Hellraisers Journal, Monday October 23, 1916
Bayonne, New Jersey – Strikers Return to Work Defeated
BAYONNE STANDARD OIL STRIKE BROKEN
The arrival in Bayonne, on October 18th, of the Federal Mediators, John A. Moffitt and John A. Smythe from the Department of Labor, proved to be of no benefit to the strikers’ cause. The strike was broken by the defection of the American workers who abandoned their foreign-born fellow workers and returned to work on October 19th. The foreign-born workers, mostly Polish speaking, were forced to give up the fight for a living wage on Friday October 20th.
From the New York Call of October 21, 1916:
From the Duluth Labor World of October 21, 1916:
ROCKEFELLER GETS MILITIA AT BAYONNE
—–BAYONNE, N. J., Oct. 19.-New Jersey militia men, back from the Mexican border, were today sworn in as special deputies to the sheriff. Standard Oil strikers are still maintaining their attitude of armed resistance to the efforts of Bayonne officials, who attempt to force them back to work.
Isador Nalitzy, a young attorney was killed and 20 wounded when the police invaded the struck district last Thursday for a “clean-up.” Three of those wounded, a spectator, a striker, and a boy, may die.
A dragnet was drawn through the zone in Bayonne during the afternoon. Two companies of police armed with repeating shotguns entered the trouble zone from opposite points, combing the district and searching all men found.
Thirty-five or 40 automobiles carried the invading party, the rifles protruding from the machines adding another grim touch to the warlike conditions that have prevailed in the oil district since a week ago last Monday.
—–
A comment from The Labor World:
MAKING BILLIONAIRES.
The process of making Rockefeller a billionaire is now under full headway at Bayonne, New Jersey. Over 100 men armed with repeating rifles are driving Standard Oil employes off the streets. The crime of the men consisted in asking for more than $3 a day. Rockefeller’s income is at least that much per minute.
SOURCES
Information Quarterly, Volume 2
(New York, New York)
R.R. Bowker Company
https://books.google.com/books?id=rmI9AAAAYAAJ
From January 1917 edition:
Standard Oil Strike, Bayonne, N. J.
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=rmI9AAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&source=gbs_atb&pg=GBS.PA656
History of the Labor Movement in the United States, Vol. 6
On the eve of America’s entrance into World War I, 1915-1916
-by Philip S Foner
International Publishers, 1982
Chapter 4 on Bayonne Strikes of 1915 & 1916
https://books.google.com/books?id=wGPtAAAAMAAJ
The Labor World
(Duluth, Minnesota)
-Oct 21, 1916
https://www.newspapers.com/image/78643234/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/49876683/
IMAGE
Ryan Walker on Bayonne, NY Call, Oct 21, 1916
https://libcom.org/history/bloodshed-bayonne
See also:
“Bloodshed in Bayonne”
-by Tom McDonough
https://libcom.org/history/bloodshed-bayonne
The New York Times of Oct 19, 1916:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9F03E0DC1F3FE233A2575AC1A9669D946796D6CF&legacy=true
THREATEN RACE WAR IN BAYONNE STRIKE; English-Speaking Workers Declare Readiness to Face Thousands of Foreigners. POLICE PLEDGED TO GIVE AID; Oil Works May Open Today-Conciliators Express Hope Company Refuses Negotiations.
The New York Times of Oct 20, 1916:
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=9506E7DC143BE633A25753C2A9669D946796D6CF&legacy=true
AMERICAN WORKERS BREAK OIL STRIKE; Abandon Their Foreign Brethren and March Back to Bayonne Plants. LATTER GIVE UP THE FIGHT; Supt. Hennessy of the Standard Agrees to Take Up Grievances with Committee of Men.
The Bayonne oil strike is over. It ended precisely as did that of last year, when the American skilled labor element broke away from the foreign laborers and marched back to work as soon as they were satisfied that adequate police protection was provided.