Category: Hellraisers Journal

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for October 1908, Found in Kansas and Missouri

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote Mother Jones re Child Labor in AL, AtR p2, Oct 24, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 9, 1908
-Mother Jones News Round-Up for October 1908
Found in Kansas: “working with her sleeves rolled up…”

Other than a brief appearance in St. Louis, Missouri, at a campaign event for Eugene Debs, Mother Jones was found, during the month of October, mostly in the Girard area of Kansas campaigning for the Socialist candidates of the Third District. The Kansas Edition of the Appeal described her activities there as “working with her sleeves rolled up.”

From the Appeal to Reason of October 31, 1908:

Kansas Special Edition, AtR p3, Oct 17, 1908

[…..]

MOTHER JONES MEETINGS.

Mother Jones, Dnv Pst p2, July 19, 1908

Mother Jones is in the third district. She is working with her sleeves rolled up and is going after the democrats and republicans in her usual way showing them both to be the tools of an exploiting class. At Galena the opera house was full and a good spirit prevailed; but the meeting at Scammon was great. Mother was in her element, having a hall crowded to the doors with miners, and you may be sure that she delivered the right kind of goods and the democrats that thought that the party for which he works, stands for labor, was disillusioned by the recital of the terrible conditions in democratic Alabama. Mother is to spend the time in the mining and industrial centers until after election and expects to see Ben Wilson come in under the wire a winner.

———-

[Photograph of Mother Jones added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Gene Debs Welcomed Home; Tour of Red Special Ends in Big Demonstration at Terre Haute

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD re Political Scabbing, AtR p2, Oct 3, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday November 8, 1908
Tour of Red Special Ends in Home Town of Eugene Debs

From The Indianapolis News of November 3, 1908:

TERRE HAUTE WELCOMES
“GENE” DEBS BACK HOME
—–

BIG DEMONSTRATION FOR THE SOCIALIST CANDIDATE.
—–

REGARDS TO BRYAN AND TAFT
—–

(Special to The Indianpolis News.)

EVD Red Special detail, Zanesville OH Tx Rcdr p1, Oct 20, 1908

TERRE HAUTE, Ind., November 3.-“Gene” Debs came home last evening in his “Red Special,” and had a welcome surpassing in enthusiasm any political demonstration seen in Terre Haute in many years. His train was three hours late, owing to a breakdown at Cayuga, but the crowd waited for him, cheering for “Gene.” when he appeared on the stage at the Colosseum 3,000 persons, who had each paid 10 cents admission, packed the place, and as great a crowd outside listened to other speakers. At the Armory another big audience waited for him until after 10 o’clock. Besides paying the admission at the Colosseum there was a liberal contribution when collectors, some of whom were women, wearing red sashes, went down the aisles.

Debs began with a feeling acknowledgment of the personal note in his welcome, referring to the fact that he was born in and always had lived in Terre Haute, where, if any one had ever said an unkind word about him, he never heard of it.

Refers to Rockefeller.

[He said:]

All great movements in their incipiency are unpopular and are led by “undesirable citizens.”

[T]he reference to the designation of him by President Roosevelt causing laughter and applause. He said the two old parties stand for the same system, which has reached the climax of its existence. He declared that Rockefeller “was not born yesterday”; that he knew better than any one else how unpopular he is and the effect of his interview for Taft. The interview, he said, was the shrewdest move in the campaign. He knew that he had exhausted the usefulness of the Republican party to him, and desires Bryan.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: “Taft Is Elected; Bryan Defeated; Debs Victorious!”

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD re Political Scabbing, AtR p2, Oct 3, 1908
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday November 7, 1908
1908 Campaign Ends with Taft Elected and Debs Victorious

From the Appeal to Reason of November 7, 1908:

Debs Victorious

EVD EVD Debs Victorious detail, AtR p1, Nov 7, 1908 Victorious

Taft Elected

EVD Debs Victorious, AtR p1, Nov 7, 1908

Debs Re-visits Woodstock Jail

FROM THE RED SPECIAL
—–
Debs Re-visits Woodstock Jail in
Last Days of Long Journey
-Vote should Be at Least a Million.
—–

EVD Debs Release Woodstock, Debs Life p194, AtR Pub 1908

Madison, Wis., Oct. 30.-We are now on the homeward lap, and when this is read by the Appeal readers the “Red Special” will have passed into history. This morning our first stop out of Chicago was at Woodstock, Ill. On arrival there the “Red Special” crew, and the assembled citizens marched to the Woodstock jail headed by the the “Red Special” band. On arrival at the court house, Harry Parker, manager of the train, called the meeting to order and made a few happy introductory remarks. Comrade Debs then addressed the people, recalling the time when he came to Woodstock as a prisoner, the intense feeling that then prevailed against him and how that had changed until now the people were as friendly and sympathetic as they were then hostile and hateful.

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Crisis: “The Colored Woman in Industry” by Mary E. Jackson; An Army of Working Women

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You have to act as if it were possible
to radically transform the world.
And you have to do it all the time.
-Angela Davis
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday November 5, 1918
“An army of women is entering [all] branches of industry.”

