You can’t build a great nation
on a starved and cursed working class.
The workers are the bone and sinew of the nation.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday July 23, 1918
Mother Jones News for June 1918, Part I: Found in West Virginia
Mother Jones was found in mostly in West Virginia during the month of June giving fiery speeches to the miners of that state who are now being rapidly organized into the ranks of District 17 of the United Mine Workers of America. For example, on Sunday June 9th, at Haywood Junction, West Virginia, she declared:
Don’t let the Kaiser know that we have men in West Virginia who will let their bosses kick them around and let their children open the doors in the mines for mules to pass….
There are old fellows around here living in the candle age still. There is a change in the thought of the world but these poor fellows can’t see it. This nation can make dollars any time it wishes but men and women cannot be turned out so easily and it takes nourishment, training and character to produce them. The clouds are breaking and the sun is beginning to shine for the workers. Labor went into this war to bring democracy to the world. You can’t build a great nation on a starved and cursed working class. The workers are the bone and sinew of the nation.
From The Quarry Workers Journalof June 1, 1918:
MOTHER JONES SAYS:
“PRIVILEGE TO SEE WAR FOR MANKIND”
—–
Aged Strike Veteran, Known as
“Angel of the Miners,”
Takes Place with Nation’s Fighters on
Side of Victory and Democracy.San Francisco, Cal. May 28.-“Mother” Jones, known throughout the mining regions of this country as the “angel of the miners,” has come out flatly in favor of a victorious war on the central powers.
Mother Jones is now well past 84 years of age, but her intrepid courage is undaunted by the passing years. The veteran of scores of strikes, and the victim of numerous arrests and unwarranted detentions, she still goes about the country alone and unassisted. Except that at each city in which she stops, she has “her boys” to cheer her on.
Mother Jones comes from fighting stock, and she has had many a grim battle in her life, so it is no wonder that she should range herself on the side of the allies in the world war. Then, too, she has seen so many of “her boys” go off to France in this conflict, that her heart is bound up with allied victory.
[The way she puts it:]
Through out all the ages mankind has suffered from autocracy and it is a glorious privilege to have been permitted to live long enough to see it made the issue of a world war. Lots of things are going to happen as a result of this war, and most of them will be beneficial to humanity.
“Mother” Jones cannot find words sufficiently adequate to express her admiration for the young men who have volunteered and crossed the ocean to help “lick the kaiser.” She says the United States government has done the right thing, and that President Wilson is the foremost statesman in the world.
“Mother” says that for the first time she finds herself urging working men and working women to buy government bonds. ”
[She asks:]
If we are not true to the government in this fight, when can we ever be true?
———-
From the St. Louis Post-Dispatch of June 2, 1918:
Thanks From “Mother” Jones.
To the Editor of the Post-Dispatch.
Permit me the privilege of expressing my appreciation of your kind editorial of May 14. It rather surprised me, for, as a rule, all the bouquets I ever get have generally brickbats inside of them, and I feel the man who wrote that editorial must have been nursed by a noble woman, whose great human instincts she planted in his bosom.
The vitriolic pens of corporate interests have not spared me, but I have gone on and fought the battle for a better social order. I have lived to see the light breaking into the life of the workers of this country.
MOTHER JONES.
———-
From The Wheeling Intelligencer of June 5, 1918:
LABOR BODY OPPOSES TRAVELING SALESMEN
—–PARKERSBURG, W. Va., June 3.-The West Virginia State Federation of Labor, in session here on the second day of the convention, has adopted two resolutions of importance. One resolution is to the effect that commercial travelers should be called in off the road during the progress of the war, it being stated that they add to the cost of the necessaries of life without rendering any real benefit. The second resolution indorses legislation for an increase in rates for postal employes. The morning session was taken up with the reports of officers, while committees are reporting “Mother” Jones will arrive here from Charleston this evening and the entire delegation will meet her at the train. Governor Cornwell sent a telegram expressing his regret at being unable to attend the convention.
———-
From The Wheeling Intelligencer of June 6, 1918:
LABOR MEN IN PLEDGE TO WIN
—–
Will Meet Any Sacrifice That is
Necessary to Defeat Germany
—–PARKERSBURG, W.Va., June 5.-Several resolutions were adopted during to-day’s session of the West Virginia Federation of Labor, in eleventh annual convention here. A patriotic resolution pledged the organization to any sacrifices necessary to the winning of the war, denying it was retarding producing production…
The convention will close Thursday, when officers will be elected and the next place of meeting chosen. “Mother” Jones spoke from the court house steps in an open meeting this evening.
———-
From the Fairmont West Virginian of June 7, 1918:
Mother Jones, who made an address to the meeting of the West Virginia Federation of Labor at Parkersburg this week and one to the public from the court house steps one evening, observed:
“And by the way we expect to put some judges on the bum bye and bye.”
