Show 19 in america I 1 should have scorned the idea of I 1 social welfare work by EMMA GOLDMAN in my disillusionment disillusion in russia life certainly has a way of playing peculiar pranks in america 1 I should have scorned the idea of social welfare work I 1 should have considered it a cheap palliative but in socialist russia the sight of pregnant women working in suffocating tobacco air ai r and saturating themselves and their unborn with the poison im impressed presed me as a fundamental evil I 1 spoke to liza to see whether something could not be done to ameliorate the evil liza claimed that piecework was the only way to induce the girls to work As to restrooms the women the cheva selves had already made a fight for them but so far nothing could be done because no space could be spared in the factory but if even such small improvements had not noi resulted d from the revolution I 1 argued what purpose has ha it served the workers have achieved control liza replied they are now in PO power and they have more import important ani things to attend to io than restrooms they have the revolution to defend liza had remained very much the proletarian but she reasoned like a nun dedicated to io the service of the church the thought oppressed me that what sho she called the defense of the revolution was really only the defense of her party in power at any rate nothing came of my attempt at social welfare work |