Grace Hutchins (August 19, 1885 – July 15, 1969) was an American labor reformer and researcher, journalist, political activist and
communist
Communism (from Latin la, communis, lit=common, universal, label=none) is a far-left sociopolitical, philosophical, and economic ideology and current within the socialist movement whose goal is the establishment of a communist society, a s ...
. She spent many years of her life writing about labor and economics, in addition to being a lifelong dedicated member of the
Communist Party
A communist party is a political party that seeks to realize the socio-economic goals of communism. The term ''communist party'' was popularized by the title of ''The Manifesto of the Communist Party'' (1848) by Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels. A ...
, along with
Anna Rochester
Anna Rochester (March 30, 1880 — May 11, 1966) was an American labor reformer, journalist, political activist, and Communist. Although for several years an editor of the liberal monthly '' The World Tomorrow,'' Rochester is best remembered as a ...
, a
Marxist economist
Marxian economics, or the Marxian school of economics, is a heterodox school of political economic thought. Its foundations can be traced back to Karl Marx's critique of political economy. However, unlike critics of political economy, Marxian e ...
and
historian
A historian is a person who studies and writes about the past and is regarded as an authority on it. Historians are concerned with the continuous, methodical narrative and research of past events as relating to the human race; as well as the stu ...
and her companion of 45 years.
Together they were known for promoting radical
Christian pacifism
Christian pacifism is the theological and ethical position according to which pacifism and non-violence have both a scriptural and rational basis for Christians, and affirms that any form of violence is incompatible with the Christian faith. Chr ...
in the United States, although Hutchins was also regularly involved in
strikes,
demonstrations
Demonstration may refer to:
* Demonstration (acting), part of the Brechtian approach to acting
* Demonstration (military), an attack or show of force on a front where a decision is not sought
* Demonstration (political), a political rally or prote ...
and
labor disputes
A labor dispute is a disagreement between an employer and employees regarding the terms of employment. This could include disputes regarding conditions of employment, fringe benefits, hours of work, tenure, and wages to be negotiated during coll ...
.
Background
Grace Hutchins was born in an
upper-class family in
Boston
Boston (), officially the City of Boston, is the state capital and most populous city of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts, as well as the cultural and financial center of the New England region of the United States. It is the 24th- mo ...
in 1885, the third daughter of five children to Susan (née Barnes-Hurd) and Edward Hutchins.
Her ancestors, originally from England, had settled in Massachusetts during the colonial period. Her father was an attorney who helped found the
Legal Aid Society
The Legal Aid Society is a 501(c)(3) non-profit legal aid provider based in New York City. Founded in 1876, it is the oldest and largest provider of legal aid in the United States. Its attorneys provide representation on criminal and civil matt ...
, while her mother was involved in various hospitals in the city; they were both actively involved in the Episcopal
Trinity Church.
![Corner of Thomas Great Hall](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/3/31/Corner_of_Thomas_Great_Hall.jpg)
Hutchins was privately educated, and accompanied her parents on a world tour from 1898 to 1899. She then attended the
women's college
Women's colleges in higher education are undergraduate, bachelor's degree-granting institutions, often liberal arts colleges, whose student populations are composed exclusively or almost exclusively of women. Some women's colleges admit male stud ...
at
Bryn Mawr, which was relatively new at the time. During her college life, she "excelled" in basketball, field hockey, and tennis.
Outside of sports, she was also involved in advocating for
women's suffrage
Women's suffrage is the right of women to vote in elections. Beginning in the start of the 18th century, some people sought to change voting laws to allow women to vote. Liberal political parties would go on to grant women the right to vot ...
. She graduated in 1907, and remained in touch with her classmates later in life.
