There can be no democracy in this world
so long as industrial workers have to beg to live.
-Mother Jones
Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 20, 1917
Mother Jones News for August, Part I: “Fire Eater” Speaks
From the The St. Louis Star of August 23, 1917:
From the New York Sun of August 3, 1917:
‘SUN’ TOBACCO FUND WELL OVER $32,000
[…..]…One of the most interesting letters of the day came from Terence V. Powderly, once a candidate for President of the United States, now chief of the division of information of the bureau of immigration in the United States Department of Labor. Writing from Washington. Mr. Powderly said:
Here are $5 for THE SUN Smoke Fund. The contributors are as follows: Mother Jones $1, Charles F. Warren $1 and T. V. Powderly $3. Neither of us uses tobacco in any form, but we realize that our boys in the trenches may get a great deal of comfort out of a cigar, cigarette, an old pipe or a “chaw of tabacker.”
Plan to Keep It Up.
We intend to keep this up, for we know that whatever THE SUN undertakes to do it succeeds in doing well, and our soldiers in Europe will get the benefit of every cent contributed. This is just a word of encouragement to our boys to “smoke up.”
Doubtless among “our boys” will be many mine workers who hold Mother Jones in genuine affection…
From The Cincinnati Enquirer of August 5, 1917:
ELECTRIC CURRENT FAILURES
—–
Is Important factor in Subnormal
Coal Production.Frequent failure of electric current, by which mines in the smokeless fields are operated, is an important factor in the present coal shortage, according to William J. Tobin, publicitor [for the coal mine operators], who has just completed an investigation of conditions in the smokeless coal fields of West Virginia.
Mr. Tobin says that the current failure, together with the labor shortage and car shortage, are responsible for the subnormal tonnage being produced at the mines…
[Mr. Tobin further reports:]
Mother Jones is in the smokeless coal fields. Those who know this defiant agitator realize the menace at this time in her strenuous propaganda. During July, as the direct result of her appeals, some 1,250 men either participated in strikes at Raleigh, Mabscott, Sprague and Pemberton operations or were directly thereby affected. Those in position to know anticipate some action at Washington to prevent a recurrence of trouble such as occurred a few years ago in the Cabin Creek district, as peaceful conditions alone will enable the smokeless coal fields reasonably to meet the expectations of the Administration in supplying war vessels and munition factories with this high efficiency fuel.
———-
From The Indianapolis Star of August 6, 1917:
‘Mother Jones,’ Here, Declares
W. Va. Coal Situation Is Good
—–Rosy and buxom and vigorous as a woman of 40, though she recently celebrated her eighty-seventh birthday, “Mother” Jones, the idol of all American coal miners, is in Indianapolis to bring to miners’ headquarters cheering intelligence from the labor situation in West Virginia.
[Said “Mother” Jones, at the Hotel Severin last night:]
Instead of settling our differences with bullets, we are meeting the operators down there and settling our troubles across the table.
“Mother” Jones defended the I. W. W. organization, although she said she did not approve of all its methods.
[She said:]
But we must remember that they are workingmen and no state has a right to deport any class of citizens. I’m a patriot from my heels up. The American flag stands for justice and industrial freedom ad I do not propose that it shall perish on the altar of dollars if I can help it.
“Mother” Jones is an ardent admirer of President Wilson. “And he’s going to bring down the price of coal,” she declared.
———-
From Indiana’s Richmond Item of August 19, 1917:
WINTER COAL FAMINE SURE
There will be a coal famine next winter, probably in spite of everything, and its shortage may tie-up industries before the first frost.
The coal situation is bad, so bad that it is doubtful if serious trouble can be averted.
President Wilson has the power to appoint a commission or a coal administration similar to the food administrator, or to turn the subject over to the federal trade commission; and he probably will do one of these before very long.
But even then there will be suffering in many homes in the northwest, and many a factory will shut down…
Mother Jones famous strike leader, in Washington last week, saw Frank Peabody of the national defense coal committee. Peabody is quoted in dispatches as saying:
“If you don’t watch out the government is going to take over the coal mines.”
“Perhaps,” said Mother Jones, “and perhaps worse things might happen.”
Perhaps that’s the answer.
———-
From Missouri’s St. Louis Star of August 22, 1917:
Note: the article is about the appearance of Mother Jones at the Polish Hall in East St. Louis, Illinois.
‘MOTHER’ JONES WILL SPEAK ON EAST SIDE.
—–“Mother” Jones, famous for her activity in miners strikes, will deliver an address at Polish Hall, Seventh street and St. Clair avenue, East St. Louis, at 8 o’clock tonight. Emmet T. Flood, organizer for the American Federation of Labor, also will speak. Notices of the meeting were printed in English, Polish and Hungarian.
Chief of Police Keating and United States District Attorney Karch each announced they would send men to the meeting to see that no improper remarks are made.
———-
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of August 22, 1917:
‘MOTHER’ JONES, LABOR SPEAKER,
ARRIVES IN EAST ST. LOUIS
—–
Union Agitator, Attracted by Reports
of Conditions, Will Make
an Address Today.“Mother” Jones, labor agitator, arrived in East St. Louis this morning from Chicago.
