniversary of women's suffrage. Since 1920 the contribution of women in all aspects of life in science education business government and the arts have been increasingly recognized. In addition to the traditional role of women as wives and mothers many industries are heavily dependent on the skills and services of their women employees. Their drive for the drive to achieve this participation has not been easy. Many laws enacted originally to protect women are now seen

as restrictive. He's against the protective legislation did you hear that. I support the Equal Rights Amendment to the Constitution as a measure I want to make clear to all that women can and will not be discriminated against on the basis of sex. In this day of crisis when the participation of all citizens is so vital the role of women must be encouraged not suppressed. I know. The banner. Just for a second we're next going to hear Florence Lesko a suffragette in 1900. Florence Lesko has an interesting background. She graduated from MIT with a degree in architecture early in the century which must have been very difficult for a woman at that time. And she visited

communist China about eight years ago one of the few women from this country who has been allowed to go to communist China. And at a rally for women earlier this year she said she was very impressed with the conditions of women in that country I don't know should be speaking about that this afternoon but she has been very active in the Boston area as a speaker for suffragettes and for women's liberation. We take you back now to Jane Pollack on the podium who is soon going to be introducing Florence Florence must come. From the suffragette movement. After that we'll be hearing speakers from the National Welfare Rights Organization a guerilla theatre performance female liberation speaker Jean Lafferty Toba singer from the young social Socialist Alliance. Mary Newman Massachusetts state representative a skit performed by media women of Boston that's a new group that developed in the last couple of months involves women from television stations publishing houses and newspapers in this area and a speaker from the Boston women united. And finally another speaker from the National Organization

for Women. This is a broad coalition of groups that was developed early in the summer and unite around the basic demands that we mentioned earlier the speakers are all going to address themselves to these demands. And they have said in the past that they plan to bring out their individual differences that their groups have with the broad coalition the coalition originally involved. One of the largest women's liberation groups in Boston called Bread and Roses. About six weeks ago that group pulled out of the coalition because of their disagreements with having Mary Newman Massachusetts state representative on the speaker's platform this afternoon. However there are members of bread and roses collectives sprinkled throughout the crowd handing out literature although they will not have a speaker this afternoon. Somebody asked in the first wave

of which. You and I my friend. Lauren. Jauregui. Was. My name. Was. I. Just. Cannot understand. We know the facts at the

beginning. In those days you would not bring me any of these other women. Had anything published. She was the real thing. She could not own any property when they were married. It became hears everything that she inherited became anything that she as a house would know or as a seamstress at heart wanted three cents an hour or anything like that. The wages belonged to him not even the poets on the back. Oh I tell you

she had to ask him for every penny that she needed to buy anything. She could not go anywhere no not even to visit her own family without getting permission from our homes but there was not a public school any way that admitted women and men didn't go in Marblehead. The suggestion was made that they all wanted a school I don't want that every irate citizen exclaimed Why. Spend public money to educate. You. The husband had a right a legal right to be his wife. What the Lord says. I'm. At Junction Well I

think very much just how horsewhipping every few weeks in order to keep her in subjection because she scolded too much and it did not respect and standing in the community. If a woman ran away from a group she would not show her anywhere not even with her own family because it was illegal to harbor a wrong way. Just legal as it was their children. To him

them even people are total strangers and they would be taken away from her and given no. Money. Loving her did not take advantage of these legal rights but the only group which officially your equal rights and women. Such was the condition which started in the Woman's Rights Movement and it's not because

women wanted to take a part in public life in the anti-slavery movement. I was all asked. To give you besides this history of the of the conditions before the women's rights movement started. I was asked to give you the arguments which were used against women's right to vote. One member still made the statement if we made this experiment we will destroy the race which will be blasted by Oh my God. Another man made the statement that if one voted there would be no more babies born. In the first place. And then he went on with the second statement which is a bit

contradictory that all the babies born would be good. There are other equally fantastic statements that were made and many many other arguments against women's right to vote. But the principal ones with me. Was. That woman's place was home. That sounds familiar doesn't it. And I meant. Was that the condition inside the home. The conditions of the family very much affected me depending upon the public officials who live here. As we summarize that argument what woman said.

Politics. Governs the purity of the milk supply. It is not outside the home. It is inside the baby. And then of course we pointed out that not every woman was all there in the home time that the world the women who have to go out and work for a living and they could not be said their place was in the home. Another argument that was used. Was. That. Women were represented by their husband and that of course was easily answered that very often the woman wanted one candidate elected the man who wanted a different one so that he she could hardly be said that she was represented by the camp and then of course there were the

women who had no house of the women who were unmarried women who are widows so that they could not be represented by the vote of their husbands at the poll. Most commonly you argue that the women did not want it. We undertook one year to answer that argument. We used to have the bill to amend the state constitution every year in the legislature. We had hearings in the legislature and so we wanted to prove just later that this was not true. And according to the figures of women the numbers of women who might be you know would you vote if the vote were given to them there would be roughly 100000 women in Boston. And we set out to get a petition

signed by women. A 100 names. Because I can most from door to door for many weeks. We went through all the slum districts we went up on Beacon Hill to do residential districts in the suburbs. And we got women's names. And I wish you would see the faces of the members of the legislature. We went up to the hearing and they brought me a normal tax implications. I could never again say that the women did not. Want to leave at the end of the campaign for women that want women

working in the summer in this country. And at that time the population Margot was already what it is today. So that was the equivalent of all women working. I just want to say one other thing I just want to remember today. To recall the fact that the federal amendment the last state to ratify in the last 36 required States was Tennessee and after they ratified it was sent. By special delivery to Washington. And reach Washington at Fort a.m. in the morning. And the attorney general had Sammo.

