Category: Frank Little

Hellraisers Journal: “We can keep up the fight all winter.” -Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Reports from Spokane Free Speech Fight

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, Compliment IWW, IW p1, Nov 17, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday December 3, 1909
Spokane, Washington – Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Reports from Scene of Battle

From the International Socialist Review of December 1909:

ISR IWW FSF, p483, Dec 1909

[Part I-Report from Spokane by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn]

Letter T, ISR p483, Dec 1909HE working class of Spokane are engaged in a terrific conflict, one of the most vital of the local class struggles. It is a fight for more than free speech. It is to prevent the free press and labor’s right to organize from being throttled. The writers of the associated press newspapers have lied about us systematically and unscrupulously. It is only through the medium of the Socialist and labor press that we can hope to reach the ear of the public.

The struggle was precipitated by the I. W. W. and it is still doing the active fighting, namely, going to jail. But the principles for which we are fighting have been endorsed by the Socialist Party and the Central Labor Council of the A. F. of L.

IWW Spk FSF JP Thompson, ISR p483, Dec 1909

The I. W. W. in Spokane is composed of “floaters,” men who drift from harvest fields to lumber camps from east to west. They are men without families and are fearless in defense of their rights but as they are not the “home guard” with permanent jobs, they are the type upon whom the employment agents prey. With alluring signs detailing what short hours and high wages men can get in various sections, usually far away, these leeches induce the floater to buy a job, paying exorbitant rates, after which they are shipped out a thousand miles from nowhere. The working man finds no such job as he expected but one of a few days’ duration until he is fired to make way for the next “easy mark.”

The I. W. W. since its inception in the northwest has carried on a determined, relentless fight on the employment sharks and as a result the business of the latter has been seriously impaired. Judge Mann in the court a few days ago remarked: “I believe all this trouble is due to the employment agencies,” and he certainly struck the nail on the head. “The I. W. W. must go,” the sharks decreed last winter and a willing city council passed an ordinance forbidding all street meetings within the fire limits. This was practically a suppression of free speech because it stopped the I. W. W. from holding street meetings in the only districts where working men congregate. In August the Council modified their decision to allow religious bodies to speak on the streets, thus frankly admitting their discrimination against the I. W. W.

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Hellraisers Journal: W. F. Little Learns His Brother Is Doing 30 Days in Spokane for Reading Declaration of Independence

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Quote re Frank Little Ready for IWW Spk FSF, Wenatchee Dly Wld p2, Nov 2, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 22, 1909
Fresno, California – Telegram from Spokane Tells of Free Speech Fight

From The Fresno Morning Republican of November 16, 1909:

TELLS OF SPOKANE INDUSTRIAL FIGHT
—–
W. F. Little Learns That His Brother Is
Doing 30 Days for Reading
Declaration of Independence.

Spk FSF, IWW Notices, Spk Prs p2, Nov 3, 1909

W. F. [“Fred”] Little, of the local union of Industrial Workers of the World, received an official communication from the Spokane local yesterday reciting the treatment of members of the order in Spokane in their fight with the city authorities. The letter gives this bit of personal news.

I understand that you are a brother of F. H. [“Frank”] Little, the hobo agitator, in jail in Spokane with 200 more as a result of the free speech fight. He was reading the Declaration of Independence on the street corner. He was sentenced to thirty days for this terrible crime.

The letter describes some of the Third Degree methods pursued by the police and jailors. It is related that the men are crowded into stuffy cells, without creature conveniences and the steam temperature was kept on one occasion at 100 degrees for a period of thirty-six hours in an effort to “break” the men.

Mr. Little yesterday took up a private collection among the local “Industrial Workers” to aid their brothers in their Spokane fight.

———-

[Insert added from Spokane Press of November 3, 1909.]

Fellow Worker Frank Little was also jailed during the Missoula Free Speech Fight, and described that experience for Industrial Worker of October 27th:

THE BEATING OF JONES BY
THE MISSOULA SHERIFF.

[-by F. H. Little]

On September 30th Fellow Workers Jones, Appleby [George Applebee], Tuchs [Herman Tucker] and myself were sentenced to 15 days each in the county jail. That night five more of the boys were arrested. The morning of October 1st, after breakfast, the prisoners called for a speech. We moved the table to the southwest corner of the jail. Jones got up and made a talk on Industrial Union. The sheriff sent in word not to talk so loud. So Jones lowered his voice. He talked for about five minutes, then we started to sing the “Red Flag.”

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: “Free Speech Is Won in Missoula” by Fellow Workers Flynn & Jones

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote JA Jones, Victory Missoula FSF, IW p1, Oct 20, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday October 21, 1909
Missoula, Montana – FWs Flynn and Jones on Victory for Free Speech

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of October 20, 1909:

Banner, IWW Victory Msl FSF, IW p1, Oct 20, 1909

[From page 1:]

FREE SPEECH IS WON IN MISSOULA, MONT.
—–
[-by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn.]