Career
Academics
Within a few years of leaving college, Hutchins became an
Episcopalian
Anglicanism is a Western Christian tradition that has developed from the practices, liturgy, and identity of the Church of England following the English Reformation, in the context of the Protestant Reformation in Europe. It is one of the l ...
missionary teacher for
Church Missionary Society in China
The Church Missionary Society in China was a branch organisation established by the Church Missionary Society (CMS), which was founded in Britain in 1799 under the name the Society for Missions to Africa and the East; as a mission society working ...
and taught at St. Hilda's school in South China in 1912, later becoming a
headmistress
A head master, head instructor, bureaucrat, headmistress, head, chancellor, principal or school director (sometimes another title is used) is the staff member of a school with the greatest responsibility for the management of the school. In som ...
.
During her time in China, she kept a diary on her observations of Chinese women's social, educational, and medical conditions.
During her stay in China, Hutchins became ill and returned to the United States in 1916, partially due to parental concerns.
Back in the United States, she was employed by a
social training school.
Activism
![Margaret Ely Webb Bookplate-Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/c/c4/Margaret_Ely_Webb_Bookplate-Society_of_the_Companions_of_the_Holy_Cross_%28cropped%29.jpg)
In response to the ongoing
Great War
World War I (28 July 1914 11 November 1918), often abbreviated as WWI, was one of the deadliest global conflicts in history. Belligerents included much of Europe, the Russian Empire, the United States, and the Ottoman Empire, with fightin ...
, Hutchins took an
anti-interventionist
Non-interventionism or non-intervention is a political philosophy or national foreign policy doctrine that opposes interference in the domestic politics and affairs of other countries but, in contrast to isolationism, is not necessarily opposed t ...
position and began shifting toward
socialism
Socialism is a left-wing economic philosophy and movement encompassing a range of economic systems characterized by the dominance of social ownership of the means of production as opposed to private ownership. As a term, it describes the e ...
in her
political stance. When the US entered the war with the
Allies
An alliance is a relationship among people, groups, or states that have joined together for mutual benefit or to achieve some common purpose, whether or not explicit agreement has been worked out among them. Members of an alliance are called ...
in 1917, she found herself in protests against the war. Her political stance impacted her private life, and nearly led to her dismissal from the school where she was employed.
Living in New York, Hutchins met Anna Rochester in 1919 at an annual retreat when she joined the
Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross The Society of the Companions of the Holy Cross (SCHC) is an organization for Episcopal/Anglican women founded by Emily Malbone Morgan in 1884. SCHC has chapters across the United States and India. There also is a virtual chapter for members who do ...
through her involvement with teaching the
New Testament
The New Testament grc, Ἡ Καινὴ Διαθήκη, transl. ; la, Novum Testamentum. (NT) is the second division of the Christian biblical canon. It discusses the teachings and person of Jesus, as well as events in first-century Christ ...
.
Both Rochester and Hutchins were firm adherents to the doctrine of
nonviolence
Nonviolence is the personal practice of not causing harm to others under any condition. It may come from the belief that hurting people, animals and/or the environment is unnecessary to achieve an outcome and it may refer to a general philosoph ...
, and in 1920 Hutchins joined the
Fellowship of Reconciliation
The Fellowship of Reconciliation (FoR or FOR) is the name used by a number of religious nonviolent organizations, particularly in English-speaking countries. They are linked by affiliation to the International Fellowship of Reconciliation (IFOR).
...
(FOR), which promoted
pacifism
Pacifism is the opposition or resistance to war, militarism (including conscription and mandatory military service) or violence. Pacifists generally reject theories of Just War. The word ''pacifism'' was coined by the French peace campaign ...
in the United States.
She became a secretary and public speaker for the organization. She served as a press secretary from 1924 to 1926, during which time she also served as a business executive while actively contributing to the monthly magazine.
From 1920 to 1921, she studied labor issues at the
New York School of Social Work
The Columbia University School of Social Work is the graduate school of social work of
Columbia University. It is the nation's oldest social work program, with roots extending back to 1898, when the New York Charity Organization Society's first s ...
, and then went on to
Columbia University's Teacher College for the following two years. It was during this period that she was suggested to have "learned firsthand" on many women's labor conditions by working "ten-hour days in a cigar factory".