Oh Mike. Waiting for it to come. In order that there be no time when he's certified and he's certified at 4:30 am. And that the secretary of state saw the problem make sure that women should have the vote. I. Know. I was not the pilot in this fight. I was the third generation of women engaged in the struggle for women's equality just as the present liberation movement was the fifth generation to be working in this. But because of the simple need to work to get women and to wipe out these hideous

discriminations which I started out by telling you about we don't celebrate that as of 15 years ago at 8 o'clock this morning. Women are full citizens of their country. Thank you very kindly. That was Florence last come a suffragette from 1900. The crowd is now swollen to perhaps 3000 people there are small pockets of man throughout the crowd on the outskirts of the crowd. There's another line of men hanging over the balcony at city hall. Perhaps too hesitant to join the crowd itself. The next speaker is going to be Joni Reed from Boston women united. This is a group that was formed about in about March of this year. Of women in the Boston area mainly students and ex-students has a list of about 10 demands including the three that are being talked about today and other demands for.

Hiring of women. Demands for free abortion on demand. And it's a group that has held several forums this summer involving abortion daycare and equal rights for women. We also couldn't get electricity for one of our guitar so I don't know what this is going to sound like. OK try this. We're trying to find an outlet store manager. I tell you what while we're waiting. Why don't I try to teach you a liberation

song. OK it's to the tune of Kumbayah. And already knew the words. OK the first line is this girl we can win this fight. OK we be sisters. We can't win this fight. OK second verse. Liberation. Let's hear it liberation. It is our right. OK our liberation. I get liberation OK. We will start the whole world free. Home

thing that's one. Thing I. Can do with winter one all over the world. I was. Just trying to keep this one. Women's liberation. Several groups started in Boston men and women. Homosexuals

are mainly centered universe. There are others saying Eastern stewardesses join a national organization for women. Recently stewardesses at airlines and Boston protested to the Massachusetts discrimination commission that stewardesses were discriminated against because of having to maintain a certain weight. And certainly there's been no decision on that issue to date. More people are filtering into the plaza here. It's almost half the people on their lunch hour coming out to see what's happening. This is actually the second second. First it was in the Boston Common about 10 o'clock when the National Organization for Women for birth control. There was some trouble around this one woman a registered nurse and a member of the National Organization for Women showing different

contraceptive devices and she was asked to cease and desist explaining the device used by a Boston sergeant at two o'clock there's going to be a decision on whether this woman will be arrested. According to the police sergeant she had to have it in order to display contraceptive devices according to the woman for the National Organization for Women. She had spent weeks talking to a member of the city council and other city officials to make sure that the National Organization for Women had planned earlier distribute contraceptives. This plan was called off. There are several hawkers of newspapers throughout the crowd selling various newspapers from radical organizations. And that's what the scene is looking like now. It's interesting. That the male electricians

and sound men are having a power problem. And they haven't seen anything yet. One of the most vital women's liberation well. Women you know. I give you Johnny re. Women are no longer afraid to be militant. The women's liberation movement encompasses poor women working women and middle class women who are organizing everywhere and the needs for women's liberation groups are essential. Women are condemned constantly in the home. The job. Will End advertising

marriage the oppression of women. But women have little choice except to marry. They are labelled as an incomplete human being if they do not marry. Economically socially and politically women must marry in order to survive this social system. She is then identified through the man she marries and the children she bears and rears. She is rarely know in her own right. As a housewife. She provides free. Absolutely essential labor and services in addition to the consuming job of taking care of a home. Women are also working outside the home. Working women as they are bearable burden and responsibility like housework. On top of wage work they are required to

work two jobs full time. The result is to workers from one household and no reduction in female functions. Most women wage earning jobs do so out of me and not extra pin money. In 1963 36 percent of American families earn $5000 or less per year. The women from these families contributed about 40 percent of the total income when working full time. Women are the most void in the labor force. By the fact that they make up one third of that force. As industrialization expanded. More women went to work in the factories and mill. They were in the pool and for indecent wages. Women

were not oppressed as housewives and workers. Employers govern the lives of the workers to the extent that fines were collected by the company board. If women did not obey ALL company rules. Male workers felt that women constituted a threat to their own job security and organizing efforts and so largely ignored the working woman as a potential out. The struggle for better working conditions even after women never strayed in their leadership and nor did energy concerning their own strikes. There were membership in the unions. Overall the number of working women increased it did little to improve the conditions of women. Rather than moving freely into all job roles. Women were shocked. Into semi-skilled. I won't play you patient. Women in the profession did

not fare well either. In 1948 28 percent of the faculties were women. In 1960 the figure dropped to 22 percent. Women are not given the opportunity and definitely not given equal pay. And clerical jobs. Women are paid sixteen hundred dollars less per year than the men. Same job function. OK.

Yes. Well.

