Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Worker Joe Hill Writes a Cheerful Note to the Editor of Solidarity from the Salt Lake County Jail

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote Joe Hill, Poor Ragged Tramp, Sing One Song, LRSB 5th ed, 1913—————

Hellraisers Journal – Monday December 21, 1914
Fellow Worker Joe Hill Writes to Editor of Solidarity from Salt Lake County Jail

From Solidarity of December 19, 1914:

CHEERFUL NOTE FROM JOE HILL
—————

 Salt Lake County Jail, Nov. 29

Editor Solidarity:

Ad LRSB 8th ed, Joe Hill, Sol p4, Dec 19, 1914

I see in the “Sol” that you are going to issue another edition of the Song Book, and I made a few changes and corrections which I think should improve the book a little, which I am enclosing herewith.

Now, I am well aware of the fact there are lots of prominent rebels who argued that satire and songs are out of place in a labor organization and I will admit that songs are not necessary to a movement. But I think that our little Song Book is doing good work for the cause; and whenever I “get the hunch” I intend to make some more foolish songs, although I realize that the class struggle is a very serious thing.

A pamphlet, no matter how good, is never read more than once, but a song is learned by heart and repeated over and over; and I maintain that if a person can put a few cold, common sense facts into a song, and dress them (the facts) up in a cloak of humor to take the dryness off of them, he will succeed in reaching a great number of workers who are too unintelligent or too indifferent to read a pamphlet or an editorial on economic science.

There is one thing that is necessary in order to hold the old members and to get the would-be members interested in the class struggle and that is entertainment. The rebels of Sweden have realized that fact, and they have their blowouts regularly every week. And on account of that they have succeeded in organizing the female workers more extensively than any other nation in the world. The female workers are sadly neglected in the United States, especially on the West coast, and consequently we have created a kind of one-legged, freakish animal of a union, and our dances and blowouts are kind of stale and unnatural on account of being too much of a “buck” affair; they are too lacking the life and inspiration which the woman alone can produce.

The idea is to establish a kind of social feeling of good fellowship between the male and female workers, that would give them a little foretaste of our future society and make them more interested in the class struggle and the overthrow of the old system of corruption. I think it would be a very good idea to use our female organizers, Gurley Flynn, for instance exclusively for the building up of a strong organization among the female workers. They are more exploited than the men, and John Bull is willing to testify to the fact that they are not lacking in the militant and revolutionary spirit.

By following the example of our Swedish fellow workers, and paying a little more attention to entertainment with original song and original stunts and pictures, we shall succeed in attracting and interesting more of the young blood, both male and female, in the One Big Union.

Yours for a change,
Joe Hill.

Address Jos. Hillstrom, Co. Jail, Salt Lake City, Utah

(We are more than pleased to offer these suggestions from Fellow Worker Hill to our readers, and believe they should be given thorough consideration by all active I. W. W. men and women. We are sorry that Hill’s corrections and changes for some of his songs arrived too late for the Eighth edition, which was already on the press when his letter came. Will keep them on file for a later edition.-Editor Solidarity.)

Ad LRSB 8th ed, Joe Hill, Sol p4, Dec 19, 1914

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks in Chicago at Mass Meeting of Striking Garment Workers, Will Fight to the End

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones Raising Hell, NYT p1, Oct 6, 1916—————

Hellraisers Journal – Monday December 12, 1904
Chicago, Illinois – Mother Jones Addresses Striking Garment Workers

Mother Jones gave an address to the striking garment workers of Chicago in which she praised Chicago workers for making that city a “mighty uncomfortable” place for the employers. The garment workers have been on strike since November 19th, and they vow to continue their strike to the end.

From The Chicago Daily Tribune, December 10, 1904:

STRIKERS TO FIGHT TO END.
———-
Garment Workers at Mass Meeting,
Addressed by “Mother” Jones,
Make Decision to Stay Out.
———-

Mother Jones, Socialist Spirit p19, Aug 1902

The striking garment workers, at a large meeting last night in Brand’s Hall, voted to stay out until their demands are granted in full. Addresses were made by president T. A. Rickert of the national organization, President Barney Cohen of the State Federation of Labor, “Mother” Jones, and others.”

