Hellraisers Journal: News from Lawrence Textile Strike: Militia Attacks Strikers; Committee Appeals to All Workers

Quote Lawrence Strike Committee, Drunk Cup to Dregs, Bst Dly Glb Eve p5, Jan 17, 1912 —————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday January 20, 1912
Lawrence, Massachusetts – Militia Attacks Strikers; Strike Committee Issues Appeal

From The Boston Daily Globe (Evening) of January 17, 1912:

LAWRENCE, Jan 17-Conflict between the textile strikers and State militiamen who have the mill district of the city in charge broke out afresh today. A mob of 3000 strikers who had paraded through the city was subdued only by the vigorous use of clubs and swords by members of Battery C, Light Artillery, of Lowell, when the strikers entered the mill district, within which zone martial law has been declared…

The larger part of the crowd was driven back, and the combat ceased for a moment. After being forced up Hampshire at the strikers began to bombard the soldiers with ice, bricks and tin cans, several of the militiamen being hit. None suffered serious wounds. Many of the strikers sustained injuries to heads and bodies by clubs and swords, and two had their faces badly cut in the same manner. Several children were trampled upon in the melee.

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Flag to Protect Them.

The strikers wee finally allowed to go up Canal st and when they reached the Lawrence Duck mill bridge, half a mile away, they made an attempt to cross [but Lieut. Davies] ordered the strikers to continue down Canal st without crossing the bridge.

An interesting episode occurred here. One of the strikers, who was carrying a big American flag, held it up and cried out, “This is the American flag; it can go anywhere.”…

In another moment Lieut Davis had ordered the men to “charge bayonets,” and the flag was trailed in the snow by the Italians, who had stampeded when the strikers were forced to retreat before the bristling steel. No trouble developed beyond this point, the crowd ultimately dispersing.

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[…..]

Appeal to Non-Strikers.

An appeal issued today to English speaking and other mill operatives not on strike through the agency of the strike committee which was distributed on the picket lines and at meetings during the day was in part as follows:

To all workers, men and women, and all those who sympathize with their aspirations for a better day:

We, striking textile workers, who in the past suffered untold exploitations, outrages and insults, have reached the limit of human resignation and endurance. We submit to a candid world in brief our grievances and reason for revolt. Our wages have been gradually reduced, machines have been speeded to the point that in order to keep up with them we have o strain to the limit of endurance.

Taking advantage of a law that was passed to reduce the long working days of women and children, the mill owners reduced our wages and average of 5 percent.

Urged to “Strike all Together.”

According to the figures of the mill owners themselves, last pay day, Jan. 11, 25,000 workers received a total wage of $150,000, or an average wage of $6 for a week’s work.

We had to rebel because we had drunk of the cup to the very dregs.

We are opposed to rioting, opposed equally and strenuously, even though it hides its brutalities under the cloak of law and order and armed with bayonets.

These reasons and others too numerous to mention are sufficient, we believe, to entitle us to the support of all fellow-workers and friends.

We urge and plead with all who wish our case well to express themselves in words and deeds in no mistaken way.

Workers, remember! An injury to one is an injury to all. Strike all together; stick together. All to victory.

(Signed)
Strike Committee.

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