Hellraisers Journal – Monday September 10, 1900 Mother Jones News Round-Up for August 1900, Part II Found Visiting Massacre Site at Lattimer, Pennsylvania
From the Freeland Tribune of August 17, 1900:
DEMANDS OF THE MINERS ——-
[…..]
Miners marching near Hazelton, Pennsylvania, September 10, 1897.
As announced in Wednesday’s issue of the Tribune, the representatives of the United Mine Workers of America, in convention at Hazleton, adopted a resolution which calls upon the coal operators to meet delegates from the three districts in joint conference in Hazleton on Monday, August 27. [A] committee was appointed to correspond with the operators…..
The convention then adjourned. The delegates afterwards visited Lattimer, where the miners were killed three years ago by Sheriff Martin’s posse. On the exact spot where the men were shot down addresses were delivered, and the men rededicated themselves to the cause of labor. Speeches were made by President Mitchell, District President Duffy, “Mother” Jones and National Board Member James.
John Bernoski, of Shamokin, addressed the crowd in Polish. Frank Riecco, who carried the American Flag and was with the miners on that fatal day, was present and spoke a few words. On the way back many of the delegates visited St. Joseph’s cemetery, where the dead miners were buried.
The [strike] situation now hinges on the operators’ attitude next Monday.
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday September 9, 1900 Mother Jones News Round-Up for August 1900, Part I Found Visiting Jailed Strikers of Georges Creek Coal District
From The Philadelphia Inquirer of August 5, 1900:
STRIKE LEADER GOES TO PRISON
FOR SIX MONTHS
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Woman Sympathizer Creates a Sensation
in a Maryland Jail
Special to The Inquirer.
CUMBERLAND, Md., Aug. 4.-William Warner, the strike leader, was sentenced this afternoon to six months in the House of Correction, having been convicted of unlawful assembly during trouble which arose at an anti-strike meeting. Seventeen miners were also sentenced. They were visited at the jail this afternoon by Mother Jones, the woman labor organizer, who created a sensation by proposing three cheers in the jail for the strikers and three hisses “for the blacklegs.” She led the cheering, as well as the hissing. Warner, who is from Pittsburg, took an appeal.
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday September 8, 1900
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1900 Found Speaking in Baltimore for Striking Miners of Georges Creek Coal District
From the Baltimore Sun of July 26, 1900:
MOTHER JONES FOR MINERS ————— She Denounces The Courts And The Federation Gives $25.
The courts of Cumberland are God Almighty in the State of Maryland, and there is no justice for the laborer in them. They are dirty, contemptible courts, and a lot of “my boys” have been brought up before them for standing up for their rights. You know how much justice they will get. The poor man has no rights any more, and all we workers will get will be what we stand shoulder to shoulder and fight for, miners and all other workingmen included. The man or woman who will not fight for his or her rights is unworthy to be a father or mother.
With these words “Mother” Jones, the female labor agitator, opened a speech at the regular weekly meeting of the Federation of Labor last night. She had two young men, striking miners, with her, whom she called her “boys,” and said she had brought them along with her to appeal to the labor unions of Baltimore for financial aid for the strikers of the George’s Creek region. Every union in the city will be visited and asked to contribute. The Federation of Labor, at the suggestion of President Sullivan, headed a subscription for the striking mine workers with $25.
In describing the alleged deplorable condition of some of the mine workers in [West?] Virginia, where she had been endeavoring to organize unions, “Mother” Jones said:
If you could be there and see little children coming up out of the mines, you would not want to be missionaries to China, but would become missionaries to the coal fields. If those fellows over there in China had stayed at home and minded their own business they would be better off, and so would we. I don’t blame the Boxers a bit.
We had a visit from a sort of a missionary not long ago. He was looking after himself, though. This Roosevelt, the Rough Rider, comes down from New York, and, say, what happened? Why, every mine workman was made to turn out and cheer for him. Roosevelt wants a job.
The speaker made a stirring appeal for money to help the men now on strike, and alleged that the fight against the “money power” was just the same, whether conducted in Baltimore or in Cumberland.
Charles Dold, of Chicago, general organizer of the Piano Workers’ Union, stated that on Saturday he had organized a local union of 60 members. Union-made pianos are hereafter to have union labels upon them.
The nominations for officers, to be balloted for at a later meeting, were as follows:
For president, J. M. Sullivan; for first vice-president, William Biggins and George D. Simpson; for second vice-president, William H. O. Thompson and J. Pearson; recording secretary, H. L. Elchleberger; financial secretary, George Greisman; treasurer, John W. Ringrose.
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday September 7, 1910 “Diary of a Shirtwaist Striker” by Theresa Serber Malkiel -“A Story of the Shirtwaist Makers’ Strike in New York”
From the International Socialist Review of September 1910:
Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday September 6, 1910 Fresno, California – Free Speech Fight On; St. John Issues Call for Volunteers
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of September 3, 1910:
Fellow Workers: The police have been harassing us for some time. Do not allow us to speak on streets and have arrested four of us for no cause at all. Trial set for August 31st. We have decided that we must whip the city or quit. Can you back us with men?
