Stand shoulder to shoulder.
You can’t lose.
Yours, fraternally,
W. D. HAYWOOD
Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday August 14, 1907
Chicago, Illinois – Big Bill Greeted with Red Flag Flying
The headline from the The Inter Ocean of August 11th:
RED FLAGS BARRED TODAY
—–CHIEF SHIPPY WILL CURB
HAYWOOD DEMONSTRATION.
—–
Socialists Plan to Have Ten Thousand
People at Depot to Welcome
Acquitted Miner on His Arrival.
—–
Headline from the The Chicago Daily Tribune of August 12th:
RED FLAG WAVES; GREETS HAYWOOD
—–
From The Inter Ocean of August 11, 1907:
RED FLAGS BARRED TODAY
—–CHIEF SHIPPY WILL CURB HAYWOOD DEMONSTRATION.
—–
Socialists Plan to Have Ten Thousand People at Depot
to Welcome Acquitted Miner on His Arrival.
—–
William D. Haywood, secretary of the Western Federation of Miners, will arrive in Chicago at 7 o’clock this morning. The Chicago Socialists have planned to have 10,000 people at the Union depot to welcome the Western miner upon his arrival.
This is the first public appearance of Haywood since his acquittal of the charge of murdering former governor Steunenberg of Idaho.
The Moyer-Haywood and Pettibone defense conference had-planned a picnic for today in order to secure funds for the defense of the accused Idaho miners. After the acquittal of Haywood, pressure was brought to bear upon him to have him address the picnickers in a park at Fifty-Second and Halsted streets.
Red Flags to Be Barred Today.
Yesterday a committee of Socialists asked permission of Chief of Police Shippy to make a demonstration when Haywood, accompanied by E. F. Richardson, one of his attorneys, arrived in the city this morning. The Committee was informed that no demonstration would be allowed in which red flags were displayed.
The section of the city where the pleasure ground is located will be doubly policed during the Haywood demonstration to day.
Will Stop at Down Town Hotel.
Haywood and his party will go directly from the depot to the Briggs house, where he will remain until the afternoon, at which time he will leave for the picnic grounds.
———-
[Photograph added.]
From The Chicago Daily Tribune of August 12, 1907:
RED FLAG WAVES; GREETS HAYWOOD
—–
Roosevelt Hissed and “Undesirables” Cheered
at Meeting of Socialists
—–ACQUITTED MAN IS HEARD
—–
Head of Western Miners’ Federation Addressed
Large Crowd at Luna Park.
—–
Hisses for President Roosevelt, cheers for “undesirables,” and a tiny red flag that flapped amid the clicking cameras were distinctive features of the socialists’ welcome of “Comrade” William D. Haywood at Luna park yesterday. The guest of honor proved a good drawing card for the park, and the socialist party shared in the receipts.
Haywood was escorted to the park by a committee consisting of E. N. Nockels, secretary of the Federation of Labor, Anton Johanson of the Woodworkers’ union, and Henry Smith of the Bakers’ union. Although the certified socialists did not figure prominently in the reception committee, red neckties were far more numerous than union buttons in the audience.
Parker H. Sercombe, editor of the uplift magazine, in a clean white duck suit and Mexican sandals, occupied an imposing position on the platform. Mr. Haywood was flanked on either side by several members of the Anthropological society. The address of welcome was made by Secretary Nockels, who then retired into the background.
Haywood Makes a Speech.
When “Comrade” Haywood was introduced he mounted the press table, which also did service as the rostrum, and stood smiling while the Young Men’s Socialist league sang a song about the “social revolution.” The crowd cheered, demanding that “Bill” turn around so he could be seen by all.
[Said Haywood, after acknowledging the cheers:]
It is with a light and and cheerful heart that I am here today to address the workers of the west. In my hour of trouble you supported me manfully, and I know if it is ever again necessary the same support will be cheerfully given. The only thing I need to make my cup of happiness complete would be Moyer on my right and Pettibone on my left hand. Some may say the fight is over and your support is no longer needed, but so long as these men are in the hands of the mineowners you must stand by us.