Mother” Jones declared there was one place in the country where the workers had made it “mighty uncomfortable” for the employers, and that was Chicago. Ben Miller, said to be a picket for the Capmakers’ union, was arrested in the evening charged with assaulting Samuel Jordan, a nonunion garment worker.

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: District 15, Colorado: “We recognize no surrender and shall continue..our humanitarian movement.”

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Quote Mother Jones Babes of Ludlow, Speech at Trinidad CO UMW District 15 Special Convention, ES1 p154 (176 of 360)—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday December 10, 1914
Denver, Colorado – District 15 Calls Off Long Strike, Recognizes “No Surrender”

Meeting in convention in Denver, delegates of District No. 15 of the United Mine Workers of America unanimously voted to call off all strikes in the coal fields of Colorado, this decision to be effective on December 10th in both the northern and southern regions of the state.

The striking miners and their families endured through the long Colorado winter, living in tents after being evicted from the company towns. They faced hundreds of armed company guards who were deputized by the local sheriffs, a state militia infested with such company gunthugs, mass imprisonment, search lights that terrorized them in their tents at night. And yet their determination and solidarity remained unbroken.

Finally, with the spring, came the Ludlow Massacre followed by the ten day war. And still they remained determined to endure to the end. Now, many months later, that great strikebreaker, hunger, haunts them as they face another winter in the tents.

Their hopes for justice now depend on yet another committee and yet another investigation. This time, the committee is appointed by President Wilson. There is no agreement from the coal operators, led by Rockefeller’s Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, to abide by the findings of said committee.

In announcing the termination of the strike, the United Mine Workers of America recognized no surrender:

We recognize no surrender and shall continue to propagate the principles of our humanitarian movement throughout the coal fields of Colorado.

From The Cincinnati Enquirer of December 9, 1914:

 

STRIKE
———-
Ended in Colorado.
———-
Miners Act Favorably on
Advice of Executives.
———-
Troops May Be Called Off
Immediately.
———-
Order For Return of Men
To Pits Marks Finish
———-
Of Industrial Struggle That Has Cost Millions
and Lives of Scores of Combatants
———-

Federal Troops to be wd fr CO, Cnc Enq p16, Dec 9, 1914

SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE ENQUIRER.

Denver, Colo., December 8.-The coal miners’ strike in both the Northern and Southern Colorado coal fields was called off to-night. the miners voted to end the strike on December 10. This action was taken by the the convention of District No. 15 of the United Mine Workers of America by a unanimous vote late to-night after an all-day session, and ratifies the report of the International Executive Board introduced to-day recommending the termination of the strike.

The Executive Committee recommended ending the strike on the ground that such action would strengthen the union’s position in view of the appointment by President Wilson of a permanent commission, headed by Seth Low, to consider future differences in the coal fields.

Frank J. Hayes, International Vice President, in a statement to the convention explained in detail the reasons which impelled the International Board to make its recommendations, and there followed in executive session a lengthy and spirited discussion.

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Hellraisers Journal: Welborn Claims That “Press Agent” From Outside State Prepared Operators’ Pamphlets Defaming UMWA

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Quote Mother Jones re Miners Org Real Power of Labor Mv, Speech UMW D14 Conv, Apr 30, 1914, Ptt KS, Steel Speeches p134—————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday December 8, 1914
Denver, Colorado – J. F. Welborn Testifies Before Walsh Commission

Jesse F. Welborn
J. F. Welborn

The testimony of J. F. Welborn, President of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, before the Commission on Industrial Relations, which was begun on Friday afternoon, continued all day Saturday. Welborn was grilled by Chairman Walsh regarding telegrams he had received from John D. Rockefeller, Jr, concerning the conduct of the strike and was requested to bring such telegrams forward.

The telegram from Mr. Rockefeller to Mr. Welborn, released by John R. Lawson to the press on the Friday, was identified by Welborn and entered into the record of the Commission by Chairman Walsh.

Pamphlets issued by the “Committee of Coal Mine Managers,” which contain errors regarding the salaries of U. M. W. of A. officials, including that of Mother Jones, were discussed. Welborn admitted that the pamphlets were prepared for the coal operators by a hired “press agent” whose identity has not, thus far, been revealed.

