Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1917, Part I: Found in Illinois

You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones

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Hellraisers Journal, Friday August 17, 1917
Mother Jones News for July, Part I: Blamed for Riot

During the evening of Thursday, July 5th, Mother Jones spoke on behalf of striking street carmen in Bloomington, Illinois. She was blamed for the riot which broke out following her speech.

From The Daily (Bloomington) Pantagraph of July 6, 1917:

Bloomington this morning is practically under martial law following one of the wildest nights of rioting in its history. Troop G, First Illinois cavalry from Peoria reached the city at 7:30 a. m. over the Big Four under the command of Captain Thomas J. Simpson. There were 58 men and three officers. They proceeded immediately to the B. & N. power house at the intersection of Roosevelt avenue and the Big Four tracks, where they pitched camp.

Several more companies of troops are on their way to Bloomington from Chicago and will reach here about noon……

The “Mother Jones” Meeting.

“Mother” Jones, it is said, closed her address by telling the men “to do something.” With this incentive hundreds of men and women gathered in front of the Eagles hall apparently waiting for a leader….

From the Ottawa (Illinois) Free Trader-Journal of July 6, 1917:

CALL TROOPS TO BLOOMINGTON;
STREET CAR STRIKERS IN RIOT
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600 SOLDIERS ARE ON SCENE AFTER
NIGHT OF DISTURBANCE
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STIRRED BY WOMAN
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MOTHER JONES INFLAMES MEN WITH ARGUMENTS AGAINST EMPLOYERS-
CHICAGO SOLDIERS RUSHED TO PUT END TO TROUBLE.

Chicago, July 6.-Col. Milton J. Foreman and 600 troopers of the second field artillery pulled out of Chicago on a Chicago & Alton train at 10 o’clock today. They had a clear right of way and were expected to arrive in Bloomington about noon.

A second detachment of 800 members of the Second Illinois Artillery, under Lieut. Col. W. H. Whigman, was prepared to entrain for Bloomington this afternoon.

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Bloomington, Ill., July 6.-Seven troops of the First Illinois Cavalry, ordered out by Governor Lowden on appeal of Mayor E. E. Jones, were enroute here today following a night of rioting and property destruction, an outgrowth of the street car strike.

The strikers, who bad been peaceful since their walkout several weeks ago, were stirred into activity by the oratory of “Mother” Jones at a mass meeting of the striking employes last night.

Pouring out of the hall, the crowd began attacking cars operated by nonunion crews. Several conductors and motormen were badly beaten and a member of the mob was shot thru the neck. A street car was run on to the railroad trucks and stalled there.

A cry of “To the power house” went up from the mob, and it swept toward the big generating plant of the Bloomington and Normal Railway and Light Company. The employes, notified in advance, shut down the plant, and the city homes and business places were in darkness. The street lights were still on, however, their power coming from the municipal plant.

After vainly trying to enter the power house, the mob attacked street cars which were stalled in the streets when the power was shut off, smashing windows and then stormed the downtown office of the street car company, breaking the big plate glass windows.

The entire police force, augmented by special deputies, hastily sworn in, could do nothing with the crowds, but when Mayor Jones announced troops were enroute, the crowd dispersed.

Col. Milton J, Foreman, of Chicago, is in command of the cavalry, which embraces six Chicago companies and the Peoria troops.

Quiet This Afternoon.

Bloomington, Ill., July 6.-Bloomington was quiet at 2 o’clock this afternoon after a night of rioting and property destruction an outgrowth of the street car strike. One company of the First Illinois Cavalry, dismounted, was patrolling the streets and five more companies were expected to arrive at any [minute?]. “Red” Duly, alleged riot leader, was under arrest.

Mayor E. E. Jones, stated that he expected no reoccurrence of last night’s trouble.

No More Troops Needed.

Springfield, Ill., July 6.-No more troops will be needed at Bloomington to quell the rioting street railway strikers. Col. Richard J. Shand, acting adjutant general, believes. Col. Shand talked to Mayor Jones this morning and was informed that every thing was quiet and there is no sign of a renewal of the rioting. The power was turned on at the power plant early this morning.