We think it a good plan to have the old-timers who took part in the Spokane and Missoula fights to arrive first, so that we may get the benefit of their experience in bringing the matter to a culmination and see that everything goes through in good shape to the end that we give the wage workers a good example of what we can do. There will be no lawyers or defense fund, except a jungling fund.
Yours for the I. W. W. AN AGITATOR. 2022 Mariposa St., Fresno, Cal.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday September 5, 1910 Fresno, California – Frank Little Thrown into Dungeon, Sings Rebel Songs
From The Fresno Morning Republican of September 1, 1910:
JURY IN POLICE COURT RENDERS 4 VERDICTS IN AFTERNOON ——- F. H. Little Found Guilty; Victor Vogel Is Acquitted. ——- W. F. Little and Wm. Flanagan May Be Tried Second Time. ——-
Four members of the local branch of the Industrial Workers of the World were tried before a jury in the police court yesterday. The trial occupied the entire afternoon, but was devoid of sensational features. F. H. Little was found guilty of disturbing the peace. Sentence will be pronounced by Judge Briggs at 10 o’clock this morning. Victor Vogel was acquitted on the same charge and W. F. Little and William Flanagan will be discharged today as the jury failed to reach an agreement in their cases. The jury, of which E. C. Van Buren was foreman, rendered three separate verdicts, although the four I. W. W. members were tried jointly on the same charge.
The Little brothers appeared as counsel for the quartet of defendants. Assistant District Attorney Manson McCormick conducted the prosecution.….
The Little brothers called Detective Sam Drenth to the stand in an effort to get an admission that the police were trying to break up the local order of the I. W. W. The questions propounded by Little were overruled and Drenth did not give any testimony. The four defendants then took the stand and gave their side of the case.
The witnesses for the prosecution told conflicting stories, although the facts simmered down to a little loud talking on the part of F. H. Little, Victor Vogel and William Flanagan. The men were discussing the rooms in a certain lodging house on H street. Little talked a trifle too loud. Patrolman Piemens approached the trio and asked Little and his friends not to talk so loud. The men refused and defied the officer, whereupon he took them to jail. W. F. Little joined the party in the courthouse park and he too was placed under arrest.
Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday September 4, 1900 “Outlook for Socialism in the United States” by Eugene V. Debs
From the International Socialist Review of September 1900:
[Part II of II
-by Eugene Debs, Social Democratic Party’s Candidate for President.]
What the workingmen of the country are profoundly interested in is the private ownership of the means of production and distribution, the enslaving and degrading wage-system in which they toil for a pittance at the pleasure of their masters and are bludgeoned, jailed or shot when they protest—this is the central, controlling, vital issue of the hour, and neither of the old party platforms has a word or even a hint about it.
As a rule, large capitalists are Republicans and small capitalists are Democrats, but workingmen must remember that they are all capitalists, and that the many small ones, like the fewer large ones, are all politically supporting their class interests, and this is always and everywhere the capitalist class.
Whether the means of production—that is to say, the land, mines, factories, machinery, etc.—are owned by a few large Republican capitalists, who organize a trust, or whether they be owned by a lot of small Democratic capitalists, who are opposed to the trust, is all the same to the working class. Let the capitalists, large and small, fight this out among themselves.
The working class must get rid of the whole brood of masters and exploiters, and put themselves in possession and control of the means of production, that they may have steady employment without consulting a capitalist employer, large or small, and that they may get the wealth their labor produces, all of it, and enjoy with their families the fruits of their industry in comfortable and happy homes, abundant and wholesome food, proper clothing and all other things necessary to “life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness.” It is therefore a question not of “reform,” the mask of fraud, but of revolution. The capitalist system must be overthrown, class-rule abolished and wage-slavery supplanted by the co-operative industry.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday September 3, 1900 “Outlook for Socialism in the United States” by Eugene V. Debs
From the International Socialist Review of September 1900:
[Part I of II
-by Eugene Debs, Social Democratic Party’s Candidate for President.]
The sun of the passing century is setting upon scenes of extraordinary activity in almost every part of our capitalistic old planet. Wars and rumors of wars are of universal prevalence. In the Philippines our soldiers are civilizing and Christianizing the natives in the latest and most approved styles of the art, and at prices ($13 per month) which command the blessing to the prayerful consideration of the lowly and oppressed everywhere.
In South Africa the British legions are overwhelming the Boers with volleys of benedictions inspired by the same beautiful philanthropy in the name of the meek and lowly Nazarene; while in China the heathen hordes, fanned into frenzy by the sordid spirit of modern commercial conquest, are presenting to the world a carnival of crime almost equaling the “refined” exhibitions of the world’s “civilized” nations.