From The Cincinnati Enquirer of December 6, 1914:

ADVICE
———-
On Strike in Colorado
————

Received From Rockefeller in New York,
Welborn Testifies.
———-
Coal Company Says “Press Agent” From Outside State
Prepared Operators’ Pamphlets.
———-

SPECIAL DISPATCH TO THE ENQUIRER.

Frank P Walsh
Frank P. Walsh

Denver, Colo., December 5.-“Is there anyone you communicate with in New York except John D. Rockefeller, Jr.?” Chairman Walsh, of the Federal Industrial Relations Commission, asked J. F. Welborn, President of the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company, who resumed his testimony to-day in the investigation of the Colorado mine strike.

Welborn said he had heard from George J. Gould and others of the seven New York Directors of the company.

“To save time I shall ask you to file with us all the telegrams you have received from Rockefeller, Star J. Murphy and Jerome Green,” said the Chairman.

“I will bring all the telegrams I have,” replied Welborn.

The witness then identified a telegram from John D. Rockefeller, Jr., made public yesterday by John R. Lawson of the United Mine Workers. “But I should not care to have the telegrams given out as this was yesterday,” he said.

[Note: the telegram, from Rockefeller to Welborn, was entered into the record by Chairman Walsh during his grilling of Mr. Welborn.]

Welborn said the company had thirteen Directors, seven living in New York, and six in Denver, that the meetings were held in Denver, and communication held with the Rockefeller interests as represented by Rockefeller, Murphy and Green.

Welborn was questioned regarding pamphlets entitled “The Truth About Colorado,” and “Facts About the Colorado Struggle.” He said he would assume responsibility for the document, the writer of which did not wish his name known.

The company, he said, had spent about $12,000 printing the bulletins, and had distributed about 40,000 copies to educators, legislators, ministers and the general public.

Questioned by Walsh, the witness admitted that some statements in the bulletin might not be strictly accurate.

The writer, Welborn said, was not in Colorado.

“Does he expect compensation for his work?”

“I don’t know,” said Welborn, “when his work is completed, I shall have to audit his bill.”

“Who contracted his employment?”

“There was no contract. There was an oral understanding that he was to be compensated later. He is still making statements for us. His work is not finished. I don’t know whether the company or some one interested in the company is going to pay him.”

Walsh called the attention of the witness to a table appearing in a pamphlet, giving the sums alleged to have been paid to national officers of the United Mine Workers. According to this table sums paid out in nine weeks were as follows:

Frank J. Hayes $4,502, plus $1,667 for expenses.
John McLennan $2,683, plus $1,469 for expenses.
John R. Lawson, $1,773.
Mary Jones, $2,668.

“Do you accept the personal responsibility for this?” asked Walsh.

“For as much of the published statement as has not been denied,” replied Welborn.

“If it is true that McLennan gets $4 a day will you correct it?”

“Just as soon as I believe it is wrong.”

Commissioner O’Connell said that the figures given were from the report of William Green, secretary of the United Mine Workers, and covered total salary and expenses for one year, not nine weeks. The statement in the pamphlet, which alleged that the delegates to the Trinidad convention that called the strike were selected and sent there by the officers of the union, Welborn declared he could not substantiate.

The total loss to the Colorado Fuel and Iron Company caused by the strike was $800,000, Welborn said.

———-

[Photographs and emphasis added]

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Hellraisers Journal: “Colorado Resting On Political Volcano, Outbreak Is Momentarily Expected.”-Peabody Seeks to Seize Power

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Powers of Privilege ed, Ab Chp III—————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday December 6, 1904
Denver, Colorado – Governor Peabody Plots to Hold On to Power

This week’s Duluth Labor World sounds the warning:

Colorado Governor Alva Adams, see Mpl Jr p2, Nov 12, 1904
Governor-Elect Adams

Colorado is resting over a political volcano. Everyone is on the qui vive and following closely, and in most cases bitterly, the extraordinary antics of the [Colorado] Supreme Court.

Governor Peabody continues his machinations with the assistance of the Court to thwart the will of the people of the State of Colorado. The election of Alva Adams, Democrat, by a plurality of 11,000 votes has not deterred Peabody from his quest to hold onto power.

The latest twist in the plot involves the unseating of three Senators who have been elected from areas of the state where strikes have been conducted during the past year.

