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Hellraisers Journal – Monday October 16, 1911
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks to Detroit Auto Workers
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of October 12, 1911:
GURLY FLYNN IN DETROIT
———-ELIZABETH GURLEY FLYNN
-DAUGHTER OF INTERNATIONAL REVOLUTION
-DELIVERS THE GOODS IN DETROIT
-GOOD CROWD PRESENT.
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Local No. 16, Automobile Workers, I. W. W., engaged Turner Hall for a lecture to be held in the afternoon of September 24. On account of the train being late three hours that was to bring the speaker from Cleveland the meeting had to be postponed until 7:30 p. m. Money for tickets was refunded at the door to those who thought of spending the evening some other place. Later on it rained to beat the band, but many came anyhow. No use in giving an account of her lecture. Let the workers go and hear her message of hope to the toilers, her masterful arraignment of the futility of craft unionism, her logical , convincing and comprehensive explanation of industrial unionism as a bonafide expression of industrial or shop solidarity. The I. W. W. de facto and not the “ism” as an ideal to the exclusion of the real, was emphasized at every opportune time. Only “ism” propounders should take notice. It’s the goods that count every time and the I. W. W. is the means to get the goods.
No questions were asked except on the position of the I. W. W. toward politics. And one “Sabotage” was “recognized.” Ha!ha! Recognized! by whom? By the desk revolutionists that never worked in a shop but want to be “it” in every respect in the labor movement, of course. Answer, brilliant. Go and ask that question at her meeting and get it first hand. We also took up a collection to continue the propaganda-nearly $10; some “subs” taken and literature sold. If not for the rain a full house would have listened to her. As it was the crowd was full-of enthusiasm.
An incident worth mentioning took place in the afternoon in front of the hall. Section sidewalk of the S. L. P. was busy distributing some of their labor “savioring” dope. “A Mutt” cam along, ordering them away from the entrance to the hall. Well, they went away and never came back in the evening to put their questions.
“A. MUTT.”
P. S.-Those one night stands are not productive of lasting results. It may enthuse the members for a brief period; it may advertise the ONE BIG UNION idea to some extent, but that is not enough. Enough time should be given to E. G. Flynn to stay in one place so to enable her, with the co-operation of the members, to increase the membership of the local. The work incidental to this will be stimulating to the membership as well as to the speaker. Constantly on the jump giving lectures on the same subject is not conducive of bringing out the best in a lecturer and organizer. A change in work, a little excitement caused by opposition, the experience gained out side the lecture hall, etc., would be a real benefit to all concerned.
“A. MUTT.”
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[Photograph and emphasis added.]
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SOURCES
Quote EGF, Heaven n Hell, ISR p617, Jan 1910
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=MVhIAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA617
Industrial Workers
(Spokane, Washington)
-Oct 12, 1911, page 4
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iw/v3n29-w133-oct-12-1911-IW.pdf
IMAGE
EGF, ISR p606, Apr 1911
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/isr/v11n10-apr-1911-ISR-gog-Corn-OCR.pdf
See also:
Tag: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn
https://weneverforget.org/tag/elizabeth-gurley-flynn/
Industrial Unionism: The Road to Freedom
-by Joe Ettor, 1913
https://archive.iww.org/history/library/Ettor/industrial_unionism/
Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks on Industrial Unionism at IWW Headquarters in Spokane
-From the Spokane Daily Chronicle of July 1, 1909
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Worker’s Song – Dropkick Murphys
Lyrics by Ed Pickford