We will. Live to. Florida and all the others. Thank you Brenda. Albany New York. Not only that. Every state having a woman every.

Right now. We're going to on the. Public radio. Public radio network is bringing you. Right. What.

It gives me great pleasure. To celebrate. Along with my ladies out there. Robert. And. And I know. That. This is the man. And try and put up with. And you are. Equal to men and have been said a million times. No woman wrong. But I bet you want when it's raining and and. That job

that a man is like cover the silence you are. THE MAN. I think you can get it. I'm. Now. All over the world. We have all right here. One thing I want. And I go by. What I Am i guess.

And there's no job. I am gone the mail. Paul we aren't going to think about what we've always thought of all the lazy way the jar the same got a jar and hey we want it he added with M car. That's important. The friends of all the years ago we came a bar ways that are building our body seven years. And though they did not have the right to have the kind of jobs that have been doing that I mean why aren't there we go out there on the hill and watch in the hall that they want built for

women seven years. I. Am Woman right. I went out of women then democracy and then why don't we all feel the same way. In government. And that we want it now. Women today are not sitting by the TV anymore. Than they are children anymore they want out of power and do they own thing. Will Want To Be Your Man. We want the same job you have in the same way. That any president any you want to have no

discrimination against you on this man out there who want to know the right type of THE ALL. That realize that women running for governor are not day any evolutionary You know a lot of women out there and that's unfortunate. RS all we get back to the gallows. We are the problem how then will this become a get proven it again when we got to take a minute to alarm the girlfriend thing is there you child bearing age. Nothing important thing at the price they are there and then after

all the back decide then if you child there and you cannot take out a 30 year mortgage on a house isn't far and that they realize the woman has carried the ball and and carrying on any kind of career that you want the garraun as you want to be a char mother she can be that. If you want to be a businesswoman to do you mean that she can be just what you want to be given the chance. I suppose. An awful mess all. Right. Suppose the ration celebration of the year and their movement and I hope there will be many malls and many bowls and many more celebrations like the day and they give me break my day thank you. That was Roberta grant from the National Welfare Rights Organization. It's interesting that this particular group especially the Massachusetts Welfare Rights Organization in the past

not been in rights issues. Their mothers have been raising have dealt almost exclusively with. Payments or grant or special grant me with demonstrations around particular needs of welfare mothers. But it seems that as of today at least the national rights movement. Has joined in with the Women's Liberation Movement in demanding rights for women. By the state of Massachusetts. I don't want. The. Next. Mary where are you. Here's Mary. Hello I am

my name is Mary and I'm a woman. And I need help. I need somebody to help me. Your problem if you don't take care of yourself. Look at those eyes. Bring those guys into a yes but are you sure you can get them now with the lightness with how you brought money. Home I fear that stringy hair already in your hair. What. Are. You.

Yes. Yes. You are. That was a skit by the caravan street theater. This is the same group that earlier this year presented the play how to make a woman and started a new team in place by setting up discussion groups after each production. That was one skit illustrating advertisements and cosmetics and their effect on women. The crowd is very attentive now. There's a

very large core of people who are listening to every speech who are very enthusiastic about Alaska. There should be some more skits coming up. From here. That was an unexpected and unscheduled speaker a liberation from women and. The woman who just encouraged all women who want to say

something on the crowd to come forward. So perhaps this afternoon in the crowd various organizations. And I whined. That we. Noticed that any politician in this state. Let him. Get behind that amendment. One more for. Women as well as men. By insisting that the prohibitions against civil rights act. I don't.

Like that. I have. Them. Ready for the cutting edge of the moment. Give us a little right here and I give you. Women. Sisters THIS IS THE MOST BEAUTIFUL THING I'VE EVER SEEN IN MY LIFE. No other thing I've ever seen that comes close to being as powerful as this. This really is the concrete expression of the unity of the women's movement in this country. The

Aug. 26 coalition has gathered its forces here today in what is only the preliminary showing of strength of our movement. This movement is the continuation of the women's rights struggle in a new period of radicalization. You know says there is one other thought layers of the population. Other members of this society begin to organize around their oppression. It's absolutely impossible to think that women who subjugation so deeply built into the fabric of the society will not take up the struggle for their own liberation as women. It's an incredible thing for a social movement such as ours to make the kind of impact that it has in the short time since its inception a little over two years ago. You know the kinds of things that they print about us now seem pretty bad but they can't get away with that without a lot of letters that come in every day to the Boston Globe The Herald traveler every magazine every newspaper every TV and radio station with sisters when we're attacked we defend ourselves. You know. What. Here last year in the Boston Globe an

article came out and I don't know of a lot of you in this audience think that women are discriminated against. Perhaps you weren't paying much attention when this article came out last June telling us that the United States gives us space role for women and this is their explanation of how this government gets a role to women and believe me this is the truth it says. They said they're used to the United States may not have a female astronaut but women from astronauts wives to the seamstresses space to play key roles in the space program. Was a mess a whole lot more. There's a lot more. I say there's less discrimination against women here than in any of the professional areas. OK they tell us that there are nine hundred sixty eight out of 4400 employees that are women now know when they go on. No one disputes the role of the astronaut wives and their husbands were they are even consulted about mommy's bookcase or the menus on the right side of the

