Category: Mother Mary Harris Jones

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for July 1918, Part I: Found Organizing in West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Flag Organize, Evle IN Prs, Mar 29, 1918
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday August 22, 1918
Mother Jones News for July 1918, Part I: Found in West Virginia

From the Fairmont West Virginian of July 5, 1918:

MINERS PROVE PATRIOTISM BY WORKING TODAY
—–
Not a Mine in the Region Out of Operation
—–

Mother Jones, Ft Wy Jr Gz p3, Dec 17, 1917

The car supply for the mines along the Monongahela railroad tomorrow will be one hundred per cent.

—–

As a proof that the patriotism of the miners in the Fairmont district is of the 100 per cent. quality every mining property so far as in known is in operation today with full forces in most instances…

This is a remarkable showing for the day following the Independent day holiday. In former years the men used to make a several days’ affair out of the Fourth of July but this year the Fuel administration made a direct to them to go right back to work so that the much needed coal would keep coming in a steady stream and the way they have responded will be gratifying to all interested in keeping p the production records.

Miners’ Picnics.

Fully fifteen hundred people, mostly miners and their families, gathered at Traction park yesterday afternoon for the big all day picnic held there.

The program began shortly after 10 o’clock in the morning with addresses by William M. Rogers, president of the State Federation of Labor, and James Dianna, the latter of Bomer, W. Va. and one of the most prominent labor organizers in the state. He addressed the miners assembled at the park yesterday morning in the Italian language. In the afternoon an address as delivered by Frank Keeney, who is in charge of the United Mine Workers for the seventeenth district.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1908, Part II: Found in Denver at Convention of Western Federation of Miners

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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The fellows who are now in palaces
ought to be in jail.
The fellows who are in jail
ought to be in the palaces.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Friday August 21, 1908
-Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1908, Part II
–Found Speaking at Denver Convention of W. F. of M.

On July 18th, Mother Jones was present in Denver at the Sixteenth Annual Convention of the Western Federation of Miners when she was invited to address the delegates gathered there. She was introduced by John M. O’Neill and spoke at length. The following summary of her remarks is taken from The Denver Post of July 19th (see full article below.)

MOTHER JONES, PEACEMAKER AT MINERS’ CONVENTION

Mother Jones re WFMC Speech, Dnv Pst p2, July 19, 1908

[From Speech by Mother Jones]

Mother Jones Speech Excerpts WFMC, Dnv Pst p2, July 19, 1908

The Western Federation has paved the way for labor to come together. The crucial time is on now with the guns of capital trained against you from Washington. Did not labor of the world stand behind you in your troubles? Take the United Workers of America by the hand and thank God you are getting together. Forget the little worries over the check-off system. When we all get together we will kick the check-off boss overboard.

When you join the United Mine Workers of America you will put some warm blood into them. Don’t forget, too, that they have good members and plenty of them.

We are working in a new century and must abandon the old things for the new. Women should organize as strongly as the men. I lined up 3,000 women in the Eastern mining camps and they took away the guns of the sheriffs and their dude deputies. These dudes carried little guns on their hips and sported miniature mustaches.

Do not wait for a written document from the other side in labor peace pacts. Take Tom Lewis by the hand. They were forced to adopt the check-off system when they were up against it. Feel that the United Mine Workers are still your brothers. The peace that Christ teaches should rule between your organizations.

———-

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1908, Part I: Fond Farewell to the “Loyal Comrades” of the State of Texas

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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I have just closed a four months’ tour in Texas
and I want to say that I never met
with more loyal comrades
than I did in the State of Texas.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday August 20, 1908
-Mother Jones News Round-Up for July, 1908, Part I
–Closes Out Four Months’ Tour in Texas

From the Appeal to Reason of July 11, 1908:

Tri-State Edition, Texas, AtR p3, July 11, 1908

From Mother Jones

Mother Jones Standing, Bertha Howell Mrs Mailly, ab 1902

I have just closed a four months’ tour in Texas and I want to say that I never met with more loyal comrades than I did in the State of Texas. Their whole energy seems to be devoted to the Cause-even the young farmer girls refuse to dance with any young man who is not a subscriber the Appeal to Reason. I could not, in justice, single out any particular one to pay tribute to, because all are devoting their best efforts to the Cause that so much needs them. I must, though, make an exception of Galveston. The Comrades there were laboring under some terrible difficulties. They were not permitted to hold street meetings for many months. I called upon the chief of police and found him a gentleman in every sense of the word and he explained to me the reason why, and I felt from his explanation that he was perfectly justified. He allowed me the use of the streets for five nights and they are now open to any speaker who is not trying to advertise himself by breaking into jail. I wish every city in America had just such public officials. We would have less of this thing called anarchy.