From The Labor World of December 3, 1904:

PEABODY’S PLOT TO
HOLD COLORADO GROWS
———-
“Czar” Seeks to Unseat Three Senators
Who Were elected From Strike Centers.
———-
Colorado Resting On Political Volcano
Outbreak Is Momentarily Expected.
———-

Gov JH Peabody, Idaho Spgs Sftg p1, Nov 5, 1904
Governor Peabody

Denver, Col., Dec. 1.-The rounding out of the Peabody plot to retain the Gubernatorial chair was developed more clearly today by the renewed trial of men charged with contempt. Precinct Eight of Ward Five was the scene of operations. The men arraigned are prominent Democrats-Frank Kratke, Edward O’Mally, Joseph Ray and Charles Kofsky.

The defendants, half an hour before, were arraigned before the United States Commissioner charged with violating the federal laws in regard to the election. The commissioners postponed their hearings until the Supreme Court should pass upon the charges of contempt against them.

The trend is more and more toward a situation wherein the spectacle will be presented of two Governors ruling the same state.

At Pueblo the grand jury will begin consideration of the alleged Republican frauds tomorrow.

A banquet will be given here tomorrow night in honor of Adams’ election, and next day the Republicans will ask the Supreme Court to begin throwing out Democratic precincts.

Colorado is resting over a political volcano. Everyone is on the qui vive and following closely, and in most cases bitterly, the extraordinary antics of the Supreme Court.

Each hearing of cases by that body develops in which direction the efforts of the Republicans are tending, indicating what returns are to be attacked and what valuable precincts are to be thrown out.

To Control Senate.

Upon the face of the returns received from every county in the state, the Democrats elected ten members of the State Senate, without counting any of the members from this county. These, with the nine holdover Democratic Senators, would give that party the control of the Senate.

The Peabody managers have daily asserted that they would be able to organize the Senate. The basis of their claims was not apparent until yesterday when they announced that they contemplated unseating Martin of Pueblo, Ward of Boulder and maybe Beshoar of Trinidad, all Democrats.

The state canvassing board is looked to to do the work. The official canvass in Boulder County was completed several days ago and showed the re-election of Senator Ward by a small majority. No charge of fraud was made in that county until yesterday. In Las Animas County the canvass showed that Dr. Beshoar was elected if every contested ballot were counted for Barela. In Pueblo [County] the official canvass is not competed, but both sides concede that it will show Mr. Martin’s election. It is not charged that Mr. Martin’s supporters committed fraud, but the Peabody managers assert that Republicans voted for him and this is to be made the ground of contest.

[Photograph and emphasis added]

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Hellraisers Journal: Imprisoned Fellow Workers Ford & Suhr will each leave a wife and two children to battle with this world.

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote JP Thompson re Wheatland, June 25-26, 1918, Chicago IWW Trial of H George, p71-2,—————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday December 5, 1914
Folsom, California – Fellow Workers Ford and Suhr Arrive at State Penitentiary 

Hop Pickers, Mothers w Children, Durst Ranch, Wheatland CA, 1913

In this month’s edition of the International Socialist Review, Grace Ford, wife of Richard Ford, reflects on the loss of her husband. No, her husband is not dead, but he is now buried alive in Folsom prison along with Herman Suhr, both prisoners of the class-war in the hop fields of California.

Before we get to the article written by Mrs. Ford, we present two accounts of that sad day that Fellow Workers Ford and Suhr were taken away to begin serving life sentences at Folsom State Prison. Neither man is guilty of murder, but they stand convicted nevertheless. Their crime was attempting to organize desperate, impoverished hop pickers. The death of the District Attorney resulted from an attack made upon those hop pickers as they were peaceably assembled on their own rented property.

From the Oakland Tribune of November 15, 1914:

BEGINS LIFE TERM WHISTLING GAILY
———-
“Blackie” Ford Departs for State Penitentiary
in a Happy Mood.
———-

Ford and Suhr Arrive at Folsom Pen CA, Nov 15, 1914

AUBURN, Nov. 14.-“Blackie” Ford hummed and whistled to himself in a happy mood, apparently assumed, when Sheriff O. L. Meek of Yuba county arrived here and handcuffed him to Herman D. Suhr and then departed with them for the State penitentiary at Folsom.