IWW, Dont Buy Jobs ed, Industrial Worker p1, Oct 20, 1909

The I. W. W. in Missoula, Mont., has practically won its fight for free speech, as we are now speaking on the streets without being molested. We didn’t appeal to justice, but the taxpayers felt the pressure on their pocket-books and capitulated.

About 40 members have seen the inside of the Missoula jails during the last two weeks, giving this town a forcible example of the motto, “An injury to one is an injury to all.” Eight men served time; two women, Mrs. Frenette and myself, have each inhabited a cell in the county jail over night; the rest of the boys are all “enthusiastic defenders” of the city jail. At first the police were very full of fight, “blue moldin’ for a baitin’,” and every man was arrested and tried who attempted to speak. But when the night and day force had to get cut night after night and the number of arrests increased by leaps and bounds, they began to lose interest in the fun.

The last night there were 30 men in jail and the next night we had a list of 50 volunteers, when the police lay down and let our speakers continue. The 30 arrested demanded a jury trial each, and the judge said to me, “A little town like Missoula can not stand the expense.” The mayor got out of town to let the acting mayor settle the thing for the taxpayers, who have a steel bridge and a new court house a-building, and they began to howl about the expense. One breakfast for the I. W. W. boys alone cost the city $6.

The populace were very much in sympathy with the I. W. W. Our membership is growing steadily in spite of the A. F. of L. carpenters ordering their membership not to attend the I. W. W. meetings. One little newsboy stopped me on the street and gave me half a dozen papers “for the boys.” When we found that eating in restaurants was too expensive for the boys we put up Knust’s tent, appointed a cook and steward, and started co-operative “Mulligan stews. Bread was given freely by some socialist bakers, and even though the city government refused to feed its visitors we could have held out for a year, feeding them ourselves.

The chief of police himself arrested me on the charge of causing trouble, inciting a riot, etc. I was taken to the county jail and given an individual cell, designed for witnesses, I understand. It had a pile of old papers in one corner, an old slop-pail in another, some dirty food left from several days before, and during the time I was there, from 8 o’clock Sunday until 5 o’clock Monday, the jailer kept promising to clean it out, but the cleaning never materialized. The bonds for all the others were placed at $10 each, but bonds for me were placed at $50, so I must be quiet a dangerous criminal.

When Mrs. Frenette was arrested there was an enormous crowd followed her to the jail, and while not riotous, were certainly indignant. She was arrested for speaking. I was arrested for standing on the street corner asking a man to come to the hall meeting of the I. W. W. The arrest of us two women aroused the town all right.

ELIZABETH G. FLYNN.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Wage Brutal War on Free Speech” Report from Socialist Montana News, Part II

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, Western IWW Aggressive Spirit, IW p3, Aug 12, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday October 20, 1909
Missoula, Montana – City Wages Brutal War on Free Speech, Part II

From the Montana News of October 14, 1909:

Missoula FSF, Brutal, EGF to Bastile, MT Ns p1, Oct 14, 1909

[Part II of II.]

Sheriff Assaults Speaker.

Davis Graham, the republican sheriff of Missoula county, proved himself a tyrannical brute of the worst description by violently assaulting Organizer Jones when he was incarcerated within the jail. The assault was uncalled for and cowardly, and a stamped Graham as a man of violent and brutal instincts, only waiting a chance to wreak his vengeance on his political enemies. Jones was not only absolutely helpless but a very much smaller man than his assailant, and it is common rumor that Graham used a large iron key to emphasize his physical powers upon Jones.

Friday night the home wagon was run out and connected. The evening paper had announced that there would be at change of tactics, and this was discovered in the determination to turn the water on every speaker.

A nice, civilized method of enforcing th law! A method worthy of the Middle Ages! The violation of every democratic principle of liberty humanity has achieved. An insult and contempt thrown upon law and order by the people that have been put in office to uphold such things. How long will a deluded people vote for such things?

Such defiance of justice on the part of officials put a large portion of the crowd in a very radical maid toward the police. Upon playing the water pretty close to one corner of the street the crowd would not move. The hose play was a move that caused resentment in hundreds of people who were not of the Industrial Workers, or sympathizers.

The Fight Not Over.

The fight is not over. The union men are undaunted. Volunteers are on the way from various points of the west, to attempt free speech, to fill the jails, to work for political and industrial freedom.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Wage Brutal War on Free Speech” Report from Socialist Montana News, Part I

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, Western IWW Aggressive Spirit, IW p3, Aug 12, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday October 19, 1909
Missoula, Montana – City Wages Brutal War on Free Speech, Part I

From the Montana News of October 14, 1909:

Missoula FSF, Brutal, EGF to Bastile, MT Ns p1, Oct 14, 1909

[Part I of II.]