fire like that and then they don't want to make that was found in the middle. You were trying the components are assembled by women. Thanks I was served in the cafeteria the face that there's a repair my women like I was a secretary all market is not in these. I said this is done by women and you know we come to understand that and I have been going to try to explain it's not discriminatory policies against women it could never be laughed out of town. That I want to tell you something else about every aspect of this feminist movement from the beginning on an extremely right the right of the radical and practical level. We were gonna ignore the lessons that we learn from previous movements and we function now in the prime of these social forces created when it began and how was the situation in terms of their real experience and found that females as a category subject lines and psychological humiliation. And these humiliations are based on the very fact that

we are females and this understanding the all female nature of our movement a form of organization we never before had the courage of evidence to put forward to develop on a mass scale. And let me tell you something we're developing a movement on a mass scale if you doubt that look around you and I sit there that I think we all sit out here next year will have every sinner out here on the spot that we won't even be able to you next year will be big enough. That. And having the right point we are ready to carry our perspective through all the old concepts of male and female. We will not be finished until we change the structure and we will not rest until the female liberation movement changes very meaning of the word woman. Thank you. Thank you.

For. Coming. There will be an open house all the time. Every one of you today. If you want to organize a boycott. We can talk about that.

Girl. The following women in their advertising. Still want a cigarette was. All I want to eat my words. No. I'm not. Proud. Of the feminist Cosmopolitan magazine I was. Thank God God won't punish you she will let you know if you buy these products. I want you. And I yes I know. I'm sorry. For. Christy Salmon and hygiene products.

And cigarettes. I'm really. Going to read another demand. And then introduce the next speaker. That women the insured the right to paid maternity leave a reasonable mind without loss of seniority or other accrued benefits. And that this be enacted as a form of Social Security and or employee benefit. And now I give you thanks and I'll give you. One of the groups. Who has been in the coalition from the beginning and worked very hard. Candidate. For statewide office. For the young Socialist Alliance our sister. Our intelligent wonderful. Sister. Half a century has passed since the world shaking century of struggle

rocked the United States and Britain. The games of a century and a half ago have been muted by a blanket of historical silence muffling the suffering suffered as a battle for the right to vote which. At the onset of this fight. Was extended only to property mail. During those years with which span the struggle other groups such as Afro Americans began raising these or similar questions of civil rights and continued to act on those questions even after they had won on paper the right to vote. We've seen the passage of the 1964 Civil Rights Bill which guaranteed the right of black people in this country to equal jobs I think will pay. Why then in 1970 are they jailing Afro-American construction workers who are demanding proportional representation at construction sites in their community. We women. Can learn a valuable lesson from this phenomenon.

The women's movement around the suffrage issue. Is a vital historical stepping stone. To prove to women themselves if not to men also. That everything society had taught them about themselves was wrong. It proved that female political leadership can develop and thrive amidst hostile backward. Social and political climate. To prove that this struggle led. By Elizabeth Cady Stanton Susan BSME and our Howard Show Lucy Stone and hundreds of others. Could triumph over the forces of reaction. It proved with the participation of many working women around New England that working class women could and would rally to the struggle for something so basic as a democratic right to vote. The woman's suffrage movement left the women's liberation movement of today are sparse but richly documented legacy to which we often refer in carrying out those tasks which we face

today. We look about us today and presume that women have the right to vote. But our presumptions of women's rights must stop at this hard one. But basic point. In 1970 we must ask ourselves what force women are to be more realistic. Fifty one percent of the population. Is 24 hour a day. In this technologically advanced country. Democratic or Republican Party candidates provide 24 hour community control child care. In either party. Repeal the present abortion statute responsible for over a thousand deaths every year in the United States wakes up the candidates home by the party for capitalism. Which of these intends to jail those bosses who violate the sex

discrimination sections of the Civil Rights Bill. Those those who refuse to hire women for jobs which men or those who hire women at half the way. It's time that amnesty be given to both roles and prostitutes and time we fill the jails instead with those male bosses forced the president to take to the streets in order to. That. We've just had a moment drawl mediately every troop from Vietnam and Southeast Asia. Right. Women who must live under a constant wartime economy face no job security must stretch their budgets to meet the whims of foreign relations while competing for the worst jobs available. Sisters. These tasks. Of winning childcare free abortion on demand equal pay and equal work ending the war in

Southeast Asia. These tasks will be won only through our hard. And consistent work. No candidate either party has the power even if she is entirely sympathetic to hand us this program of demands. It is up to us to force the maximum of resources at the disposal of capitalist society in order to meet our most basic. We must be on the campuses demanding full use of childcare facilities for the community. We must be at the State House to the full repeal of the abortion law. Each step we take poses a new set of problems. For example in New York. Peel was one prohibitive prices still prevent those who need them most from obtaining abortion. That is why the Socialist Worker's Party calls for free abortions. It's only.

Going to go me under a cloud of. Socialist economy women's expectations. Maybe realize when technology produces for me rather than profit. That. And risk only when there are workers democracy and welcomes the permanence of change. In order to arrive at such a threshold. We must accelerate every channel of struggle open always drawing new women into struggle at every opportunity so that we the women of today may look back at this hour as we are now looking back to those who preceded us and we will proudly truly be able to play feel of the power was won by our sisters and by ourselves. Thank you.

