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Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 18, 1921
Southeastern Kansas – Art Shields Reports on the Miner’s “Amazon Army”
From the Oklahoma Leader of December 13, 1921:
PITTSBURG, Kan., Dec 13- There is joy and laughter in the coal fields of Kansas for the strikebreakers are on the run before the militant ladles of that Sunflower state.
The fun begun before daylight when the 120 men who have helped themselves to the vacant jobs in the big Jackson-Walker mine No. 17 near South Franklin began to get off the two interurban cars and to get into hot water all at once.
They say there used to be some excitement in the old Amazon days, but it was nothing to the action out there on the Kansas prairie. Seven hundred and fifty lively ladies gave the travelers the liveliest reception they had ever experienced. Young women, old women, blondes, brunettes and every kind began swarming into those wishers for unhallowed work and began ruffing their feelings.
Deputies Looked On.
In the midst of the charming host were the forces of the law, Sheriff Gould and his deputies, to see that nothing happened that ought not to happen, and all they could do was to look on while the cause of the trouble was all removed by the visitors rushing pell mell back into the cars and begging the motormen to drive on.
What could the sheriff do against such a crowd of lovely femininity, all in their best bibs and tuckers, flying the stars and strips from a dozen poles and laughing and singing? One stalwart woman wrapped her country’s banner around the sheriff and gave him three cheers, and they all joined in and gave him three cheers, and gave the inter-urban cars a salvo of hurrahs as they went on with the men who tried to break the strike for the release of Howat and Dorchy.
Miner Vacation Goes On.
Now the Jackson-Walker mines are again enjoying the vacation that began September 30, and which was interrupted a couple weeks ago when the bosses began slipping men one by one into the largest of their five mines, till finally it was working to one-third of normal, and the managers were boasting that the entire five would soon have their full complement of 800 men.
There are some five hundred more strikebreakers in other parts of the district and the upholders of the Industrial Court Act are wondering what the ladles are going to do next. But the ladles are making no promises; they say, well, that they like to get up at 4 a. m. and work up an appetite before breakfast.
It is all very annoying to the coal operators who have brought these strikebreakers from other states at great expense, but they are up against wilful women who must have their way.
“Up Early and Picket.”
Just the day before the South Franklin picnic there had been an enthusiastic mass meeting of women in the town of Franklin, and at the same time in the nearby mining camp of Gross was another, larger mass meeting at which William Howe, the secretary of the Kansas Federation of Labor spoke and urged everyone, men and women, to get up early in the morning and picket.
“You’ve got a right to picket according to federal law, and it’s necessary to picket in order to win this strike,” he said. “Don’t be afraid of these scabs. They won’t do you any harm; they’re too much ashamed to look at you. Just meet them early in the morning and persuade them to go back home.
Fight Must Be Won.
“Down in Franklin we’re going to picket as long as the Western Blows its whistle,” referring to the Western Coal company, the largest mining company in the district which has a number of strikebreakers at one of its eight mines.
“This fight has to be won. If Allen and those fellows are going to dictate to you what your working conditions are going to be you might as well tear up your charters, they’ll be no good to you.”
Several local speakers and two representatives of the Illinois miners also spoke at the meeting. The Illinois men denounced the provisional government which President John L. Lewis of the United Mine Workers had set up in the district, charging that his representatives were aiding the coal miners in bringing in strikebreakers.
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[Emphasis added.]
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SOURCES & IMAGES
Quote Mother Jones Raising Hell, NYT p1, Oct 6, 1916
https://www.nytimes.com/1916/10/06/archives/car-riot-started-by-mother-jones-women-relatives-of-strikers-heed.html
Oklahoma Leader
“Full Leased Wire United Press Report-Member Federated Press.”
(Oklahoma City, Oklahoma)
-Dec 13, 1921
https://www.newspapers.com/image/658347757/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/658347766/
See also:
Oklahoma Leader-Dec 14, 1921
-Troops Sent Against Kansas UMW “Amazon Army”
https://www.newspapers.com/clip/90763379/oklahoma-leader-dec-14-1921-troops/
On the Battle Lines, 1919-1939
-by Art Shields
International Pub, 1986
(see pages 68-74, pages 72-3:
“And while the Men were talking, their wives decided
to do the job in their own way.”)
https://books.google.com/books?id=nPoqAAAAMAAJ
“Amazon Army”
Kansas Historical Society
https://www.kshs.org/kansapedia/amazon-army/16702
Tag: Alex Howat
https://weneverforget.org/tag/alex-howat/
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I Am A Union Woman – Deborah Holland