Ford and Suhr, I. W. W., were convicted and sentenced to life imprisonment for the murder of district attorney Edmund T. Manwell of Yuba county. The murder occurred during the Wheatland riot of August 1913.

Ford’s father-in-law and mother-in-law bade him goodby. Ford kissed them both and said he would not be in Folsom long.

GIVES AWAY SUIT.

He gave to I. E. Lamber, one of the I. W. W. leaders of Sacramento, who was present, a new suit of clothes. He said he would not have much use for them in Folsom.

Lambert said to Sheriff Meek as Meek was leading Ford from Sheriff McAulay’s office to the auto outside, “I hope the whole bunch of you break your necks on the way to Folsom.”

Lambert continued: “Blackie, you know I am your friend, but I hope you get killed before you reach Folsom. It is going to cost the State more to keep you and Suhr in Folsom the rest of your lives than the capitalists who run the State realize. Somebody besides you and Suhr is going to suffer for this.”

Ford kept up his nonchalant demeanor to the last. To a newspaper man Ford asked for a ready made cigarette, saying it might be the last he would ever get a chance to smoke.

Suhr and Ford sat in the back seat of the auto. Both had handcuffs on. Suhr was quiet and inclined to be surly. The only time he smiled was when he and Ford met again after their four months’ separation.

Ford and Suhr made no comment upon arriving at prison. They were given the regulation bath and haircut today and their finger prints and photographs were taken.

[Photographs and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Worker Joe Hill from Salt Lake County Jail: “How to Make Work for the Unemployed”-Refuse to Starve

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Quote Joe Hill, Poor Ragged Tramp, Sing One Song, LRSB 5th ed, 1913—————

Hellraisers Journal – Friday December 4, 1914
Joe Hill, from the Salt Lake County Jail, on Making Work for the Unemployed

Joe Hill wikiThis month’s edition of the Review carries an article, written by the I. W. W. songwriter, Joe Hill who is now confined within the walls of the Salt Lake County Jail having been convicted of murder on flimsy evidence and sentenced to death. Fellow Worker, Joe Hill, despite his own difficulties, writes on behalf of the growing army of unemployed workers. Following Hill’s article we find news from a member of Chicago’s unemployed army who reports that the unemployed of that city are refusing to scab on union wages.

From the International Socialist Review of December 1914:

How to Make Work for the Unemployed

BY JOE HILL

MUCH has been written lately about various new ways and tactics of carrying on the class struggle to emancipate the workers from wage slavery.

Some writers propose to “organize with the unemployed”; that is, to feed and house them in order to keep them from taking the jobs away from the employed workers. Others again want to organize a Gunmen Defense Fund to purchase machine guns and high powered rifles for all union men, miners especially, that they may protect themselves from the murderous onslaughts of the private armies of the master class. Very well; these tactics, MAY be perfectly good, but the question arises: Who is going to pay for all this?

Estimating the unemployed army to be about five millions in number and the board bill of one individual to be five dollars a week, we find that the total board bill of the whole unemployed army would be twenty-five million dollars per week.

The price of a machine gun is about $600 and a modern high-power rifle costs from $20 to $30. By doing a little figuring we find that fifty million dollars would not be sufficient to buy arms for the miners, let alone the rest of the organized workers. Every workingman and woman knows that, after all the bills are paid on pay day, there is not much left to feed the unemployed army or to buy war supplies with.

What the working class needs today is an inexpensive method by which to fight the powerful capitalist class and they have just such a weapon in their own hands.

This weapon is without expense to the working class and if intelligently and systematically used, it will not only reduce the profits of the exploiters, but also create more work for the wage earners. If thoroughly understood and used more extensively it may entirely eliminate the unemployed army, the army used by the employing class to keep the workers in submission and slavery.

In order to illustrate the efficacy of this new method of warfare, I will cite a little incident. Some time ago the writer was working in a big lumber yard on the west coast. On the coast nearly all the work around the water fronts and lumber yards is temporary.

When a boat comes in a large number of men are hired and when the boat is unloaded these men are “laid off.” Consequently it is to the interest of the workers “to make the job last” as long as possible.

The writer and three others got orders to load up five box cars with shingles. When we commenced the work we found, to our surprise, that every shingle bundle had been cut open. That is, the little strip of sheet iron that holds the shingles tightly together in a bundle, had been cut with a knife or a pair of shears, on every bundle in the pile—about three thousand bundles in all.