That. That was told the singer of The Young Socialist Alliance her speech was somewhat upstaged by some commotion going on in one corner of the plaza during some of this activity men started to stream out of the crowd and started running over toward a fountain on one edge of the plaza. It's. Impossible for us to tell right now what is happening. Probably someone is swimming in the water over there but it is ringed completely by man. There are some more men going over there right now. And will try to have a report on what's happening here. This is a place which is in fact entirely ringed by men. I'm standing just below you now. Everyone is asking one another what is going on over there. There is in fact nothing going on there were two young ladies in the water. It was completely un sensational they were asked to leave the water they've done so and now all the men are rushing to get close to what's happening what's happening. Well the

water continues to go in that fountain and there is no one in it right now. Back to you. Thank you Bob for that report on little side action here at the women's rights rally in front of the Boston City Hall. We're going back now to the podium where Jane Pauley is introducing the next speaker. And I think. You. Know. And the General Court of Massachusetts. So committed. So. Enthusiastic. About the fight. For women's legal rights. Then. Massachusetts Representative Mary. Now candidate for secretary of state and I think that any woman. Who does not go out and vote for marriage. And any person woman not go out. And work for Mary. Is doing our movement a great favor. I give you

our voice in the Massachusetts state legislature the Honorable Mary. My friends sisters brothers in 1948 women men of power phrase of the Declaration of Independence. Before that no one thought to women to think of the rights the government should that government should also require. No one. As people might think they started

marriage right. Just the husband could see the children were in legal possessions the wife could not sign papers or bear when she was in the kind of higher education was practically nonexistent. No way a cloud no foreign face criticism jailing physical abuse as well as the sacrifice of their personal energy. They were really the right militants and moderates with a long painful work of petitioning preaching and picketing. One finally here today suffrage the men. Around the cause of suffrage were marshalled other issues such as education.

As for women suffrage and women they own property they vote. Yet someone in their position in society that another amendment is necessary to land discrimination and special treatment protection as they call it for women. Before predicting glorious changes from the Equal Rights Amendment we must think about how women have used their political freedom over the past 50 years. This year the year of women out of 40 members of the Massachusetts there was among the 40. Thanks Senator. And this is a beach in Massachusetts

not representative exactly of the group representing the drug problem sympathetically. If you vote for people who are sensitive to your problems you don't like what they've done so much. No woman should run for office because politics is the first count because the person seeing people as individuals who like the work think they will be women should run for office because there are many public

service something to be proud. For years we've seen a few women running for office far less than was expected by the suffragettes far fewer than even a decade ago. Women are too many women are your taxes. Do you think the president and I don't know anything about. Everything we can find about what they needed to know first and later in their own behalf. Because of course

because of the struggle it was a source of satisfaction to me for women and for the two of them. A tremendous amount of pressure strong as strong. We can work. And women.

Let me tell you if you haven't noticed women speaking at a women's rights convention 20 years ago

said. Nobody ever helps me in the carriage. I have fun and eat as much as I do. With the passage of the Equal Rights Amendment and it's a living should be passed and I hope that it is ratified first with the passage of the person legally. We will have won the right

to grow up and make contributions to the civilized world and receive the recompense for it. We have hopes for the rights of women as we did for the 19th. But this sexual discrimination is having. The padlocks are coming and the door will be yours. We have learned from the experience of these past 50 years that this door is not going to be open by passage of a constitutional amendment. And then going back home and saying OK we know our rights everything is going to be fine now nobody is going to open that door for us. Nobody is going to come and force freedom on us. We must be strong. Each one of you each one of us must make a personal commitment to doing your own thing.

Men and women will say and do things that hurt your feelings. All of us every once in a while feel picked on. Feeling person you are the kind of person as important as you are to exercise rights. It is not a restriction if you can. Years ago freedom was before us.

Now I know men addressing women's rights Day gathering at JFK Plaza in downtown Boston Massachusetts. We continue with our live coverage following a 10 second pause for station identification. This coverage comes to you on the eastern Public Radio Network. This is public radio in Boston. Nine point seven mega cycles. Live from John F. Kennedy Plaza or Boston City home. You're listening to coverage by the public radio network of women's rights day here once again. We just heard Mary Newman who is a representative from Cambridge Massachusetts state legislature. Coming up soon will be a skit by the Boston

media women and women involved in different. Areas publications television newspapers in the Boston area. This skit is going to demonstrate how these women feel about. Women's liberation a voice of women in the media today. There also be some skits some more songs and two more speeches. One from the National Organization of Women. It's more remarks by Jane Pauley of the National Organization for Women. Go back now to Jane Pauley on the podium. You every W.. Your organization. Is willing to support you in any actions you need to take in filing discrimination complaints signed federally employed women. Let's wait until the siren. Let's wait for the sirens go by so we can hear each other better and. Better. The

members of the African proposition are pleased to come to the podium you know waiting for you. On the second. See a few other. Announcements if I can. There's going to be a tartan for those of you who have brought your children. Plays at the end of the rally. We ask you to go to the State House to the governor's office with your children. And go to City Hall with your children. And walk in there and explain the need for day care to those people there let them see what it's like to work the whole day with youngsters around. You know they have to go. Talk about they have the gall to say that they care is going to create you know working mothers create you and I would like the brass to say that. When there are five and a half million children in this country a preschool daycare and there are no facilities for them.