The city government of Missoula, the police the authorities, are making first-class fools of themselves in their efforts to violate the United States constitution, turn the American government upside down, become censors of public speech and keep the I. W. W. doctrine’s from being proclaimed.

In other words, the capitalist government of Missoula has plunged into the trap of forcibly controlling the protest and activity of the workers, and of upsetting all the guarantees of democracy to do so.

Campaign for Industrialism.

The Industrial Workers of the World brought their speakers into Missoula and began a campaign for the industrial form of unionism, such a as they hate been pushing with much vigor in various parts of the country. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn of New York, a most devoted promoter of this cause, has been touring the northwest all summer, pushing the I. W. W. doctrines with great vigor. Miss Flynn is an able speaker, has good organising ability and an immense amount of determination. Her husband, J. A. Jones, and other organizers and workers are with her.

The Industrial Workers do not mince words. They say what they have to say, and they say it on the street, and they keep on saying it. They talk the language of revolt against capitalism, they urge consolidation of the workers in order to get hold of all the means of industry, push the drones out of the way and have the product of their toll for themselves.

Free Speech Constitutional.

They know that the American constitution gives them the right to talk on the street. Free speech is one of the rocks on which the American government is founded. People have a right to express what opinions they please. If anyone feels injured by the opinions that another expresses he has the right to appeal to a court of adjudication, but he has no right to take the law into his own hands.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Experiences of a Hobo Miner” by Frank Little from the I. U. B. -“Wage-Slave Seeking a Master”

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Quote Frank Little re Wage-Slavery, IUB p4, Dec 12, 1908

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday December 15, 1908
From Reno, Nevada – Frank Little Describes Journey from Prescott, Arizona

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of December 12, 1908:

EXPERIENCES OF A HOBO MINER.

IWW Emblem Label, IWWC 1906

The experience of a wage slave, seeking a master during the panic of 1907-8:

On December 5, 1907, Fellow Worker Chris Hansen and myself left [P]rescott, Arizona, for a trip across the desert to see if we could find some kind-hearted parasite who would clasp the chains of wage-slavery upon us and allow us, along with other workers, to produce wealth that would allow a few parasites to live in luxury and idleness, giving us in return for our labor enough bacon and beans to keep us alive. We had heard that the American workers were free and had the right to work when, where and for whom they pleased. But we soon found that this was false.

The first place we went to was Octave, a mining camp south of Prescott, thinking we could get a job there. But one of the first men we met was an overdressed, well-fed parasite, who was in Clifton, Arizona, at the time I was trying to organize the slaves of that place.

We next went to Congress, the worst scab hole in Arizona. The looks of that place were enough to drive a man “nutty.” From there we went to Wickenburg, but this place was full of jobless slaves. We started across the desert towards the Colorado River, stopping at all the mining camps, but could not find a master at any of them.

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Hellraisers Journal: Sacramento IWW Trial: Federal Charges Against Fred Little Dismissed, Brother of Martyr Frank Little

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Quote Frank Little re Guts, Wobbly by RC p208, Chg July 1917~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday December 12, 1918
Sacramento, California-Charges Dismissed Against Fred Little

Remember Frank Little Button, see HG IWW Trial, Aug 1, 1918

Fred Little, brother of Martyred Fellow Worker, Frank Little, is now free, having had charges against him dismissed by federal prosecutors. Emma Little, wife of Fred Little, has also suffered her share of persecution. Her home has been invaded by federal agents, her children terrorized, and her papers seized. Yet she continues steadfast in her support for the imprisoned members of the Industrial Workers of World.

From the San Francisco Examiner of December 10, 1918:


JURY EXAMINED TO TRY I.W.W.
—–
Four of Seven Talesmen Examined
Passed Temporarily
and Three Are Excused.
—–

SACRAMENTO, December 9.-Questions as to what impressions they had formed from reading literature on the Industrial Workers of the World, news stories and other matter relating to the Bisbee deportations more than a year ago and who they thought responsible for the dynamiting of the executive mansion here December 17, 1917, were asked by counsel for three of the defendants in the Industrial Workers of the World conspiracy trial, which was begun here today.

