Category: Hellraisers Journal

Hellraisers Journal: Save Our Mexican Comrades is Message from Mother Jones & Big Bill Haywood in Appeal to Reason

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

[The Mexican Patriots] appeal to us
from their prison cells.
We hear their cry and, by the eternal,
we are with them and the dogs of Diaz
shall not tear their flesh.
-J. A. Wayland

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

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday January 10, 1909
Big Bill Haywood & Mother Jones Rally Support for Mexican Patriots

From the Appeal to Reason of January 9, 1909:

Mex Rev, BBH Wants Action to Save, AtR p1, Jan 9, 1909

———-

CHAPTER OF HORRORS

THE Appeal is in the fight to thwart the conspiracy of the United States and Mexican governments to have the Mexican patriots now lying in jail at Los Angeles surrendered to the cannibal Diaz to be shot for treason. It is a burning disgrace that they are in jail at all. They are men and that is their crime in Mexico. The bloody butcheries of Diaz shocked and horrified them and they took up the cause of their mutilated and agonizing countrymen and hurled their defiance at the monster who posed as president. From that time to this they have been hunted like beasts. They have suffered everything and sacrificed every thing in the cause of freedom.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Save Our Mexican Comrades is Message from Mother Jones & Big Bill Haywood in Appeal to Reason” →

Hellraisers Journal: From The Liberator: Floyd Dell on America’s Political Prisoners & Conscientious Objectors

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
Share

While there is a soul in prison
I am not free.
-Eugene Victor Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday January 9, 1919
America’s Political Prisoners by Floyd Dell

From The Liberator of January 1919:

“What Are You Doing Out There?”

[by Floyd Dell]

The Liberator Jr Revolutionary Progress, Jan 1919

THIS magazine goes to two classes of readers: those who are in jail, and those who are out. This particular article is intended for the latter class. It is intended for those who wish to prove themselves friends of American freedom rather than those who have had it proved against them.

The relation between these two classes of people is embarrassingly like that in the old anecdote about Emerson and Thoreau. Thoreau refused to obey some law which he considered unjust, and was sent to jail. Emerson went to visit him. “What are you doing in here, Henry?” asked Emerson.

“What are you doing out there?” returned Thoreau grimly.

That is what the people who have gone to prison for the ideas in which we believe seem to be asking us now.

And the only self-respecting answer which we can give to this grim, silent challenge, is this: “We are working to get you out!”

That is our excuse, and we must see that it is a true one. We are voices to speak up for those whose voice has been silenced.

There are some silences that are more eloquent than speech. The newspapers were forbidden to print what ‘Gene Debs said in court; but his silence echoes around the earth in the heart of workingmen. They know what he was not allowed to tell them; and they feel that it is true.

It would be wrong to think of this as an opportunity to do something for Debs; it is rather our opportunity to make ourselves worthy of what he has done for us.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The Liberator: Floyd Dell on America’s Political Prisoners & Conscientious Objectors” →

Hellraisers Journal: Ben Reitman Hosts an Evening at Chicago’s Dill Pickle Club: Speakers, Music, Poetry, Sandwiches

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Brethren of the Ancient Order of Dill Pickles,
I greet you…
Now let us get right down to business,
as the speakers are all on time.
-Ben Reitman
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday January 8, 1919
Chicago, Illinois – An Evening at the Dill Pickle Club

From The Chicago Daily Tribune of January 6, 1919:

Dil Dill Pickle Club, by Maude Martin Evers, Chg Tb p5, Jan 6, 1919

DILL PICKLERS LOVE LIGHT,
BUT O YOU SOUP!
—–
So Psycho-Analysis Is Made
Slave to Lunch Counter.
—–

BY MAUDE MARTIN EVERS.