So so much for that argument. So much for the thought and. Now. The Little Lost Boys over the candidate you know are going to be hearing a skit by the proposition this is a group that performs out of Inman Square in Cambridge it's been going for about two years now and their specialty is improvisation. I don't know if they've prepared a special skit for today or if they're going to. Use their specialty which is improvisation. But here they are now from the podium. Looking around. We've been listening in on some different conversations and there seem to be a lot of people here today they probably haven't been at women's rallies before. So we're going to listen in on a few of the conversations that we've heard. Judy tell me. How this same survey a lot of times I can say I don't agree. Well you know something I didn't recognize anybody I know. However there

are a lot of people that you know I. Don't I never knew of how awful we really were. I thought I mean you know it's really terrific that you know women can be in 1970 I mean like last year my husband David the current stats what can you do want to you know and this you know with the talk about the kids there you know playing bridge you know really be free for a day. Really what you're really what you're when you're right. Listen I love to talk further but I have to get my hands on. I want to read back. Yeah. I was. How did puberty. You know like yesterday. It's now a plant.

You know like. Like I was like before today like I was really turned by like a lot of the people that I like. But I think like I mean like you know I mean like they say that women you know really my only regret is. You know I was just down a bank. I come over here in half my mind. And it's not a place to sit. When men. Are I'll. Think.

Well there no way gays I can tell you are going around. I want. To. Marry. But. You know they don't realize right and women happen to be OK you know you gotta live with that you know what I mean. That little She's terrific she comes up with really great ideas on how to be sexy I take a shower with your hand away and put your dress on all night. But it's very. Short get back to the. Smell. I never like. To

get out. What might that mean. I guess they ask. Why should you go to the Stop and Shop their way. Listen Judy I've really wanted to track how many of my wine night. Outside a lab. That. Thank you. There was another scan back at me and some brief skits by members of the proposition two women. Telling us what they picked up when they're walking around the crowd today. They were dressed in suffragette outfits which several women today are wearing in memory of the suffragette movement and the one to which 50 years ago

gave the women. There's going to be another skit by proposition. Actors which we coming up in a few moments right now. Jane Paul is on the podium is circulating buckets throughout the audience apparently the group has to collect about $200 to split even today for the activities. After we hear from the proposition again. It will be another skit by media women. And a speech by the National Organization of Women which has been one of the moving forces behind this coalition. Now we go back to Jane Paula on the podium to love. Man. 6.

And she said. Well you know. And. We. Know. That the. Child was so. Ill. That she

thinks this was. Still foggy. The song about portion and demands for free and legal abortions

about 10 or 11 states in the country now have what are called liberalized abortion laws meaning that a woman can get a legal abortion if she can prove that it would seriously impair her mental health in the past most states have laws saying that only if the mother would die from having a child would she be able to receive a legal abortion. But women are demanding today is that abortion be available free to women now many costs are very prohibitive and that it feeds on demand meaning that a woman would not have to prove that she would suffer mentally by having a child. This is a new stage a new thrust toward the demand around abortions the most liberalized laws now do not provide abortions on demand. Or for free and especially in New York with its recent abortion law. Women have to pay several hundred dollars reportedly for abortions. We go back now to the podium for a skit from the proposition.

This is going to be a skit from the media women of Boston talking about the voice of women in the media. This is media women of Boston with an up to minute report on latest developments and. The voice of women in the media. Obviously as we all know it's not very loud nor is it very clear. Here are some women with a quick survey of the problem. We hear from a newspaper reporter. You know you'll never open your morning newspaper and read something like this. True young father brown hair parted to one side. Has announced that he is a candidate for the presidency. Mr. Smith was wearing a smart set of his well-proportioned figure admirably.

Mary 12 years ago Joyce tending his garden and impressing friends very much. In response to questions Mr Smith told the press that he did not feel a career in politics would interfere with his family life or detract from his masculinity. If you do want to read about women look on the feature page in the want ads under secretaries or in the society page under marriage that's it according to the newspapers. What about books. Surely there's something. How do you write a best selling novel down. And. That's how. Mother. Norman Mailer and the American dream right. Well

yes our great love roller residing across the river talks about women. John Kenneth Galbraith and his last book. He had one moment to check the facts in the book and he had another woman and he had four more women write these notes into a book and then he had another women in the publishing process. And finally of course. What happened tonight. He said there is no teacher in the American economy. So sound that with young women who were far below their talent. Deserving all their man in order to graduate. And how come you or anybody else thinks this is a particularly strange because women are usually ignored.

Three thousand twenty pages six tenths of one percent of the content of the major history books supposedly tells the story of six tenths of one percent. Point four percent soldiers and boys. French politicians finance ears. It's clear that the voice of women for freedom and change must be heard. We must teach a new history the forgotten history of the people. And we must listen again to the words of the false declaration issued by four women in 1848. We hold these truths to be self-evident. And women are created equal rights that among these are Life Liberty and the pursuit of happiness that to secure these rights

Governments are instituted deriving their power of the government whenever any Form of Government becomes destructive of these ends it is the right of those who suffer from it to refuse allegiance to the institution of a new government laying its foundation on such principles as shall seem most likely to affect safety and happiness. When a long train of abuses pursuing invariably the same object. Tries to reduce them under despotism it is their duty to throw off such Government and to provide new Guards for their future security. Such has been the sufferance of women under this government and such is now the necessity which constrains them to demand equal station to which they are entitled. Today I sat down and watched television.