When the boss came around we notified him about the accident and, after exhausting his supply of profanity, he ordered us to get the shingle press and re-bundle the whole batch. It took the four of us ten whole days to put that shingle pile into shape again. And our wages for that time, at the rate of 32c per hour, amounted to, $134.00. By adding the loss on account of delay in shipment, the “holding money” for the five box cars, etc., we found that the company’s profit for that day had been reduced about $300.

So there you are. In less than half an hour time somebody had created ten days’ work for four men who would have been otherwise unemployed, and at the same time cut a big chunk off the boss’s profit. No lives were lost, no property was destroyed, there were no law suits, nothing that would drain the resources of the organized workers. But there WERE results. That’s all.

This same method of fighting can be used in a thousand different ways by the skilled mechanic or machine hand as well as by the common laborer. This weapon is always at the finger tips of the worker, employed or unemployed.

If every worker would devote ten or fifteen minutes every day to the interests of himself and his class, after devoting eight hours or more to the interests of his employer, it would not be long before the unemployed army would be a thing of the past and the profit of the bosses would melt away so fast that he would not be able to afford to hire professional man-killers to murder the workers and their families in a case of strike.

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Hellraisers Journal: Telluride Strike Settled, Western Federation of Miners Claims Victory; Brother Guy Miller Reports

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Quote Emma F Langdon, Miners Are My Brothers, EFL p244, 1904

Hellraisers Journal – Friday December 2, 1904
Telluride, Colorado – W. F. of M. Claims Victory as Strike Is Settled

The long and bravely fought Telluride Strike has been settled, and the Western Federation of Miners is claiming the victory. The strikers have endured military despotism, bullpens, vigilante attacks, deportations, and more during the past year. Nevertheless, they have endured to the end of the strike and that end comes with all of their demands being met in full.

WFM Colorado Strike 1903-1904, Telluride deportations

From the Wichita Daily Eagle of December 1, 1904:

STRIKE IS SETTLED
———-

Both Sides Are Rejoicing Over the Results

Charles Moyer Prz WFM, EFL p82, 1904

Telluride, Col., Nov. 30-Both mine owners and union miners are rejoicing over the action of the district miners’ association in session at Ouray ending the strike in this district which was called September 1, 1903. President Charles H. Moyer of the Western Federation of Miners, who was imprisoned here for several months last summer during military occupation of the camp, has made the following statement concerning the action of the miners’ association which was taken in accordance with is advice:

We have called the strike off because we take the position that the issues involved have been conceded by the mine owners and operators in the Telluride district, in that they recently posted notices to the effect that after December 1 they would grant an eight hour work day both for their mills and smelters and a minimum wage scale of $3. These demands were made over a year ago. We have had no conference with either the mine owners or mine operators and have no knowledge of what position they are going to take regarding the union. But the fact that they have granted our demands indicates that they will ask no questions and neither will we ask any questions, and I believe that within sixty days every mill at Telluride and Ophir will be running to their full capacity with the best workmen in the west employed.

During the past ten days the Telluride Citizens’ Alliance has deported six or eight of our men, but I do not believe the mine owners of Telluride had anything to do with this deportation. I believe the mine owners are inclined to treat us fairly and to meet us half way and I believe that public sentiment will demand that the Citizens’ Alliance keep out of the question entirely.

“What do you think will be the result of this action on the Cripple Creek situation?” Mr. Moyer was asked.

I believe a change will occur within sixty days that will be for the betterment of the Cripple Creek situation. The strike may not be settled entirely in that time, but I am sure a larger number of men will be at work than at present. During the past few days many union members, including some of the men deported by the military and business men last summer, have returned expecting the strike to be called off. Since the inauguration of the strike the mines and mills of the district have never been operated to their full capacity. 

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones: “…the babes of Ludlow, I stand here bringing their tears and wasted hopes to you…”

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Quote Mother Jones Babes of Ludlow, Speech at Trinidad CO UMW District 15 Special Convention, ES1 p154 (176 of 360)—————

Hellraisers Journal – Monday September 21, 1914
Trinidad, Colorado – Mother Jones Speaks at Special Convention of District 15

Mother Jones at Ludlow with Frank Hayes, full, possibly Sept 23, 1913
Mother Jones at Ludlow with Frank Hayes, possibly September 23, 1913

Mother Jones was greeted with wild cheering and applause in Trinidad, Colorado, when she arose to speak this past Tuesday at the special convention of District 15, United Mine Workers of America. Delegates were gathered there to consider President Wilson’s proposal for ending the year long strike.