She said she had come because of the public attention drawn to labor conditions in East St. Louis recently. She will make an address tonight at Polish Hall, Seventh street and St. Clair avenue, East St. Louis. The circular announcing her address was printed in English, Polish and Hungarian, and called her the “Miners’ Angel.” It stated that she is now more than 80 years old.
The Chief of Police announced that police would be at the meeting.
———-
From The St. Louis Star of August 23, 1917:
EAST SIDE PACKERS’ STRIKE SUGGESTED
BY MOTHER JONES
—–
87-Year-Old Agitator Traces Many
Army Rejections to Low
Standard of Living.
—–
Reorganization of packing house workers’ unions and a demand for more wages may follow the militant speech of “Mother” Jones, self-styled angel of the miners, made at a meeting before 700 laborers and their families at Polska Hall, Seventh and St. Clair streets, East St. Louis, last night.
The 87-year-year-old labor worker said that strikes and riots were absolutely necessary for the betterment of conditions for working men and their families. Strikes must come, she declared, and riots, maybe, but she advised her hearers that in all cases the law must be obeyed.
[She declared:]
There can be no democracy in this world so long as industrial workers have to beg to live. The lives you live and the work you do are such that you are not fit to serve as fighting men. Of all the Colorado miners I know, only two were physically able to pass the physical tests. The same thing will apply to the packing house workers. You can’t fight for your own families, even, much less for your country.
Mother Jones called the packing house owners burglars. The sooner the workers wake up to that fact, she said, the better it will be for them.
Chief of Police Keating, who attended the meeting said today that Mother Jones’ references to rioting at this time was highly improper. Otherwise no expression was made officially concerning the speech. Chief of Detectives Nevill had a number of detectives in the audience and a number of secret service men had also been sent there by United States District Attorney Karch.
———-
[Photograph added is from page one of this issue.]
From The Topeka State Journal of August 23, 1917:
URGE PACKERS STRIKE
—–
Agitator “Mother” Jones and
Union Organizers Advocate Riot.
—–East St. Louis, Ill., Aug. 23.-Hints of impending packing house employe’s strike were heard here today following a mass-meeting last night addressed by “Mother” Jones, 87-year-old labor lecturer and worker in which the fiery speaker urged laborers in the meat industries to riot if necessary to obtain their ends.
Fred Schmeidt [Schmidt], vice president of the International Union of Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butchers, and Emmet Flood, of Chicago, national organizer of the American Federation of Labor, addressed the meeting, urging the men to strike for higher wages.
———-
From the Illinois Belleville News-Democrat of August 23, 1917:
MOTHER JONES IN E. ST. LOUIS
—–
‘Angel of the Miners’
Addresses Audience of Meat-cutters
—–Mother Jones Wednesday night addressed an audience of 4000 packinghouse employes in East St. Louis, on the subject of fighting for Uncle Sam.
[She asked:]
If Uncle Sam needs you to go over to Europe to fight, what do you think about the men working in the packing houses in East St. Louis? They would have to say that they did not fight for their own wives and children and that they could not fight for Uncle Sam.
Mother Jones said that in a mining community of West Virginia she knew of only two men drafted who passed the physical examination.
Unless first-class burglars, who are at the bottom of the combine of industries, are forced to revise their ways and help their employes meet the high cost of living by paying more wages, the next generation will be less fit than the present. You can’t make good men unless you feed them when they are boys.
Mother Jones also attacked charity. She said that what we need is ways in which to earn a living and not be dependent upon charity. She also said that it was not necessary to have a W. C. T. U. or Y. W. C. A. The country would be better off without them, she said, and the money, thousands of dollars, could be paid to increase wages.
SOURCES
The Sun
(New York, New York)
-Aug 3, 1917
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn83030431/1917-08-03/ed-1/seq-2/
The Cincinnati Enquirer
(Cincinnati, Ohio)
-Aug 5, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/35059180/
The Indianapolis Star
(Indianpolis, Indiana)
-Aug 6, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/118505112/
The Richmond Item
(Richmond, Indiana)
-Aug 19, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/250053465/
The St. Louis Star
(St Louis, Missouri)
-Aug 22, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/204370917/
-Aug 23, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/204374355/
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
(St Louis, Missouri)
-Aug 22, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/138252983/
The Topeka State Journal
(Topeka, Kansas)
-Aug 23, 1917
http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn82016014/1917-08-23/ed-1/seq-1/
Belleville News-Democrat
(Belleville, Illinois)
-Aug 23, 1917, page 2
http://www.genealogybank.com/
IMAGE
Mother Jones Fire Eater, St L Str, Aug 23, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/204372148/
See also:
Amalgamated Meat Cutters and Butcher Workmen of North America,
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amalgamated_Meat_Cutters
WCTU
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Woman%27s_Christian_Temperance_Union
YWCA
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/YWCA
Mother Jones – Rob McNurlin
Great song & new to me!