I saw forty two women pursuit of the great white 36 women in the cabinet a shiny year for 20 women how body oh oh I go back you know. One woman said she didn't buy Maxim coffee. Because he liked the demon's of these women's lives. White white tornado and what we didn't see were intelligent respected women women involved in the community and in the world. We didn't see serious programs devoted to issues that concern women issues not recipes. Daycare not chocolate. Many of us working mothers are working mothers. We didn't see any working mothers either. We are 53 percent of the population. We are 1 percent of the news

commentators and reporters. We are 53 percent of the population but we are 75 percent of all consumers. Did you know that Procter and Gamble which manufactures health products spends more on advertising than any other company in the country. Procter and Gamble spends two hundred eighty million dollars a dozen products. They're all basically the same. Two hundred and eighty million dollars a year is more than the state of Massachusetts spends on higher education. Sixty six million dollars. Two hundred eighty million dollars is more than Massachusetts spent on its 14 community colleges six state colleges one in medical school and the University of Massachusetts Amherst Boston campuses. Proctor and Gamble to buy their products. You know Proctor and Gamble or any other company are intelligent and

we won't buy. And we won't watch their program. We say. We don't want to. Why don't we want to. Take away your right to take away our God. Damn good morning. Women.

Thank you. Never just get naughty women in media coverage of women's rights day continues from Boston following a 10 second pause for station identification. This is the eastern Public Radio Network. This is public radio in Boston the nine point seven. Just heard by the media women of Boston taking a broad poke at some commercials. The position of women in the media and pointing out how they think women are discriminated against and used by large companies. This has been a theme running through this afternoon's rally and some women here say they want to start a boycott but what they call a girl caught against products that they have decided use when they're discriminating against women. The next speaker is a barber who will be introduced in a moment. She's a member of the National Organization for

Women. Which doesn't represent a true picture of women. Even those of us who work for the present. Time others. In her own right. Will not be continued in the fall. Because the Channel 2 management. Found that this alternative voice for women was. Yes. I am representative of America. We think this is Andro. This. Is not this program in her own right. Oh no they cancel the show for another reason. We're not. Going to have no other. Regular program dealing with serious issues affecting women. All right you know if you're going to do. Call the program director of Channel Joe and say we want our own right back on. Yeah. Right the program director at travel can't tell him

that we want our voice. We want our show on. Channel 4 and they found out that some friends of ours were not about. That. Right. OK. One more speaker. Then some music and it's all over. But. Before you go. I want to tell you about this evening's activities. This evening's activities ladies and gentleman sisters and brothers are going to take place in your own home. They're going to be all right in. The day I received this letter from the National. Organization for Women. A few days ago today August 19 senators in North Carolina announced he would introduce a substitute amendment which would completely nullify the Equal Rights

Amendment by these words. This article shall not impair our Over the ability of any law of the United States or any state exams women compulsory military service which is reasonably designed to promote the health safety promise the education or economic welfare of women economic welfare women all 41 I will underperform their duties as homemakers and mothers. Senator Durbin is on the Senate Judiciary subcommittee. Amendment I want subcommittee held hearings on May 6 and 7. He didn't. Show up. And now he has introduced his amendment. And if you don't write this you don't write dissent if you don't write you don't write dissent in Iraq you're going to kill that amendment by this man over in the Senate. And that's going to be the women's liberation activity this evening. You want to write that amendment why do you want this year. I give you.

So many with whom I work. 14 hours a day seven days a week on the. Most valuable person. In Boston. I give you speaking for the National Organization for Women. For Brazil. As I listened to Florence today and as I read the annals of the suffrage movement. I cannot help but marvel. At the marvelous of our sisters. Fifty years ago. They had no government voice whatsoever. And yet. They were able to muster the political strength to force the 19th Amendment. Finally women won the right to vote. As a small child. Growing up in the 1940s. I learned in school that I lived in a democracy. All responsible people over twenty one. Important voice in the U.S. government. What a

shock. It was to learn as my education progressed. That the term of all responsible people only refer to men. I had no idea suffrage was to women. I had thought it had always been. I still have a hard time imagining where women are disenfranchised. On August 20 Semitism began to build. Granddaughter. Will have a hard time imagining. What it was like to live in a country where prejudice against women was taken for granted. I have heard of women. And the last few months many of them. Say they do not feel discriminated against. However they are right.

Thirty one million women. They make up. Most of these women doing now they work to support their family. Two thirds of these women have dont. 4 percent of the lawyers and 1 percent of the judges in our country are women. This cannot continue. Our granddaughter's. Not their grandmothers. And.

Women. I don't. Know that men. And women are. Beginning to create or. Become teachers. Where are.

Her. Home part of the time. Where are you. Where are. Our granddaughters. Growing up. Did not have choices and night. Or to terminate her. And I don't have to tell you

that. We are. We are. We are. Yet we have. Women from. Her age women doctors. Scientists. We have. Started. Our Daughters. And our granddaughters. Women. First. A representative from the National Organization for Women.