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Hellraisers Journal: Sacramento IWWs Held In Jail Under Wretched Conditions; Federal Trial Set to Begin in November

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Don’t worry, Fellow Worker,
all we’re going to need
from now on is guts.
-Frank Little
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday October 3, 1918
Sacramento, California – Fellow Workers in Jail, Hungry and Cold

WWIR, In Here For You, Ralph Chaplin, Sol Aug 4, Sept 1, 1917

The federal trial of Sacramento members of the Industrial Workers of the World is set to begin in November (see article below.) Meanwhile, most of those arrested remain in jail under wretched conditions which has greatly undermined their health. Jail conditions are described:

They must sleep in relays due to crowded conditions with one cotton blanket given to each man to ward off the winter chill. Food consists of “two ounces of mush in the morning, less than two ounces of bread, and at night three fetid little smelts and less than two ounces of potatoes, with ‘coffee’ twice a day.” They are allowed to send out for food, bought and paid for with their own money, but when the meal arrives, it is placed before their cells, just out of reach, where they can watch it rot.

From the San Francisco Examiner of October 1, 1918:

I.W.W. TRIALS START NOV. 8
—–
All Cases in State to Be Consolidated for
Sacramento Hearing in U.S. Cases.
—–

John W. Preston, special assistant to the United States Attorney General, yesterday announced that the numerous I. W. W. cases, including the ones which are before the court in Los Angeles, have been consolidated for trial in Sacramento. There will be seventy-five defendants, charged with violation of the espionage law and obstructing the draft.

The case will not go to trial next week as was scheduled, but will be continued until November 8 by Federal Judge Wm. C. Van Fleet.

G. N. Murdock, special agent of the Department of Justice who prepared the evidence in the Chicago I. W. W. trials, has been assigned to take charge of the investigation in the present case, Deputy United States Marshal Thomas Mulhall, who has been conducting the collection of evidence, will be assigned other duties.

———-

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Hellraisers Journal: Chicago IWW Trial: Vincent St. John, “The interest of wage workers the world over is bound together.”

Janet RayeFrank Little
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[In Lawrence] they were striking
to maintain the human race
in that part of the country—and all over—
because the interest of wage workers
the world over is bound together.
-Vincent St. John
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday August 13, 1918
Chicago, Illinois – I.W.W. Trial, The Saint Takes the Stand

The Saint Speaks on the Workers’ Right to Life

On August 6th, Defendant Vincent St. John, former General Secretary-Treasurer of Industrial Workers of World, took the stand. Harrison George offers the following report:

Vincent St John, Gen Sec-Tre IWW, Reuther, about 1906

From the beginning of the trial the prosecution harped upon that sentence in St. John’s “History and Structure of the I. W. W.,” which says: “The question of ‘right’ or ‘wrong’ does not concern us.”
Q. Why did you put those words in quotation marks?

[Answer:] For the reason that in every struggle the wage earners have made during my experience, no matter what they have done, the exponents of the employing class, the press, platform, politicians of all degrees and stripes, have always told them that no matter what they were after, that it was not ‘right’; something they did was ‘wrong.’ The only time a strike is ‘right’ with them is when you have no chance to win it; when they want you to strike; when they want to wipe out whatever vestige of organization you have, then the strike is ‘right,’ that is, a good time to strike.

The Lawrence strike was not entirely a question of getting better wages for those mill operatives, but it was a question that involved the very life and death not only of the men, women and children who were on strike, but also of unborn generations of these same operatives. The death rate in that section among children is 400 out of every 1,000 before they are 1 year of age.

When they were striking in Lawrence they were striking not only for an immediate proposition, but they were striking to save the lives of those 400 unborn children, if you please. They were striking to maintain the human race in that part of the country—and all over—because the interest of wage workers the world over is bound together.

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Chicago IWW Trial: With Silk Ribbons, Red & Black, Fellow Workers “Remember August 1, 1917”

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Don’t worry, Fellow Worker,
all we’re going to need
from now on is guts.
-Frank Little
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Monday August 12, 1918
Chicago, Illinois – Defendants Honor Frank Little

Report on the Chicago I. W. W. Trial from Harrison George:

Trial Notes: Thursday August 1, 1918

Remember Frank Little Button, see HG IWW Trial, Aug 1, 1918

9 A. M. on August 1 every defendant appeared, wearing upon his breast two strips of silk ribbon, red and black, attached to a small button bearing the picture of Frank H. Little, and upon which were inscribed the words, “Remember August 1, 1917.” This anniversal tribute to the memory of our murdered fellow worker aroused no small comment among the deputies and court attaches.

The first witness on that day was C. O. Carlson of Minot, North Dakota, who had hired I. W. W. threshing crews season after season without having anything horrible happen to either himself or the machinery. Charles W. Westphal of Outlook, Montana, who followed him, told much the same story. Westphal farms1,400 acres of land in co-operation with three brothers. When asked how ranchers’ crops would get along without migratory workers, he said, “I don’t know; that’s a question I couldn’t answer.” Westphal said he always hired all the organized men he could get.

“How do you know they are organized in the I. W. W.?” asked [Prosecutor] Porter.

“Because I always demand their red cards,” was the reply.

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