It is not surprising, indeed, that the comrades of Texas are so self-sacrificing when without exaggeration I say that their state secretary is one of the most efficient secretaries in the movement today. I wish that every state in the union had him duplicated. His every energy is devoted to the Cause-clean, impartial and just. Every comrade knows that I would be the first to condemn him if he did not merit my honest approbation and regard. I ask no favors from any secretary in the country and so I am perfectly free to express my opinion.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for June 1918, Part II: Found Organizing in West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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I am not for peace.
As long as there is a kaiser
either in Europe or America
I am for war to clean him out.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday July 24, 1918
Mother Jones News for June 1918, Part II: Found in West Virginia

Mother Jones by LS Chumley, ISR Jan 1916

According to the June 25th edition of the Fairmont West Virginian, Mother Jones took a little time off from organizing the miners of West Virginia in order to organize playgrounds for the children of Clarksburg:

Mayor Joe Craddock, of Clarksburg, was a Fairmont visitor yesterday and ran into “Mother” Jones in front of the Traction offices. She touched him up about playgrounds at Clarksburg and he said he was at Fairmont to see the traction people about it but had postponed his talk on account of work. Then she made a strong plea for the kiddies, ending with-

The trouble is that dollars have been regarded as more sacred than the nation’s future.

———-

From the Fairmont West Virginian of June 11, 1918:

“Mother” Jones, in her talk at Haywood Junction Sunday, said:

I am not for peace. As long as there is a kaiser either in Europe or America I am for war to clean him out.

—–

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for June 1918, Part I: Found Organizing in West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You can’t build a great nation
on a starved and cursed working class.
The workers are the bone and sinew of the nation.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday July 23, 1918
Mother Jones News for June 1918, Part I: Found in West Virginia

Mother Jones, Ft Wy Jr Gz p3, Dec 17, 1917

Mother Jones was found in mostly in West Virginia during the month of June giving fiery speeches to the miners of that state who are now being rapidly organized into the ranks of District 17 of the United Mine Workers of America. For example, on Sunday June 9th, at Haywood Junction, West Virginia, she declared:

Don’t let the Kaiser know that we have men in West Virginia who will let their bosses kick them around and let their children open the doors in the mines for mules to pass….

There are old fellows around here living in the candle age still. There is a change in the thought of the world but these poor fellows can’t see it. This nation can make dollars any time it wishes but men and women cannot be turned out so easily and it takes nourishment, training and character to produce them. The clouds are breaking and the sun is beginning to shine for the workers. Labor went into this war to bring democracy to the world. You can’t build a great nation on a starved and cursed working class. The workers are the bone and sinew of the nation.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for May and June, 1908-Found on Tour in Texas, Speaking for Socialist Party

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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EVD Quote re Mother Jones, AtR, Nov 23, 1907
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday July 16, 1908
-Mother Jones News Round-Up for May and June, 1908
–Found in Texas on Tour for the Socialist Party of America

During her tour of Texas, Mother was found speaking in the city of Austin where she spoke for two hours and touched on the evils of Child Labor.

From The Austin Statesman of June 17, 1908:

MOTHER JONES LECTURES.
—–
She Speaks of Economic and
Child Labor Conditions.
—–

Mother Jones, Fort Worth Telegram, Apr 26, 1907

An attentive audience heard Mother Jones last night at the East Austin Fire hall. The lecturer spoke for two hours, dealing in the main with the economic conditions of the country as she has found them, a science of hunger and misery.

She made her topic realistic by picturing experiences in the mines, shops and fields.

Mother Jones is most familiar with the child labor situation. She has worked with the “babies” and is cognizant of their struggles and the impossibility of helping these toilers under the present system. She said that she has faith in the people, and that the laborers are realizing that they must own the tools of production in order to be self-supporting and independent.

Tonight Mother Jones will speak at the court house. She is here under the auspices of the socialist local in this city, and the lecture is given free to those interested in the movement.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Appeal to Reason: “Social Democratic Party of America” -Letter from Chicago Delegates

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote SDP, Class-Conscious & Revolutionary, AtR p4, July 2, 1898
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday July 7, 1898
On the Formation of the Social Democratic Party of America

From the Appeal to Reason of July 2, 1898:

The Social Democratic Party of America.
———-

CHICAGO, June 16, 1898.

To Members of the Social Democracy of America:

1890s? Theodore Debs, IndStateEdu, Debs

COMRADES: There has been a division of the delegates who met in annual convention in this city in the name of the Social Democracy, beginning June 7th and ending June 11th, and the result has been the formation of a new party, known as the Social Democratic Party of America.

To report the truth respecting the withdrawal of the undersigned delegates from the convention, and the causes which led thereto, and to the formation of a new party, is the purpose of this address, and we bespeak for it the calm and serious consideration its importance demands.

Soon after the convention was called to order it became apparent that the delegates were divided into two factions, and as the deliberations proceeded the breach which separated them grew wider and all hope of bringing them into harmonious alliance vanished.