![International Fellowship of Reconciliation conference, Nyborg, Denmark, 1923 (cropped)](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/6/67/International_Fellowship_of_Reconciliation_conference%2C_Nyborg%2C_Denmark%2C_1923_%28cropped%29.jpg)
The Companions' reading lists for their annual retreats revolved around the works of
Christian socialists
Christian socialism is a religious and political philosophy that blends Christianity and socialism, endorsing left-wing politics and socialist economics on the basis of the Bible and the teachings of Jesus. Many Christian socialists believe capi ...
such as
Walter Rauschenbusch
Walter Rauschenbusch (1861–1918) was an American theologian and Baptist pastor who taught at the Rochester Theological Seminary. Rauschenbusch was a key figure in the Social Gospel and single tax movements that flourished in the United States d ...
and
Edward Carpenter
Edward Carpenter (29 August 1844 – 28 June 1929) was an English utopian socialist, poet, philosopher, anthologist, an early activist for gay rightsWarren Allen Smith: ''Who's Who in Hell, A Handbook and International Directory for Human ...
, and Hutchins also read more traditional writers such
Karl Marx
Karl Heinrich Marx (; 5 May 1818 – 14 March 1883) was a German philosopher, economist, historian, sociologist, political theorist, journalist, critic of political economy, and socialist revolutionary. His best-known titles are the 1848 ...
and
Friedrich Engels
Friedrich Engels ( ,["Engels"](_blank)
'' Vida Scudder
Julia Vida Dutton Scudder (1861–1954) was an American educator, writer, and welfare activist in the social gospel movement.
Early life
She was born in Madurai, India, on December 15, 1861, the only child of David Coit Scudder (of the Scudder ...
.
Her career was focused upon the health and welfare of
working class
The working class (or labouring class) comprises those engaged in manual-labour occupations or industrial work, who are remunerated via waged or salaried contracts. Working-class occupations (see also " Designation of workers by collar colou ...
women and children.
According to Janet Lee, author of a biography about the two women, they "were a part of
cohort of women whose commitment to social activism was integrated with their lesbian orientation".
In the early 1920s Hutchins and Rochester travelled through Europe together on behalf of the FOR, eventually traveling as far as India and the
Far East
The ''Far East'' was a European term to refer to the geographical regions that includes East and Southeast Asia as well as the Russian Far East to a lesser extent. South Asia is sometimes also included for economic and cultural reasons.
The ter ...
. They regularly met other activists of social reform, as well as visiting factories to observe; they were not only "appalled by what they saw," but kept up a regular correspondence in the American press regarding the poor working conditions they witnessed. By 1927, Hutchins was employed by the
Federated Press
''This is not to be confused with the independent, research-based organization of Toronto, Canada, also called that targets executives, lawyers, professionals.''
The Federated Press was a left wing news service, established in 1920, that provided ...
.
At this time, she and Rochester were also traveling through the
Soviet Union
The Soviet Union,. officially the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR),. was a transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 to 1991. A flagship communist state, it was nominally a federal union of fifteen national ...
. In contrast to the poverty and poor conditions she had witnessed in India, Hutchins was impressed by their collective attempts under communism to overcome the deprivations the country faced.
However, their views clashed with the views of FOR, and they consequently left the organization for good on their 1927 return to the United States, instead joining the Communist Party.
During this time, Hutchins observed the textile strikes of New Jersey and
in 1924 and 1928 respectively.
In 1927, she was employed as a researcher for the Bureau of Women in Industry by the
New York State Department of Labor
The New York State Department of Labor (DOL or NYSDOL) is the department of the New York state government that enforces labor law and administers unemployment benefits.
The mission of the New York State Department of Labor is to protect workers ...