Mother remembered the children and the mothers who were massacred at Ludlow on April 20th:

I stand facing the far east, sounding the voices of the babes of Ludlow, I stand here bringing their tears, their wasted hopes to you, the heartaches of the mothers, the screams and the agonies of those who gave up their lives there; but they did not die in vain. They stirred the nation from end to end and you never again will see such a condition of slavery in Colorado.

The convention resulted in a vote in favor of acceptance of the plan put forward by President Wilson. 

From the Proceedings of the Miners’ Special Convention, September 15, 1914
-Excerpts from the Speech of Mother Jones:

Now, boys, many things have happened in the last year. One year ago today, I talked to you about industrial freedom. We are living in a great nation. Industrial despotism will have to die and you, my boys, must use your brains, you must study and think. The sword will have to disappear and the pen will have to take its place. We are the bulwark of the nation.

Thank God that we have another great man, another Lincoln, in Washington today in our President. (Applause.) He does not rush into things but weighs everything carefully in the scale.

If there are any representatives of the Colorado Fuel & Iron company here, I want to tell you to keep out. You cannot vote in this Convention, for none but bona fide working men will have a vote here. If you are here, I will find you, I can spot you immediately, for I can smell you four miles away. (Applause.)

* * *

At the time of the strike in West Virginia, I cancelled engagements in San Francisco and went to West Virginia. I went to Charleston and took the Cabin Creek train and went up there. A little boy came to me and he said, “Mother, have you come to stay with us?” “Yes, I have come to stay with you,” and the tears trickled down his cheeks as he told me how they had beaten his mother and his baby brother and driven his father away and he said: “If I live to be a man I will kill twenty of them.”

They were not United States bayonets. They were corporation bayonets, and corporation bayonets are in the hands of sewer rats and the others are in the hands of men. While in West Virginia, I was a guest of the State, I was arrested and placed in the bull pen. But they didn’t keep me quiet there for I was raising hell more than if I had been out. Now these boys didn’t get what they wanted in that settlement in West Virginia. They came to me and asked my advice and I said: “Take what you can get out of the pirates.” The newspaper men asked: “What do you think of the settlement?” and I told them it was alright, it wasn’t what we wanted, but what we could get. The mine owners of West Virginia have begun to realize what that settlement means to them. You were never in the condition here that they were in West Virginia. I was not followed here by the Baldwin-Felts thugs in the dead of night or horseback as I was in West Virginia. In a battle we had there seven of my brothers were murdered in cold blood and twenty-one were wounded.

* * *

The President of the United States, when he found you could not settle your difficulties, sent the federal troops here to defend you, and now if you don’t accept this proposition what more can he do. He has to withdraw  the troops. The constitution gives him so long to keep them here and I don’t know but what he has already overstepped that authority now.

Another thing, you have allowed here in this strike is to let everybody to get a hand in it. Now this fight is ours, we have got the United States with us and we are fighting the greatest moneyed power in the world. John D. Rockefeller controls the whole of New York City and New York with its millions of population has to submit to him. He owns the mines, the industries and the railroads clear through the nation, but one man arises against that power and says to the miners of Colorado, I will be with you if you are fair. He faces the greatest moneyed power in the world and says these miners shall at least have a showing.

* * *

I stand facing the far east, sounding the voices of the babes of Ludlow, I stand here bringing their tears, their wasted hopes to you, the heartaches of the mothers, the screams and the agonies of those who gave up their lives there; but they did not die in vain. They stirred the nation from end to end and you never again will see such a condition of slavery in Colorado.

* * *

Now, boys, you know I have no interests outside of the welfare of the children yet to come. I have carried your case to Congress, to the President, and I feel that we ought to pay that tribute of respect to the head of the nation in accepting this proposition. It is not all we want but Christ did not get all he wanted. So, boys, take my advice, I beg of you in the name of the women and children of Ludlow to pay that tribute of respect to the President of the nation, saying that we appreciate the move he has made and I believe you will get more.