She along with a few other speakers have emphasized the need for women to lobby to have writing campaigns to pressure their legislators for greater rights for women. Other groups female liberation the young Socialist Alliance and individual speakers have urged women to bypass these roads for legislation for equal rights. And one speaker from the Young Socialist Alliance encouraged a workers state where she said Only then would women have equal rights or has been an undercurrent of disagreement. But the main demands still stand all speakers have spoken for equality in education and employment. Twenty four hour childcare centers and free abortion on demand. That was the last of our speakers. There seems to be another skit starting now on the platform by members of the prop.. Well this is really nice they're going to train me on it. Oh yeah.

Right here all this building right here. Yeah you know you're the new girl. That's right. I just got the job on the phone he said they train me on the job. Well I'll take you up that aisle thanks. You were here. You might say I'm familiar with the place. Oh that's nice maybe you could tell me something about it. Well was this the press job that's right. Well maybe I'll give you a few pointers that you see there. Their two cats up there and they both want a different performance out of the girl you say you know I mean performing well like a show you have to put on a show for them. Yeah well there's a Mr. Gao here and he's really straight he likes to eat in a dish and say you know great great right you got the idea. And Mr. Pitt Well he likes the moods you know at really a loose loose you know.

Yeah yeah yeah yeah I have to watch him a little bit you know like yes right. Yes. Well look and check you know this is your floor. Oh yeah. Well I must say on the way down. YES YES YES YES YES YES YES YES. Hello Mr. Golden This is Mr Pig. You go you'll be working for both of us to start off on the order of the procedure of the business. Would you like to take a few simple tests. Now just sit down and we can start with the typing test. Okay that's very good at the margin. Twenty three spaces on the left and 16 from the top and set the tabulated at five twenty four and sixty eight. Very good. Faster now faster. The space after the period to space is gone gone faster faster faster now good faster faster faster. That's all not bad not bad

not bad not bad. Soon you'll With practice you'll improve and soon you'll be as efficient as a machine as a machine to look forward to that. All right test number two cleaning cleaning cleaning we clean the typewriter keys with four to 100 parts carbolic acid and Porter Part 1 of 100 parts carbolic acid not the bourbon get multiplied by the humidity factor in the index in my office. Right and you will practice taking off my coat for the cleaners. My coat for the cleaners. Very good. Very good now. Test number two Test Number three yes three watering the rubber plant watering that you will please follow the rule please follow the instructions on the watering can. That night.

OK you know. Now yes yes yes yes I start yes. Now test number for coffee time Coffee time. Oh I do like a cup because nothing like a nice cup of coffee rehearsing in the morning when you come over you have to be just like um that's why we need women around the office. And so coffee time coffee fix the coffee the urine is in the corner and I take my coffee at 100 and 32 degrees Fahrenheit one and one eighth part. Peter Bloom coffee made in one and one half teaspoon National Guard. OK you OK what was that. Very good. Now it's now it's my turn. Now we just want you to act natural So would you would you just walk. Just watch just watch. Now Come on loosen up. And I was like OK now stand now.

Turn around turn around and swing my natural turn very natural stuff. Hold that smile fry customers must be very natural smile in your eyes. Got to work on them until their natural natural natural. Oh yes yes. Oh and we must check your muscle tone. Come over here. Are you married. No you don't. Have a steady boyfriend no. Good to. Have to do with your life. Oh good. Do it now. Now finally would you just come over here and sit down and sit down. Very snowy and cross your legs when you get down. Oh good good good.

You're going to wear a mini skirt aren't you you're always going to wear a mini skirt. Yes they're very nice those mini skirts you know paid. You know I think you know I think that's just a little too shot for IMAX a little fish and see what the other office person I really think so people after down just an inch and 11:16. Oh no no no no no. No no really really. Absolutely not I really think this could you just pull it down just down a little. Why don't you do it yourself. Practice less and less and I think you're going just a little too far. When we hired this girl for anyway. I mean I'm hiring her for it but we have other purposes that's why I describe this young lady to obey orders and to run a tight office. There are things that need to be done I was going to run out of the rubber rubber pail plant

and then fix the coffee. Oh Mr. Gold you're denying her essential femininity. You've got to allow her to be pretty and decorate that way. Well I don't know. I'm really not so sure I think. Well maybe you're right I mean after all what do you think. I think I think this girl is strong and she could fulfill both our function. Certainly I knew all about them and. Yet. They're faster as a contractor. It was a skit attempting to symbolize what members of the proposition feel a woman has to go through when she's getting a secretarial job.

Even just the employer's orders. And after you grow up and you get a job who's going to help you then there is no support for people like Secretary. Turned to. The only people that are going to begin organizing now. Thank you. I think you know the answer about when I get bored. When program a music group without a name and then I think and listen to them.

Then just a word with you before you go. Thank you. So here's a music group. We like to do a few songs for you. Some of them are misters and you can stick around for listening. Before I let you go I like very much for us to practice sans our coverage of the Boston rights rally here in front of the Boston City Hall. The choir crowd has now dwindled down to several hundred people. We heard about nine speeches some of them unscheduled three skits and splattering of music here and there during the program. Women hope to continue their activities through writing campaigns through election campaigns and through similar rallies such as this. And certainly there will probably be one next year.

This coverage has been brought to you live from Boston city plaza on the Stations of the Eastern Public Radio Network.