And through all the flame and furore of the fray can be heard the savage snarlings of the Christian “dogs of war” as they fiercely glare about them, and with jealous fury threaten to fly at one another’s throats to settle the question of supremacy and the spoil and plunder of conquest.
The picture, lurid as a chamber of horrors, becomes complete in its gruesome ghastliness when robed ministers of Christ solemnly declare that it is all for the glory of God and the advancement of Christian civilization.
This, then, is the closing scene of the century as the curtain slowly descends upon the blood-stained stage—the central figure, the pious Wilhelm, Germany’s sceptered savage, issuing his imperial “spare none” decree in the snag froid of an Apache chief—a fitting climax to the rapacious regime of the capitalist system.
Cheerless indeed would be the contemplation of such sanguinary scenes were the light of Socialism not breaking upon mankind. The skies of the East are even now aglow with the dawn; its coming is heralded by the dispelling of shadows, of darkness and gloom. From the first tremulous scintillation that guilds the horizon to the sublime march to meridian splendor the light increases till in mighty flood it pours upon the world.
Hellraisers Journal – Friday September 2, 1910 Copenhagen – Second International Conference of Socialist Women
From The Progressive Woman of August 1910:
Second International Conference of Socialist Women.
The representatives of the organized Socialist Women of different countries, having given their assent, the undersigned convokes by their order,
The Second International Conference of Socialist Women in Copenhagen on the 26th and 27th of August next. The sittings will be held in the Arbejdernes Forsamlingsbygning, Jagtxej 69 and be opened Friday, August 26th at 9 o’clock in the morning.
The provisional agenda of the conference is:
Opening
Measures for securing more regular relations between the organized, Socialist women of all countries.
Practical work in favor of universal woman suffrage, viz. adult suffrage.
Social protection and provision for motherhood and infants.
All the organized Socialist women-without difference of the group or party they belong to-as well as all the societies and unions of women workers, recognizing the fact of class war, are earnestly asked to send their delegates-women or men-to this conference.
The organizations of each country are autonomous to decide the rules of sending delegates to the conference. The number of delegates is not restricted for any organization.
The Socialist women in the various countries are kindly asked to forward proposals
All the organized Socialist women-without difference of the group or party they belong to -as well as all the societies and unions of women workers, recognizing the fact of class war, are earnestly asked to send their dele gates-women or men-to this conference. The organizations of each country are autonomous to decide the rules of sending dele gates to the conference. The number of dele gates is not restricted for any organization. The Socialist women in the various countries are kindly asked to forward proposals to the undersigned in order that those proposals can be translated and communicated to the national correspondents in time. The names of the delegates and the reports on the state and work of organizations Socialist women are concerned in, must be sent not later than the 1st of August. The reports are to be published in the three languages of the conference—German, English and French. If received in time, they will be distributed before the opening of the conference.
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday September 1, 1910 Copenhagen – American Socialist Women Attend International
May Wood Simons, Luella Twining, and Lena Morrow Lewis are delegates at the International Socialist Congress, now in progress at Copenhagen. They also took part in the Second International Socialist Women’s Conference which proceeded it.
From The Progressive Woman of August 1910:
Our Women Delegates to the International
May Wood Simons.
Have you ever asked yourself who have entered into the modern opportunities for women most fully? I have, and my thought always turns to our Comrade May.
She has enjoyed the best the schools could give her, having done the work not only for a first degree, but for a doctor of philosophy at Chicago university. That she has kept in the scholarly habit was proven last year by the remarkable feat of winning the Harrison prize for an essay in economics over many men competitors and judged by the heads of the department of economics in five great western universities.
But many women have done admirable work in scholarship. Mrs. Simons has been able to use hers steadily in practical service in the greatest cause of the age. She has worked for Socialism as teacher, lecturer or writer constantly, for the past twelve years or more. At present and since the establishment of the Daily Socialist she has been associate editor of that paper. Her husband, A. M. Simons is editor-in-chief. Already her activities and influence are world-wide and after this summer her place in the international movement will be still more pronounced and effective.
But no women, or normal man, for that matter, is content with world service alone. Fortunately indeed, is one for whom home life and life work are inextricably blended. It is interesting to note that the woman who seems to me to have reaped the fullest harvest from the new ideals and possibilities of our time both in public and private life happens also to be the most devoted mother of my acquaintance.
The genuine good of old standards need never be lost in gaining the genuine good of new freedom and opportunity. It is a satisfaction to have this demonstrated in the self-effaced beautiful little woman who will help to represent American Socialists in the greatest organization the world has known.
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What the workingmen of the country are profoundly interested in is the private ownership of the means of production and distribution, the enslaving and degrading wage-system in which they toil for a pittance at the pleasure of their masters and are bludgeoned, jailed or shot when they protest—this is the central, controlling, vital issue of the hour, and neither of the old party platforms has a word or even a hint about it.
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