Now, don’t say Mother Jones is playing politics. I never played politics in my life. I have been a Socialist for twenty-nine years and I would hammer a Socialist if he is a crazy lunatic just the same as any one else. I am not living for nothing I hold no office only that of disturbing. Before I leave the world, I have a contract with God Almighty to stay here eighty-two years more, there will be no bayonets and no guns, we will all be great citizens, and the bayonets of the future will be the pen, which is mightier than the sword. The next thing the public officers will do at Washington will be to take over the mines. We want the mines and we want the oil fields and we are going to have them. I stand here today as one pleading with you, I ask you to accept the President’s proposition. Let the nation know that the United Mine Workers are not what they are represented to be by General Chase and his staff of pirates. I want the people to know that you miners are men and law-abiding citizens.

[Emphasis added]

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Hellraisers Journal: Colorado Miners Accept Wilson’s Proposal; John Lawson Charged with Murders, Released on Bond

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote John Lawson 1913, after October 17th Death Special attack on Forbes Tent Colony, Beshoar p74—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday September 20, 1914
Colorado Miners Accept Wilson’s Peace Plan; John Lawson Charged with Murders

Mother Jones w Lawson n Hawkins at Denver CO Mar 16, 1914
John Lawson, Mother Jones, Horace Hawkins

Las Vegas Optic of Las Vegas, New Mexico, reported the optimistic news that the Colorado Strike could be settled within the next few days. Mother Jones spoke in Trinidad at the Special Convention of District 15 of the United Mine Workers of America. She made a plea for acceptance of President’s Wilson’s peace proposal. She was greeted with much cheering and Wilson’s settlement plan was accepted by the miners, and that acceptance communicated to  the President.

In other news, John Lawson, hero of the striking miners, has surrendered to authorities. He now stands charged with twelve murders. He was not present when any of these men were killed, but is charged under the reasoning that he was a leader of the strike which led to their deaths.

From the Las Vegas Optic of September 15, 1914:

END OF STRIKE MAY COME
IN FEW DAYS

COLORADO MINERS HOLD A MEETING TO DECIDE
ON FUTURE ACTION
———-

Washington, Sept. 15.-President Wilson was notified today by the United Mine Workers of America that they had accepted the tentative basis for the settlement of the Colorado strike submitted by the president last week. The mine operators have not yet replied.
———-

Trinidad, Colo., Sept. 15.-“Thank God! We’ve got a great man-another Lincoln-in the person of the president at Washington.” said “Mother” Mary Jones, 82 year old strike leader in a speech today before the convention of the Colorado miners called to consider the proposal of President Wilson for a three year truce in the Colorado labor war. And the cheers which greeted the tribute to the president brought smiles to the faces of the officers of the United Mine Workers of America who are advocating the adoption of the peace protocol.

“Mother” Jones, who admits authorship of the famous “save your money and buy a gun” speech in West Virginia, appeared today in the guise of a peacemaker.

“The sword will have to disappear; the pen will have to take its place,” she declared.

The convention got under way shortly before noon. The only business transacted at the morning session was the appointment of a committee to examine the credentials of the delegates.

Lawson Gives Self Up

John R. Lawson, Colorado member of the executive board of the United Mine Workers of America today surrendered himself to the sheriff of Las Animas county to answer indictments charging him with 12 murders in connection with the coal miners’ strike. He was released on $15,000 bond.

Lawson is accused of the following deaths:

Mack Powell, killed October 9, 1913; John Nimmo, killed October 25, 1913; Tony Heno, Joseph Uppson, George Hall, S. A. Newman, M. Newman, Edward Kessler, Gosney Murrake, Jacob Smith and Kito, all killed in the battle of Forbes April 29, 1914.

Lawson is charged with assault to murder Walter Belk, October 7 and Zeke Martin October 27, 1913. He is also accused of arson in connection with the attack on the Forbes mine.

Soon after his arrival from Denver today, Lawson went alone to the sheriffs office to give himself up. He was told to go to the district court and arrange for bond and return when his bond was ready.

Felix Shippl, a striker from Sopris, was arrested on a grand jury warrant today charging him with an assortment of murders.

[Emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Colorado Miners Accept Wilson’s Proposal; John Lawson Charged with Murders, Released on Bond” →