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From The Decatur Herald of July 7, 1917:

BLOOMINGTON STREET CAR STRIKE IS SETTLED
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I. T. S. Agrees to Take Back Men and Conference
Monday Will Adjust Other Disputes-
Troops Are on Guard.
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BLOOMINGTON, Ill., July 7.-The Bloomington streetcar strike which, for a time late Thursday night, threatened to assume serious proportions after rioters stoned street cars, was amicably settled late Friday while 600 state soldiers were on the ground prepared to combat any trouble.

Men Taken Back.

The Illinois Traction System, which controls the lines here, agreed Friday to take back in service men who left its employ a few weeks ago, precipitating the trouble, and a conference was arranged for Monday to adjust all to other difficulties.

The strikers agreed to return to work Saturday.

Mayor Jones announced the settlement to hundreds of persons assembled at the city hall Friday afternoon. He said Gen. Manager Chubbuck of the traction system had agreed to grant the men’s demands insofar as reinstatement was concerned.

Conference Monday.

Other issues, including the closed shop demands of the employes, a new pay schedule and hours of labor will be taken up when a committee representing the street car men, the Federated Shop Employes of the Chicago & Alton, Mayor Jones and the traction company meets.

Several hundred employes of the Alton shops quit work Friday in a sympathetic strike, and paraded up town.

Nine Companies Called.

Nine companies of the I. N. G. were ordered to this city early Friday to restore order following a night of rioting, caused by the strike of employes of the Bloomington & Normal Railway & Light Co.

[Mother Jones Blamed]

The strike has been in progress for several weeks and had been conducted in an orderly manner until Thursday night [July 5th] when “Mother” Jones, labor advocate, delivered a speech to a crowd of strikers and sympathizers.

“Mother” Jones Stirs Men.

“Mother” Jones in her speech, advocated getting the strike breakers off of the cars, and following the relation of her experiences in other strikes, in which she stated that she had defied the militia, the regular army and the President, said that

The only way to win a strike was to run the “scabs” out of town.

As she closed she said:

Go get them scabs.

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From The Beckley Messenger of July 10, 1917:

In connection with her organizing work in West Virginia on behalf of the United Mine Workers of America, Mother was found the subject of advertisements placed in the Beckley Messenger. Three were bitterly opposed to her work, and one gave a favorable review.

From page 2:

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From page 3:

“MOTHER” JONES
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Great Meeting Near Quinnimont,
West Virginia.
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“Mother ” Jones had a most refreshing experience at a great meeting of the miners at Quinnimont, West Virginia, on the 14th day of June. The Layland mines, where the meeting was held, is owned by the Berwin-White coal Company, and a large number of men are employed at this place. It is in the very heart of mountainous New River coal fields. In the years gone by this section has been a veritable Gibraltar of the foes of unionism, and armed guards have patrolled the works of the companies looking for those who were trying to carry the message of unionism to the miners of this section. Happily, this condition has passed away in many parts of this field, and the private gunman is being driven farther and farther back into the remote mountain fastness.

The refreshing part of the Layland meeting was the manner and spirit in which Mr. O. A. Kneer, the superintendent of the Berwin-White Coal Company received the visit of “Mother” Jones. Instead of following the tactics of some of the less enlightened companies, and forbidding “Mother” Jones holding a meeting at the mines, he told the miners to go to the meeting, and was present himself. After the meeting was over he said it was one of the best addresses he had ever heard. Having an open mind and the spirit of fair play, he was ready to meet the miners half way and deal with them as men with rights.

If all the coal companies were enlightened enough to show the same spirit, the coal fields of the country would not so often be the scene of bitter industrial struggles, Mr. O. A. Kneer by his fairness and good will, has done much to bring peace between the miners and operators in this section. His attitude is commended to the companies who think to crush the miners by private armies of gunmen. There is nothing that appeals to the average miner so much as fair play.-Advertisement.

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