The prime factor in the disruption of the Social Democracy was the appearance in the convention of a number of delegates representing Chicago branches which were reported to have been organized within two or three days of the time the convention met, and these delegates were sufficient in number to control the convention. As a matter of fact they were chosen for that purpose and for that purpose alone, and it can be proved that the branches they were alleged to represent had not, and have not now, any existence.

That there was an undercurrent to defeat independent political action, especially in some sections in which certain delegates were personally interested, was too plainly evident to admit of doubt. The intense activity of certain other persons who are known to be violently opposed to political action emphasized the conviction that “colonization” was made the pretext for defeating the independent political program of the organization.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for May 1918, Part II: Found in St. Louis, Missouri and Grafton, West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Let me see you wake up and fight.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday June 23, 1918
Mother Jones News for May 1918, Part I: Gives Long Interview in St. Louis

From the St Louis Post-Dispatch of May 13, 1918:

Mother Jones Interview, St L Pst Dsp p3, May 13, 1918

Valiant Champion of the Workers Pink of Cheek
at 88 and Wears a Fussy Little Bonnet.
—–
Objects to Women Doing Heavy War Time Work;
Opposes Suffrage, Knitters Rile Her.
—–

BY MARGUERITE MARTYN.

Mother Jones Drawing St L Pst Dsp p3, May 13, 1918

I WOULD like to have had a union card to show. I was glad I was conversant with the after-the-war platform of the British Labor Party as voluminously printed in the Post-Dispatch, and that I could profess full faith in the justice of trade unionism, when I went to call on Mother Jones. As it was, I came out of the interview with the valiant little 88-year-old labor champion comparatively unscathed, though I sat meekly silent while her scorching tongue excoriated many institutions I have at least looked upon with toleration.

Women in war industries supplanting men, she had little patience with.

[She said:]

I see them climbing over engines with their oil cans. I see them pumping levers on street cars; I see them pushing heavy trucks of munitions, and I think, what of the future generation? Woman’s nervous organism is not equal to such work. One of the principles of trade unionism is that women shall work under conditions that will safeguard to the utmost their bodily welfare.

Woman suffrage she dismissed with equal scorn.

Women vote in Colorado and what have they done to improve industrial conditions? After the riots at Trinidad and 20 women and children were laid out in the morgue, committees of ladies came and looked over the scene, and they said, “Too bad, too bad!”

They knew the murder of these innocents, whose men were fighting only for the right to work and earn their bread, had been authorized by the [Democratic] Governor they had helped to put in power. They did not criticise the Governor and some of the women were in the militia that committed the crimes.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for May 1918, Part I: Found Supporting Strikers in St. Louis

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Let me see you wake up and fight.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday June 22, 1918
Mother Jones News for May 1918, Part I: Found in St. Louis

Mother Jones, DRW small, St L Pst p3, May 13, 1918

Mother Jones was first found missing from the May Day celebration in Springfield, Illinois. It appears she was called to an unspecified strike in Quincy, Illinois.

We next found her in Washington, D. C. where the May 1st edition of The Washington Times stated:

“Mother” Jones, noted labor leader, arrived here today to appear before the National War Labor Board and plead with former President William H. Taft, in the interest of commercial telegraphers demanding the right to organize.

On May 10th and 11th, we find Mother in the pages of the St. Louis, Missouri, newspapers where her efforts on behalf of the men and women on strike against the Wagner Electric Manufacturing Company are well covered.

We will pick up the story of Mother Jones in St. Louis in Part II of our Mother Jones News Round-Up for May 1918.

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Hellraisers Journal: Charles G. Bowers Writing “Life of Senator Kern” with Assistance of Mother Jones

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones fr Military Bastile to Sen Kern, May 4, [1913]
Mother Jones – 1913
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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday May 21, 1918
“Heroine of Paint Creek” Recalls the Miners’ Friend, Senator Kern

From The United Mine Workers Journal of May 16, 1918:

NOTICE TO LOCAL UNIONS

John W Kern 1913, Life by Bowers, 1918

When Senator John W. Kern introduced his resolution in the United States Senate calling for an investigation into the conditions of the Paint Creek and Cabin Creek regions of West Virginia all the special interests in the country became active in an effort to defeat it.

A Wall street representative who had known Senator Kern in other days called him on the phone and begged him to drop the resolutions. “I’ll see you in hell first,” replied Kern, hanging up the receiver.

A more bitter battle has seldom been waged in the Senate, and for the first time in history in a straight fight between the powerful and the workers the workers won—through Kern’s gallant fight.

And that was in keeping with Kern’s battles for labor all his life.

The story of the ten-year battle for the unionization of miners in West Virginia is told fully and graphically in the

Life of Senator Kern,

which is being written by Claude G. Bowers, who was intimately associated with him.

Mother Jones, the “heroine of Paint Creek,” has furnished much data to the author for this chapter—the longest in the book.

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