From The Crisis of November 1918:

THE COLORED WOMAN IN INDUSTRY
Mary E. Jackson

Mary E Jackson, The Crisis, Nov 1918

JUST as colored men are going into the Army, so colored women are being recruited into industry. Thousands and thousands of eager boys have gone to France; we all know about them. Few of us realize that at the same time an army of women is entering mills, factories and all other branches of industry.

I undertook an industrial survey of these women for the National Board of the Young Women’s Christian Association. I investigated the increasing numbers employed, the kinds of work, wages, working conditions, what has been done, and what more can be done to raise the efficiency of the workers. At the same time I began in each city the organization of industrial women into clubs.

AA Women Workers Punch Press, The Crisis, Nov 1918

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Hellraisers Journal: W. E. B. Du Bois for The Crisis: 349th Field Artillery Regiment Admired for Gallantry by French Mayor

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote DuBois, WWI We Return, The Crisis, May 1919 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 4, 1918
French Mayor Bids Fond Farewell to 349th Field Artillery Regiment

Of the sojourn of yourself and your colored soldiers amongst us, we will keep the best memory and remember your regiment as a picked one. From the beginning a real brotherhood was established between your soldiers and our people who are glad to welcome the gallant Allies of our France.

From The Crises of November 1918:

WWI, Soldier on Battlefield, Cover The Crisis, Nov 1918

Opinion by W. E. B. Du Bois:

The Crisis, Opinion of WEB DuBois, Nov 1918

SOLDIERS

SLOWLY but surely the effort of the Government to satisfy just Negro public opinion increases: The registration card for the selective draft omits the inexcusable discrimination attached to the first registration; a colored correspondent has been sent to the front by the Public Information Bureau; a loan to Liberia has been announced; Haiti and Liberia were prominently featured among the Allies during Liberty Loan weeks; colored colleges have been designated as official military training schools, and there will be a colored man on the War Service Commission soon to go abroad.

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Hellraisers Journal: Five IWWs Under Federal Indictment in Sacramento County Jail Have Died from Spanish Influenza

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote BBH Sacramento IWW Martyrs, With Drops of Blood, Oct 1919~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday November 3, 1918
Sacramento, California – Five Fellow Workers Dead of Influenza

IWW Label Emblem, BBH Drops of Blood, Oct 1919

Fellow Worker Frank Travis died yesterday of influenza while awaiting trial on federal charges in the Sacramento County Jail. Travis is the fifth indicted I. W. W. member to die of influenza. Edward Burns was the first to die on October 22nd. James Nolan and Robert Blaine died October 28th, and Henry Evans died on October 31st.

From The Sacramento Bee of November 2, 1918:

Two Prisoners Die-Two more County Jail inmates died to-day of the influenza. Frank Travis died in the County Jail, while Peter Ramiez died after he was removed to the County Hospital. Travis is the second county prisoner to die in the jail, while Ramiez is the fourth county prisoner to die at the hospital.

———-

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Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Worker J. H. Walsh Completes Tale of the Overall Brigade’s Journey to IWW Convention

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote JH Walsh Overall Brigade, IUB p1, Oct 24, 1908~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 2, 1908
The Overall Brigade “Abroad the Nation” from Missoula to Chicago

IWW Gen Adm Emblem, IUB, Mar 14, 1908

In the Industrial Union Bulletin of September 19th, J. H. Walsh described the journey of the Overall Brigade, riding the rails from Portland, Oregon, to the I. W. W. Convention in Chicago. He ended his account with the Brigade encamped near Missoula, Montana. The Brigade was bent on making it to Chicago by September 21st, the first day of the Convention. The story of the journey to Chicago is found completed in the latest edition of the Bulletin.

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of October 24, 1908:

ABROAD THE NATION

By J. H. WALSH.

The “Overall Brigade,” en route from Portland, Ore., to Chicago to the Fourth Annual Convention of the Industrial Workers of the World at this point, has finished another successful propaganda meeting at Missoula, Mont. This makes three successful meetings in this city. Literature sales have been the best here of any place so far on our route, while the song sales have doubled, running as high as $10 or $12 per meeting. The collections have been in the same proportion. In fact, it is the first place where the audience has thrown dollars into the crowd at the feet of the singers, as well as many smaller pieces of change that came jingling along at the same time. One collection in the hat was $14.25. This all tells one story in brief-and that is the growing sentiment toward Industrial Unionism.

It is plain to see that the lumbermen’s union, which was generally understood to be a part of the W. F. of M., will soon be a part of the I. W. W. But with all the favorable conditions and enthusiasm, and a thousand invitations for the “bunch” to return, we are off again for the railroad yards to continue our journey to the city of Butte-the noted mining camp.

Our special car is found. It goes in our direction as far as Garrison Junction. It is not a long ride, and we are now spinning along at passenger speed. The long blast of the whistle which sounds and resounds through the mountain tops and valleys on this cold morning, announces that we are approaching the junction. We are there, unloaded and off for the jungles. The cook and a delegate are on their way to the store for supplies, while the rest and the “bunch” is shivering around the camp fire.