We of the Dill Pickle believe in everything. We are radicals, anarchists, pickpockets, second story men, and-thinkers. Anything to make the mind think! Some of us practice free love and some medicine. Most of us have gone through religion and tired of it-some of us have tired of our wives…

Up spake Ben Reitman, chairman, as he called to order the weekly meeting of the Dill Picklers at the Dill Pickle club rooms, 18 Tooker place.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Ben Reitman Hosts an Evening at Chicago’s Dill Pickle Club: Speakers, Music, Poetry, Sandwiches” →

Hellraisers Journal: Everett Trades Council Elects Delegate for Upcoming Chicago Tom Mooney Defense Conference

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday January 5, 1919
Everett, Washington – Trades Council to Send Delegate to Chicago

From the Everett Labor Journal of January 3, 1919:

EVERETT’S ORGANIZED LABOR ELECTS
DELEGATE TO CHICAGO
—–
Big Meeting of Trades Unionists Last Wednesday
Night at Red Men’s Wigwam.
—–

Tom Mooney, Chicago Conference, Union Advocate Cfvl KS p1, Dec 29, 1918

Wednesday, January 1, 1919.

The Council was called to order at the usual time by President Gulley.

The Trades Council, having invited the membership of the several trades unions in the city to meet with it a larger hall was necessary and the Red Men’s Hall was secured for the occasion.

Members of nearly all the unions were in attendance and a large meeting was the result.

There were present President Short and ex-President Marsh of the Washington State Federation of Labor, which added zest to the meeting.

Bro. Short addressed the meeting briefly, calling special attention to conditions existing in California growing out of the Mooney case and then discussed the subject of reconstruction. He said the nation had entered the war in a state of unpreparedness and had “made good” in helping to destroy autocracy, but was now confronted by as serious a problem in the reconstruction made necessary by changed conditions. This new problem would tax the deepest thought of the greatest minds in the country and its solution would require all the wisdom, and experience of the people. Relating to the proposed strike in defense of Mooney and his co-defendants he said it was ill-advised. It lacked organization as to its national significance. If there should be a strike it should be confined to the State of California where the trouble lay. Industrially and politically California was so strongly organized by the corporation employers of labor that united effort must be put forth to crush that opposition to the welfare of the workers.

California was the offender and to California should be applied |the drastic remedy implied by a general strike. If a nation-wide strike were necessary there must needs be nation-wide preparation for it if success in the use of this last weapon of labor’s defense be made successful…..

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Everett Trades Council Elects Delegate for Upcoming Chicago Tom Mooney Defense Conference” →

Hellraisers Journal: Eugene V. Debs Calls for Rescue of Mexican and Russian Patriots Now Held in American Jails

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
Share

Quote EVD, Right of Asylum, AtR p1, Jan 2, 1909

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

Hellraisers Journal – Monday January 4, 1909
Five Patriots Illegally Imprisoned in American Jails 

With a banner headline and a wide column down the center of the front page of this weeks’s Appeal to Reason, Eugene V. Debs calls for the rescue of the Mexican and Russian patriots now held for deportation by American authorities at the behest of foreign tyrants.

AtR, Banner re Mxn Revs Patriots p1, Jan 2, 1909
EVD re Mxn Revs, AtR p1, Jan 2, 1909

From the Appeal to Reason for January 2, 1909:

RESCUE THE REFUGEES

By EUGENE V. DEBS.

Mex Rev, Villareal Magon Rivera, Barbarous MX p307, 3rd ed 1910

When Louis Kossuth, the Hungarian revolutionist, refugee from his native land for attempting to overthrow its government, reached the United States, in 1851, he was received as the “distinguished Hungarian patriot” by President Fillmore, hailed as another Washington by the American congress and welcomed by the American people amidst demonstrations of the wildest enthusiasm. He was a rebel and a revolutionist and before making his escape had been condemned for “treason” and sentenced to four years’ imprisonment “on account of taking a position favorable to six patriots who had been illegally imprisoned.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Eugene V. Debs Calls for Rescue of Mexican and Russian Patriots Now Held in American Jails” →

Hellraisers Journal: Boardman Robinson on Justice: for Capitalists (Bisbee Gunthugs), for Working Men (Mooney)

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones re Tom Mooney and Courts, Dec 16, 1918~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Friday January 3, 1919
Justice in America: for Capitalist, for Working Men.