. Due to her health conditions however, she had to resign from the position five months later. Later that year, Hutchins and Rochester along with
Robert W. Dunn founded the
Labor Research Association (LRA), the purpose of which was to compile and collate facts, statistics and reports for
trade union
A trade union (labor union in American English), often simply referred to as a union, is an organization of workers intent on "maintaining or improving the conditions of their employment", ch. I such as attaining better wages and benefits ( ...
s and writers. Hutchins remains associated with LRA until 1967. During that time, she was once arrested for demonstrating against the executions of
Nicola Sacco and Bartolomeo Vanzetti in Boston.
Already a treasurer for the Communist Party's national campaign financing group, she ran for state office as Alderman (1935), Controller (1935), and
Lieutenant-Governor
A lieutenant governor, lieutenant-governor, or vice governor is a high officer of state, whose precise role and rank vary by jurisdiction. Often a lieutenant governor is the deputy, or lieutenant, to or ranked under a governor — a "second-in-comm ...
(1948), although she lost each election. A Communist party candidate, she ran for state comptroller in 1936.
From 1940 to 1956, Hutchins was a
shareholder
A shareholder (in the United States often referred to as stockholder) of a corporation is an individual or legal entity (such as another corporation, a body politic, a trust or partnership) that is registered by the corporation as the legal own ...
in the communist ''
Daily Worker
The ''Daily Worker'' was a newspaper published in New York City by the Communist Party USA, a formerly Comintern-affiliated organization. Publication began in 1924. While it generally reflected the prevailing views of the party, attempts were m ...
'' newspaper.
Hutchins was a trustee of the Bail Bond fund of the
Civil Rights Congress
The Civil Rights Congress (CRC) was a United States civil rights organization, formed in 1946 at a national conference for radicals and disbanded in 1956. It succeeded the International Labor Defense, the National Federation for Constitutional Li ...
, which supported people who were defending themselves in the
Smith Act trials
The Smith Act trials of Communist Party leaders in New York City from 1949 to 1958 were the result of Federal government of the United States, US federal government prosecutions in the postwar period and during the Cold War between the Soviet Uni ...
,
She personally posted the $10,000 bail for
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn (August 7, 1890 – September 5, 1964) was a labor leader, activist, and feminist who played a leading role in the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW). Flynn was a founding member of the American Civil Liberties Union ...
after the latter's 1951
indictment
An indictment ( ) is a formal accusation that a legal person, person has committed a crime. In jurisdictions that use the concept of felony, felonies, the most serious criminal offence is a felony; jurisdictions that do not use the felonies concep ...
.
In 1948, during the
Alger Hiss
Alger Hiss (November 11, 1904 – November 15, 1996) was an American government official accused in 1948 of having spied for the Soviet Union in the 1930s. Statutes of limitations had expired for espionage, but he was convicted of perjury in con ...
espionage
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangibl ...
trial, Hutchins was accused by
Whittaker Chambers
Whittaker Chambers (born Jay Vivian Chambers; April 1, 1901 – July 9, 1961) was an American writer-editor, who, after early years as a Communist Party member (1925) and Soviet spy (1932–1938), defected from the Soviet underground (1938), ...
of threatening death from the Party after he defected. Hutchins condemned the accusations in various interviews and publications.
In 1951, Hutchins testified before a
House Un-American Activities subcommittee due to her contributions to Communist publications, like ''
The New Masses
''New Masses'' (1926–1948) was an American Marxist magazine closely associated with the Communist Party USA. It succeeded both ''The Masses'' (1912–1917) and ''The Liberator''. ''New Masses'' was later merged into '' Masses & Mainstream'' (19 ...
'' and ''
Daily Worker
The ''Daily Worker'' was a newspaper published in New York City by the Communist Party USA, a formerly Comintern-affiliated organization. Publication began in 1924. While it generally reflected the prevailing views of the party, attempts were m ...
'', and her political campaigns for the Community party.
Hutchins herself believed, as she told ''The Worker'', that
Marxism
Marxism is a Left-wing politics, left-wing to Far-left politics, far-left method of socioeconomic analysis that uses a Materialism, materialist interpretation of historical development, better known as historical materialism, to understand S ...