Roosevelt’s Name Is Hissed.
Despite the fair trial that was given me, I owe it to the workers of the world that I am free and I publicly acknowledge the debt. They tried to railroad me to the gallows and I have you to thank for my life. After we were kidnaped from Colorado we applied to the Supreme court for our release. You will remember that about that time President Roosevelt wrote a letter which has since become widely talked of-
At the mention of President Roosevelt’s name the hisses and cat calls almost silenced the speaker, although they evidently were not directed at him.
[Continued Haywood:]
In that letter, the president said that along with certain other people Moyer and myself were undesirable citizens.
Here the applause was pronounced and some one in the audience sung out,
We’re all undesirables.
Right Of Contract Is Denied.
[Resumed Haywood:]
With all the forces of two states and the federal authorities thus arrayed against me, surely I cannot say I won this fight alone. You stood by me and now I am going to ask you to do as much for yourselves. Unite with your fellow workmen industrially and politically. Stand steadfast and remember that true union men must not make contracts or agreements with employers. To illustrate, if you sign a contract expiring next month and some other union signs one expiring several months thereafter, you are but units, not united.
We all agree that the individual has no right to make a bargain with the employers because he is only a part, a cog in the wheel. Now what more right has the international union when it, too, is but a part of a greater organization? This fight will never end until men and women join hands and stand together for the common good.
In referring to the Western Federation of Miners he said it
was conceived in jail and born in a prison cell, the one in which I waited so long for my trial.
Calls Buchtel Undesirable.
Haywood paid his respects to Gov. Buchtel of Colorado when he said:
I have something to say about Gov. Buchtel, who says I am an undesirable citizen. During the fifteen years the federation of miners has been in existence it has secured many laws for the benefit of the laboring classes. Now it is the duty of an executive of a state to enforce the laws, and if he doesn’t I think he might rightly be called undesirable. On the statute books of Colorado is a law fixing an eight hour day, yet there are a least 8,000 workers in that state who do not enjoy its benefits. Gov. Buchtel is responsible for that.
—–
HAYWOOD CHEERED BY PICKETS
—–
Miners’ Secretary, Gratified by
Greeting from Telegraphers,
Sends Word of Encouragement.
—–
William D. Haywood, secretary of the Western Federation of Miners, received a warm greeting from the telegraph pickets as his carriage passed along Jackson boulevard in the parade that met him at the Union station.
They cheered and Haywood bowed, and a little later when he reached the Briggs house he received this note:
Mr. Haywood; Pickets on duty at the Western Union and Postal Telegraph send congratulations. Hurrah for Haywood.
And Mr. Haywood, mightily pleased, sent back this note:
Pickets and Telegraphers on Strike: your note at hand. Stand shoulder to shoulder. You can’t lose. Yours, fraternally, W. D. HAYWOOD.
———-
[Emphasis and photographs added.]
SOURCES
The Inter Ocean
(Chicago, Illinois)
-Aug 11, 1907
https://www.newspapers.com/image/35021086/
The Chicago Daily Tribune
(Chicago, Illinois)
-Aug 12, 1907
https://www.newspapers.com/image/28655488/
IMAGES
Red Flag, wiki socialism
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Socialism
HMP, Undesirable Citizen, TR Cartoon, Wilshires June 1907
& details
https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=iau.31858037309105;view=1up;seq=158
Commercial Telegraphers Union of America, wiki
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Telegraphers_Union_of_America
See also:
For longer version of Haywood’s speech:
(This might be the entire speech!)
The Industrial Union Bulletin
(Chicago, Illinois)
-Aug 17, 1907
https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iub/v1n25-aug-17-1907-iub.pdf
Commercial Telegraphers Union of America
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Telegraphers_Union_of_America
And esp:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commercial_Telegraphers_Union_of_America#The_CTUA_and_the_Strike_of_1907