Hellraisers Journal – Sunday August 22, 1920 -Mother Jones News for July 1920, Part II Speech at Williamson, W. Va., Described; Found in Indianapolis
From the Buffalo Labor Journal of July 8, 1920:
MOUNTAIN MEN AROUSED —–
Williamson, W. Va. [June 20, 1920]-“The motto of West Virginia, ‘Mountainers are always free,’ will be made effective,” declared Mother Jones in an address to over 5,000 miners of Mingo county. A drenching rain did not deter the workers from coming out of the mountains, the tent colonies of evicted strikers and neighboring towns. Mayor Porter of this place assured the meeting that he was in perfect sympathy with their efforts to rid the state of Baldwin-Feltz detective thugs, employed by the coal owners.
Secretary Pauley of the West Virginia Federation of Labor told the miners that trade unionists through out the state are behind them in this fight for law and order.
The recent murder of the mayor of Matewan and other citizens by the Baldwin-Feltz detective thugs, who were attempting to evict miners without due process of law, has aroused organized labor to greater activity against these private armies of the coal owners. The same condition prevails in Logan and McDowell counties. Governor Cornwell ignores these outlaws while delivering lectures and issuing statements on the need for “100 per cent. Americanism.”
[Photograph added.]
From Indiana Daily Times of July 15, 1920:
Undaunted by years, optimistically certain of the successful outcome of her doctrines of industry, Mother Jones, 90, veteran labor leader of the miners, today was a guest at the Hotel Severin, resting on her way to the west.
“We are now in the very midst of a national crisis,” asserted the elderly leader, her eyes sparkling with fervent interest, “and the workers of the world must forge to the front and take their rightful place in the nation.”
When asked whether she will vote for either of the two newly nominated candidates for president “Mother” Jones replied, “No, for I think politics is too rotten.”
She recalled how she had been arrested in Pennsylvania coal fields during a strike fight, and was taken before a magistrate, who demanded to know whether she had a permit to speak in the town.
“I looked that judge squarely in the eye,” said “Mother” Jones, “and I said to him: ‘Yes, I have a permit, and when he asked who gave the permit I said, ‘Patrick Henry and other men who fought for liberty and justice over 143 years ago gave me that permit to speak the truth,’ and that Judge turned me loose.”
The white-haired woman expressed her pride of having passed the ninety-year mark of life, and declared she expects to live 100 years, serving the cause of the laboring men.
“Out of this whole world-wide fight for justice in the industrial world must come success, for Christ-like teachings must overcome the greed of un-Christ-like men,” declared “Mother” Jones.
Recalling the experiences in jail in Pennsylvania and Colorado, she insisted she never was long in jail.
“Mother” Jones left the city at noon for Chicago, where she will confer with labor officials, and then expects to go to Colorado and other states in the west in a campaign to help labor forces.
From The Indianapolis News of July 15, 1920:
MOTHER JONES IN CITY. ——- Friend of Worker Talks of Labor and Women’s Styles of Dress.
Energetic as ever in spite of her ninety years, Mary Jones, nationally known as Mother Jones for her work among the miners, visited the labor union officers in Indianapolis today. She left early in the afternoon for Danville, Ill. She said she had no special mission in Indianapolis but was merely keeping in touch with the officers of the unions in her usual manner.
[She said:]
My aim is to bring justice to the workers and make them realize what their rights are. History has shown that every nation that permits the producers to be oppressed has ultimately perished. We do not want the United States to come to such an end.
[She continued:]
Charity and welfare work will not solve the problems of industry today. The workers must be given their rights and I am against the men who first oppress the workers and then rob them.
She discussed certain demoralizing influences of moving picture shows and the extreme current fashions of dress adopted by girls and emphasized the importance of proper training for children if they are to become good American citizens.
She discussed certain demoralizing influences of moving picture shows and the extreme current fashions of dress adopted by girls and emphasized the importance of proper training for children if they are to become good American citizens.
From United Mine Workers Journal of July 15, 1920:
Mother Jones at Matewan, about June 21, 1920
From The Charleston Daily Mail of July 29, 1920:
“MOTHER” JONES IN CITY.
“Mother ” Jones was a visitor at the headquarters of the United Mine Workers this morning. She has just arrived from Illinois, where she conferred with smelters, who are on a strike. She leaves tomorrow for Mingo county to watch the progress of the strike of the coal miners.
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From Missouri’s King City Tri-County News of July 30, 1920:
Mother Jones to Speak.
Kirksville, Mo.-“Mother” Jones prominent figure in the labor world, has consented to deliver an address at the Labor Day celebration in this city, September 6.
On July 21, 1920, Mother Jones wrote from Charleston WV to John H. Walker, President of Illinois Federation of Labor, wherein she discussed her trip to Chicago and her regret at not seeing him while there. She stated:
My strength is failing, John, I don’t feel able to do the work I did, but the boys are good to me here they don’t over work me, the fact of the matter is they let me come and go as I want to. I put in some very strenuous years for the last ten years, it has not been easy sailing for me, but however, I have lived to see things moving.
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