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Hellraisers Journal – Thursday October 1, 1908
Chicago, Illinois – I. W. W. Convention “Running Full Blast”
From the Chicago Inter Ocean of September 30, 1908:
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HOBOES DRIFT INTO TOWN TO CONVENTION
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Those Not Unfortunate in Meeting With Unkind
Brakemen Come in Bunches From
All Parts of the Country.
—–The annual convention of the Industrial Workers of the World is now running in full blast at Brand’s hall, North Clark and Eric streets. The last delegate arrived “a la box car” late last night.
In fact, every delegate at the convention “boed” to Chicago to attend the session, and there are two women in the number. From box cars, blind baggage, and oil tank cars they unloaded and ambled up North Clark street to the meeting place. The largest delegation consisted of nineteen men and a woman from the Pacific coast.
The two women are Elizabeth Gurley Flynn of New York, known there as the “East Side Joan of Arc,” and Dollie Reed Walsh of Montana. The latter is the wife of J. H. Walsh, national organizer of the workers.
Rockefeller’s Relative Arrives.
Joseph J. Ettor, who claims to be a relative of John D. Rockefeller, arrived on an oil train. At the hall when he attempted to speak he was promptly corralled and placed on trial on a charge of being a friend of “Standard Oil” Foraker. He was able to prove an alibi and admitted to full rights as a delegate.
Another delegate is Vincent St. John, who figured prominently in the Moyer-Haywood trial. He is a leader in the new movement.
[Declared Dollie Reed Walsh:]
You bet we hoboed. We had a regular special, and were only a short time behind the Debs “red” special.
There were twenty of us. We started from Seattle. We stopped off or were thrown off the train every once in a while. When we “unloaded” we always established a camp and held meetings in the towns. We were “pinched” several times.
We’re red-hot socialists, every one of us. What we’re working for is an industrial government. State governments will be done away with. We’ve got 30,000 members now, and we expect to triple that this year. We’re—
Plan Overthrow of World.
And then one of her fellow “boes” corralled her.
“Come on in to der meetin’ We wants you.” he said.
Together they went into the “committee” room, where the “boes” were planning the overthrow of the world.
Philadelphia to Chicago in fifty-five hours on a freight train was the record Delegate “Miner” J. A. Jones established. He came with Organizer Elizabeth Gurley Flynn. They have been married since last January, having met at the Haywood trial.
Delegate “Gavel” St. John will officiate at the meeting today. He has brought with him from the West his famous “bo” quartet. They will furnish music at the meeting. About seventy-five delegates have arrived so far. Several are still en route, their delay due doubtless to unaccommodating brakemen.
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SOURCES & IMAGES
The Inter Ocean
(Chicago, Illinois)
-Sept 30, 1908
https://www.newspapers.com/image/34548869/
Close-Up of IWW “Hoboes”
Top middle is J. A. Jones, husband of EGF.
Would much appreciate help to identify the other Fellow Workers.
See also:
Re EGF:
The Rebel Girl
-by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn
International Publishers, 1973
https://libcom.org/history/rebel-girl-autobiography-my-first-life-1906-26
https://books.google.com/books?id=JawEAQAAIAAJ
Note: EGF met Jack Jones at the 1907 IWW Convention,
she did not attend the Haywood trial, see page 83.
https://libcom.org/files/rebel-girl-autobiography.pdf
Sept 21 to Oct 1, 1908 – Chicago, IL
4th Convention of Industrial Workers of the World
The IWW
A Study of American Syndicalism
-by Paul Frederick Brissenden, Ph.D.
2nd Edition, NY, 1920
https://books.google.com/books?id=5CRAAAAAYAAJ
Page 213-Chapter IX: Doctrinaire Versus Direct-Actionist (1908)
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=5CRAAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA213
Page 221-re Convention begins Sept 21, 1908 with
“Overall Brigade” present and EGF only woman delegate.
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=5CRAAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA221
Page 389-re Proceedings
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=5CRAAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA389
Proceedings of Fourth I. W. W. Convention, 1908, 5th-10th days sessions in Industrial Union Bulletin, Oct. 24, Nov. 7, Dec. 12, 1908, Feb. 20, Mar. 6, 1909. (The writer is unable to find anywhere the proceedings of the first days of the convention.)
1908 IWWC from Industrial Union Bulletin
IUB-Oct 10, 1908
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v2n25-oct-10-1908-iub.pdf
Day?-Entire first page: St John v DeLeon
Day?-The new preamble.
Day 1-Mon Sept 21
Day 2-Tues Sept 22
Day 3-Wed Sept 23
Day 4-Thurs Sept 24
IUB-Oct 24, 1908
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v2n26-oct-24-1908-iub.pdf
Day ?-Report of General SecTre WE Trautmann
Day 4-Thurs Sept 24, continued
Day 5-Fri Sept 25
IUB-Nov 7, 1908
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v2n27-nov-07-1908-iub.pdf
Day ?-Report of Gen Orgzr & Asst Sec St John
Day 5-Fri Sept 25, continued
Day 6-Sat Sept 26
Day 7-Mon Sept 28
Day 8-Tues Sept 29
IUB-Dec 12, 1908
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v2n28-dec-12-1908-iub.pdf
Day 8-Tues Sept 29, continued
Day 9-Wed Sept 30
IUB-Feb 20, 1909
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v2n29-feb-20-1909-iub.pdf
Day 10-Thurs Oct 1
IUB-Mar 6, 1909
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v2n31-mar-06-1909-iub.pdf
Day 10-Oct 1, continued
Note: St John elected General Secretary-Treasurer
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Workingmen Unite! – Bucky Halker
Lyrics by E. S. Nelson
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v2n26-oct-24-1908-iub.pdf
