Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 20, 1911 Mother Jones News Round-Up for June 1911, Part II Found Pleading Cause of Striking Miners of Westmoreland County
From The Indianapolis Star of June 28, 1911:
WOMAN PLEADS FOR MINERS ———-
“MOTHER JONES TELLS TALE ———- Describes Hardships of Pennsylvania Strikers, but Urges Board to Encourage Men to Continue Fight.
Following an address by “Mother” Jones, known to all miners of the country, members of the executive board of the United Mine Workers of America yesterday adopted resolutions relative to the strike in the Irwin district in western Pennsylvania, where about 6 000 mine workers have been out for a year and a half.
Mrs. Jones, who is 79 years old, has spent most of her time in the strike region during the past year and is thoroughly familiar with conditions there. She told the members of the executive board of the hardships which the miners and their families have endured during the strike and urged the board to adopt resolutions commending the strikers and advising them to continue the fight.
Her address had the desired effect upon the members of the board, and a committee was appointed to draw up resolutions.
PLEDGES CONTINUED SPPORT.
The resolutions provide that the executive board indorse the strikers and urge them to continue their fight, and the board pledges its continued support to the miners. It is also provided that a general meeting be held in the region, at which a vote is to be taken to ascertain if a majority of the miners favor the continuance of the strike
The miners organization is spending about $90,000 a month to support the families of the strikers. It is said that the operators refuse to recognize the organization in the district and will not consider any compromise.
Francis Feehan president of the Pittsburg district and a number of organizers also appeared before the board yesterday to present their views on the strike.
“Mother” Jones expects to return to the Irwin district soon to continue her work among the families of the strikers.
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[Photograph added.]
From the Evansville Press of June 29, 1911:
PETER POWERS TALK -WOMEN AND CHILDREN FIGHT JAIL RATS.
Gilson Gardner’s story of women and girls thrown into a vermin-infested rat-hole called a jail because they “disturbed the peace” by beating a tin can and singing at a strikebreaker in Westmoreland-co, Pa., is not overdrawn.
I have just received a letter from Mother Jones, “the angel of the miners,” who has gone into Westmoreland-co, Pa., to lead in the unequal fight of the impoverished men, women and children against the gigantic corporations.
[Writes Mother:]
There were three generations in jail because they could not pay $10 apiece in fines to a corporation ‘squire, who might as well have demanded $10,000 as $10. There was a mother, her three months’ old baby and a grandmother besides two little children who could not walk, huddled together in a foul prison fighting off rats. Can such conditions prevail in Russia? I doubt it. I know they would not be tolerated in monarchial England or Germany. The men of this nation who permit such outrages are cowards.
The so-called judge who sentenced the women and children to jail without mercy is an ardent church-goer. Last Sunday 2,000 miners and their wives and children marched-it’s an old custom and second nature of miners to hold processions. The church people sent the Cossacs to tell us not to play the band or do any singing, as they were praying. Perhaps if we had disobeyed we would nave been in contempt or court.
Mrs. Dot Smith, Aged 19, and Her Three- Months-Old Baby, Sentenced to 20 Days in County Jail For Beating a Tomato Can and Making Sarcastic Remarks While a Scab Was Passing Her House.
[Photographs added.]
From Pennsylvania’s Latrobe Bulletin of June 30, 1911:
Strikers May Be Asked to Vote on an Important Question ———-
At yet, it is said, no arrangements have been made, locally, for the calling of a general meeting of the strikers in this district for the purpose of voting on the question of continuing the coal strike; the holding of a meeting of this kind having been advocated by the International Board of the United Mine Workers, in session at Indianapolis, on Wednesday.
The board is still in session, it is said, and the arrangements for the meeting may not be made until after those in attendance from the Pittsburgh District return home.
The resolutions providing for the calling of a meeting are said to have been passed on Wednesday, following the appearance of Mother Jones before the board. She is said to have made a strong plea in behalf of the strikers. The resolutions which were passed, provided, it is said, that the board indorse the strikers and urge them to continue.
It was also provided that “a general meeting be held in the region, at which a vote is to be taken to ascertain if a majority of the miners favor the continuance of the strike.
The inference is that if a majority of the miners favor calling off the strike, the board will be willing to do so.
Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Writes to Peter Powers; Tells of Women and Children Thrown into Rat-Infested Jail (Note especially: “see also” section.)
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