Soon the fire is burning bright, the breakfast is cooking and the sun is making its appearance above the horizon, which adds some comfort to our condition on these cold mornings in the Rocky Mountain country. The delicious breakfast is ready and the “bunch” is congregated to partake of the passover.

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Hellraisers Journal: Red Special in Evansville and Cincinnati, Thousands March, Wave Red Flags, Sing Marseillaise

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD Movements of Undesirables, AtR p4, Oct 31, 1908~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal Sunday November 1, 1908
Cincinnati and Evansville Socialist Give Red Special a Red Welcome

From the Appeal to Reason of October 31, 1908:

FROM THE RED SPECIAL.
—–
Debs and Taft in Evansville Same Day, But Latter
Ignores Proposal of the Socialists
to Exchange Audiences.
—–

Special Telegram to the Appeal.

St. Louis, Oct. 23.-At Evansville last night there were rival political demonstrations between the republicans and the Socialists. Taft and Debs both arrived at about the same time, and the old town was hot with excitement.

EVD Red Special Evansville IN, EvPrs p1, Oct 22, 1908
From the Evansville Press
October 22, 1908

The local committee of the Socialists proposed to the republican committee an exchange of audiences for twenty minutes by the republican and Socialist orators for educational purposes, thus giving each orator the opportunity to address both audiences. The invitation was respectfully or otherwise ignored. Thus is there another bluff called. The republicans and the democrats both put up the claim that their campaigns are educational, but when they are called by the Socialists, and given a chance to make good, they expose their dishonesty and false pretense by refusing to address Socialists meetings or allowing Socialists to address their meetings.

Taft did but little at Evansville other than to explain his labor record. It surely needs explaining, and he has been working on the job ever since his nomination. The Socialist candidate, in his speeches at Evansville, put Taft on the rack and showed what his true attitude toward labor is by recalling the trip he made to Idaho to support the infamous Gooding in the conspiracy to murder Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone.

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Hellraisers Journal: Philadelphia Police Club and Arrest Men, Women and Children Who Turn Out to Hear Debs

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD Comrade Tramp, Phl Inq p2, Oct 12, 1908~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 31, 1908
Philadelphia Police Club and Arrest Supporters of Comrade Debs

From the Appeal to Reason of October 24, 1908:

“Riot” to Hear Debs!
—-

EVD, Philly So-called Riot, Phl Inq p1, Oct 12, 1908

EVD, Philly 16 Arrests, Phl Inq p1, Oct 12, 1908
The Philadelphia Inquirer
October 12, 1908

The Philadelphia North American, under scare head lines, tells a story which has no parallel in the history of political gatherings in America. Debs was scheduled to speak in three halls in different parts of Philadelphia and long before the doors opened the streets were jammed with men, women and children who were not only anxious to hear the message of Socialism, but willing to pay for this privilege as well!

Says the North American: “Crowds packed every hall, 7,000 being the estimated number inside while as many more lined the streets outside.”

So great was the anxiety of the hungry multitude to listen to the gospel of Socialism that they crowded the doors and became frantic in their efforts to get on the inside.

There was no disorder, yet the police proceeded to club inoffensive women and children and arrest men who protested against the outrages. Here is the North American’s version of the activity of the police:

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Hellraisers Journal: Red Special Carries Debs Campaign to Harper’s Ferry; “Tears and Cheers” for Soul of John Brown

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD on John Brown, AtR, 11-23-1907

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

Hellraisers Journal – Friday October 30, 1908
Red Special Stops Over at Harper’s Ferry to Honor John Brown

From the Appeal to Reason of October 24, 1908:

John Brown in Engine House Oct 18, 1859, from Leslies Nov 5, 1859

DEBS AT HARPER’S FERRY.
—–
Tears and Cheers When the Soul of John Brown
Again Finds Utterance at the Historic
Engine-house Fort.
—–

Special Telegram to the Appeal.

Connellsville, Pa., Oct. 17.-A most dramatic scene has just occurred. The “Red Special” made a short stop at Harper’s Ferry. The comrades gathered about the monument which marked the spot where the old engine house was located, where John Brown was captured; and Gene, standing at the base of the monument, payed a tribute to the brave old warrior who made that spot sacred forever, fifty years ago. It was the most thrilling and dramatic scene of the entire trip. The comrades uncovered at the monument, as the impassioned tribute was delivered. The “Red Special” band played the Marseillaise and with never such thrilling appeal. The reports of John Brown’s rifles seemed to reverberate again in the surrounding hills. The Cumberland and the Potomac mingled their waters a few feet distant as the spirit of the abolitionist of forty years ago and the spirit of the Socialist of today mingled at the spot John Brown made immortal. There were tears and there were cheers. The spirit of the noble old warriors, transfigured the scene, and the memory of it will remain vivid and inspiring forever.-Theodore Debs.

[“John Brown in engine house” added from Leslie’s of November 5, 1859.]

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