From The Liberator of January 1919:

-Boardman Robinson on Justice for Capitalists

Bisbee Deportations of 1917, B Robinson, Justice for Capitalists, Liberator p12, Jan 1919

-Boardman Robinson on Justice for Working Men

Tom Mooney, B Robinson, Justice for Working Men, Liberator p13, Jan 1919

———-

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Boardman Robinson on Justice: for Capitalists (Bisbee Gunthugs), for Working Men (Mooney)” →

Hellraisers Journal: Horror at Switchback, West Virginia; Scores of Miners Meet Death in Lick Branch Mine Explosion

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Pray for the dead and fight like hell for living.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday January 2, 1909
Switchback, McDowel County, West Virginia – Horror at Lick Branch Mine

From the Charleston Labor Argus of December 31, 1908:

HORRIBLE DISASTER
—–
In Another “Model” West Virginia Mine
in Which Scores of Miners
Met Their Death.
—–

WV Lick Branch Mine Disaster of Dec 29, Ptt Gz Tx p1, Jan 1, 1909

Another mine disaster was added to the long list that have occurred in the non-union fields of this state, on Tuesday at the Lick Branch mine in the Norfolk & Western field. Twenty-seven bodies had been recovered up to last night and it is estimated that the death roll will reach nearly one hundred.

Mine cars were shattered and debris was blown out of the entrances and a hundred feet away from the mines mouth. Eight crews or rescuers are at work and have been engaged in the search of bodies.

In a large building near the mines a temporary morgue has been established. There are many pitiful scenes about the little village. Watchers sit side by side of coffins in some homes of which there are three.

The explosion occurred in a mine that was looked upon as a “model” colliery. It was visited by the “legislative investigating committee” when that body toured the state and all pronounced it one of the “safest” and best equipped mines in the state.

———-

[Inset added from Pittsburgh Gazette Times of January 1, 1909.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Horror at Switchback, West Virginia; Scores of Miners Meet Death in Lick Branch Mine Explosion” →

Hellraisers Journal: News Year’s Greetings from The Crisis Magazine; Editorial On “Old Desires” for Peace and Democracy

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote DuBois, WWI We Return, The Crisis, May 1919~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday January 1, 1919
News Years Greetings from The Crisis & an Editorial on “Old Desires”

From The Crisis of January 1919:

The Crisis, Cover New Year, Tennyson, Jan 1919

From the Editorial Page:

The Crisis Editorial, Jan 1919

OLD DESIRES

“THE NEW YEAR,” sang the Persian poet, “awakens Old Desires.” Certainly at no time during the year does the realization of unfulfilled hopes weigh so heavily. Today when the whole world waits while the delegates at the Peace Table formulate the new rights of man, we are conscious that for us discrimination still lowers. All Europe rejoices in its new gifts—the British proletariat is promised a liberal labor program; the Czecho-Slovaks are tasting the joys of nationalism; France is rid of the Prussian menace; Belgium is bidden to bind up her wounds. But our men, who have helped mightily to awaken and preserve the spirit which makes these things possible, are returning to what?

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: News Year’s Greetings from The Crisis Magazine; Editorial On “Old Desires” for Peace and Democracy” →

Hellraisers Journal: News from Spokane, Washington: IWWs Ready for Jail in Fight for Right to Hold Street Meetings

Janet RayeFree Speech Fights
Share

Quote Thomas Paine re Liberty n Home, Age of Reason Into, 1908

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

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday December 31, 1908
Spokane, Washington – I. W. W. Plans Free Speech Campaign

From The Spokane Press of December 28, 1908:

ALL GET READY FOR JAIL
—–

INDUSTRIAL WORKERS WILL HAVE 500 SPEAKERS
ON TAP TO BE ARRESTED FOR
MAKING TALKS ON CITY STREET
—–

IWW Emblem Label, IWWC 1906

Another problem similar to that of jailing all the saloonkeepers in town will be presented the police department when an attempt is made to enforce the ordinance recently passed to prevent public speaking on the street. The Industrial Workers of the World have organized systematic opposition and yesterday they asked the socialists to join them.

The Industrial Workers already have a list of 50 speakers, and expect to secure a total of 500 out of their membership of 1,500 in this city. These speakers will be numbered, a street meeting started and as soon as one speaker is confiscated by the police another will take his place. The industrialists hold the ordinance an invasion of the rights of free speech, and say they would rather go to jail than abide by its provisions.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: News from Spokane, Washington: IWWs Ready for Jail in Fight for Right to Hold Street Meetings” →