Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday May 27, 1919
Prisons and Jails of the U.S.A. Now Hold the “Best and Bravest”
From The Messenger of May-June 1919:
POLITICAL PRISONERS
Fellow Worker Ben Fletcher —–
The recent conviction and sentenced of the national Socialist officials, the Supreme Court’s confirmation of the convictions of Eugene V. Debs and of Kate Richards O’Hare, definitely stamp the United States as the most archaic, antiquated and reactionary of the alleged civilized nations. In addition to these popular and well-known characters, there are 1,500 political and class prisoners in the prisons. Practically all other countries have granted amnesty to their political prisoners, but the U. S. is sentencing them more savagely now than during the War.
Men like Victor Berger, Adolph Germer, Louis Engdahl, Irwin St John Tucker and Charles Kruse have each been sentenced to imprisonment for twenty years for speaking a word in favor of human liberty and for making statements concerning profiteering and patriotism, the truth of which has been amply corroborated by the Federa Trade Commission and the Federal Income Tax Reports. Among the 1,500 political and class prisoners are men of practically all races and nationalities.
Negro men like Ben Fletcher, who have done more to improve the actual economic and social life of Negro workers than the much heralded so-called leaders, are in prison for fifteen and twenty years. There is no race, color or sex line involved. The best and bravest, the noblest and most courageous, are in the dark and cavernous prison cells of this country.
Eugene V. Debs, who refused to speak in a Jim Crow hall in Atalanta, and who took his stand in the open air, deserting a despicably segregated hall, has been sentenced to ten years. And Kate Richards O’Hare, who never allowed the race or color issue to swerve her from her duty, is to be there for five years.
A call we send out to white and black citizens. We must stand together as a stone wall in demanding the release of these political prisoners. Among their members are to be found those white men and women and those courageous Negro workers who have most frequently raised their voice and pen against lynching, disfranchisement, segregation and discrimination in this alleged land of the free. Their concern is our concern. We must give more consideration to those men who will face jails and cells for a principle, and less to the smug, sleek leaders who swerve, compromise and equivocate for soft berths, fat salaries and slothful ease.
———-
[Italics in original.]
[Photograph, emphasis and paragraph break added.]
From The New Solidarity of May 24, 1919:
FELLOW WORKER WRITES FROM LEAVENWORTH
[Letter from FW Jack Law.]
—–
Fellow Worker Jack Law —–
Leavenworth, May 15.-I wish to call your attention to several things that have happened and will continue to happen unless you, the members, put your shoulders to the wheel to stop them.
First, I and several others here for the past eight months have not received one letter or bulletin from our respective Industrial Unions or the G. R. U. [General Recruiting Union]. We may be isolated from you personally, but we are still I. W. W. and are always anxious to know how our movement is progressing, therefore we ask you, the members, to suggest to our various secretaries to keep us posted by bulletins or letters of what is going on.
Second, we protest against smokers or collections for the benefit of class war prisoners and the proceeds being sent to some of the prisoners, while others get nothing. Therefore we ask that such money be sent to the general defense, where we know it will be equally divided or spent for the best interest of all. This is the only way to get unity of action and keep bad feelings from arising, so let our slogan be all together for all alike.
Another thing that will help our peace of mind, is for members from different parts of the country to write often, giving outline of conditions from their locality. By doing this you will give us live issues to discuss, thereby eliminating the misunderstandings we get when we have to depend on the daily papers only.
Last, but not least, we in here know that anything we get, whether it be our liberty or anything else, must come by the efforts of you, the workers. We know that you will produce the goods when the time comes. It will be a hard fight, but you will overcome all obstacles by steady plugging and building the One Big Union. That will take lots of hard, steady grinding, but don’t forget the part each must play. Many times you will feel down-hearted, but just grind your teeth and use self-discipline to overcome all in your way.
For it is you, the real democrats, who will usher in by your efforts alone the New Day of the world for the organized workers. With best wishes I bid you farewell until you have accomplished the task you have set yourselves.-Jack Law.
War-time Prosecutions and Mob Violence:
Involving the Rights of Free Speech, Free Press,
and Peaceful Assemblage
-from Apr 1, 1917 to Mar 1, 1919
National Civil Liberties Bureau, 1919
(search separately with last names from articles above) https://books.google.com/books?id=cZ5DAQAAMAAJ
———-