"explained the economic basis for the exploitation of women workers as no one ever did before."
Personal life and death
![171 West 12th Street](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/af/171_West_12th_Street.jpg)
Hutchins is known to have had a close personal relationship with Anna Rochester, and their relationship lasted forty years, living in New York's
Greenwich Village
Greenwich Village ( , , ) is a neighborhood on the west side of Lower Manhattan in New York City, bounded by 14th Street to the north, Broadway to the east, Houston Street to the south, and the Hudson River to the west. Greenwich Village ...
.
In 1924, the couple moved into an apartment at 85 Bedford Street, where they lived the rest of their lives.
She has been described as "exud
ngwarmth, building families among those near her, shaping her feminism around women's traditional and potential strengths and insisting on women's economic independence as the key to liberation".
Conversely, in 1948, during the
Alger Hiss
Alger Hiss (November 11, 1904 – November 15, 1996) was an American government official accused in 1948 of having spied for the Soviet Union in the 1930s. Statutes of limitations had expired for espionage, but he was convicted of perjury in con ...
espionage
Espionage, spying, or intelligence gathering is the act of obtaining secret or confidential information (intelligence) from non-disclosed sources or divulging of the same without the permission of the holder of the information for a tangibl ...
trial, she was accused by
Whittaker Chambers
Whittaker Chambers (born Jay Vivian Chambers; April 1, 1901 – July 9, 1961) was an American writer-editor, who, after early years as a Communist Party member (1925) and Soviet spy (1932–1938), defected from the Soviet underground (1938), ...
of threatening to kill him after he left the Party. Hutchins denied the offence, and condemned the accusations in various interviews and publications.
Her father did not approve of her political activities, and he was disappointed about her 1927 arrest. Regardless, he did continue to provide a good allowance for her livelihood and, when he died, remembered her in his will.
Anna Rochester died age 86 on May 11, 1966, of pneumonia; Hutchins died age 83 on July 15, 1969, at their home after extended illness.
Legacy
Biographer Julia M. Allen noted that, by the 1930s, Hutchins was one of a few women who still saw women as being oppressed and later as one of the few who "worked to keep feminism alive in the United States during the 1930s to the 1950s."
Her papers were collated in the Special Collections and University Archives at the
University of Oregon
The University of Oregon (UO, U of O or Oregon) is a public research university in Eugene, Oregon. Founded in 1876, the institution is well known for its strong ties to the sports apparel and marketing firm Nike, Inc, and its co-founder, billion ...
,
along with Rochester's.
Allen holds that Hutchins and Rochester believed and worked towards "revolution not reformation" and that that accounted for their many switches between organizations.
It has been suggested that what brought the two women together was "the waged and political work" that they shared.
Works
![Jesus Christ and the World Today, 1922, book cover](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/4/4a/Jesus_Christ_and_the_World_Today%2C_1922%2C_book_cover.jpg)
Hutchins's writings focus primarily on labor conditions for women and children. She co-edited several reference series for the group, as well as editing the group's own magazine, ''Railroad Notes'' between 1937 and 1962.
;Books
Hutchins published three books:
* ''Jesus Christ and the World Today'' with Anna Rochester (1922)
* ''Labor and Silk'' (1929) concerned textile working conditions, based on 1920s strike experiences
* ''Women Who Work'' (1933), used by both the
CPUSA
The Communist Party USA, officially the Communist Party of the United States of America (CPUSA), is a communist party in the United States which was established in 1919 after a split in the Socialist Party of America following the Russian Revo ...
and
US unions as a campaign reference work
[Baxandall, R.,'Precursors and Bridges: Was the CPUSA Unique?' ''Science & Society'' 66 (2002), 503.] and re-published three times
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:Hutchins, Grace
1885 births
1969 deaths
American Christian socialists
Anglican socialists
Members of the Socialist Party of America
Members of the Communist Party USA
Writers from Boston
Writers from New York City
People from Boston
Female Christian socialists
American socialist feminists