Turning to representatives of the press she asked that the statement be used so that the Judges would see it.
—–
Mayor Joe Craddock of Clarksburg, who was present at the gathering made a rather humorous address in which he advanced the claim that Clarksburg was the strongest union town in the State. He put it:
“Clarksburg has the union bug strong and the biggest union in Greater Clarksburg is the union bootlegger’s union.”
Mayor Craddock said that he expected to put this union out of existence inside of six months…
———-
From the Fairmont West Virginian of June 10, 1918:
MANY MINERS AT MEETING
MOTHER JONES ADDRESSED
—–
Work of Organizing the Region
is Progressing Rapidly.
—–M.W.U. OFFICERS HERE
—–
Mother Jones Made Characteristic
Talk Yesterday Afternoon.
—–
The car supply for the mines on the Monongahela road tomorrow will be fifty per cent.
“Whoa boy! I am no angel.” exclaimed “Mother” Jones when introduced to a gathering of coal miners at Haywood Junction, near Lumberport Sunday, by W. F. Gould, of Enterprise, who had declared that she was the “angel” of the miner and the “angel” of the international organizers. “Whoa, boy! I am no angel,” she repeated, “but I am not out raising hell!”
[She went on:]
Angel don’t suit me at all for I am not the style of woman that might be described. I am not suffragette nor a W. C. T. U. worker and I don’t belong to the missionary cats. I’ll tell you I have made a study of that issue.
She took occasion to poke fun at the women reformers generally and to ridicule some religious efforts.
The labor movement has done more to humanize and christianize this country than all the churches, universities or capitalistic institutions. The labor movement brings out the pure christian spirit.
“Mother” Jones softened towards women at other places in her address and once took occasion to declare that every greet man had a great mother and took the women to task who neglect the great duty that they owe to their children.
The men were also put on the pan for not giving their children the proper chance. “Mother” Jones declared proper that there bad not been social justice in West Virginia and that she could not understand how Patrick Henry and Thomas Jefferson had been raised in Virginia and had not left their blood in the veins of West Virginians.
[She cried out in the irony for which she is famous:]
Don’t let the Kaiser know that we have men in West Virginia who will let their bosses kick them around and let their children open the doors in the mines for mules to pass.[She declared at another time:]
There are old fellows around here living in the candle age still. There is a change in the thought of the world but these poor fellows can’t see it. This nation can make dollars any time it wishes but men and women cannot be turned out so easily and it takes nourishment, training and character to produce them. The clouds are breaking and the sun is beginning to shine for the workers. Labor went into this war to bring democracy to the world. You can’t build a great nation on a starved and cursed working class. The workers are the bone and sinew of the nation.
“Mother” Jones was sound in her war talk declaring at several times in her speech that the war must be supported enthusiastically and loyally. She declared that Lincoln removed the chattels from the slaves and that Wilson gave industrial freedom.
“Mother” Jones said a few words for the “colored brother” whom she thought had been misrepresented and misunderstood. She declared that the government itself had said that the miners could organize and that they were not to be interfered with. As a final shot she ridiculed the temperance workers, saying that the miners could regulate their drinks themselves.
[She cried:]
Don’t break any laws, but don’t stand for prohibition. It is hair tonic you get now and not whiskey.
“Mother” Jones spoke at “Little Elm” below Shinnston on June 7, sixteen years ago and that was the only time she appeared in that section of the country before. She made reference to her previous visit in this speech and said in leaving that it was not “good bye.” She was at Grafton on Decoration Day and last week went to Parkersburg for the meeting of the West Virginia Federation of Labor. “Mother” Jones spoke in Fairmont in 1916 making an address in front of the court house.
“Mother” Jones was billed to speak at ten o’clock and was to have left Fairmont on the nine o’clock car. She reached Fairmont late Saturday night but was up for the car. Frank Keeney, president of District No. 13 [17], Fred Mooney, secretary, Charles Batley and Dave Fowler, international organizers, also reached Fairmont late Saturday night after a strenuous week and did not get up in time to catch the nine o’clock car. They decided to leave by auto being told it was a twenty minutes drive. James Diana, a member of the district board, passed through Haywood Junction on the eleven o’clock car and told of the party’s start. There were rumors that the party had been seen at Lucas and at Pooz mine and that bad roads had forced detours. When they did not arrive at 12:30 people went home to dinners in great numbers and consequently the meeting held after the arrival of the party on the one o’clock car was not so well attended as it would have been otherwise.
“Mother” Jones spoke for an hour. President Keeney then announced that miners from certain mines would group at certain places but there did not seem to be much representation from the mines specified and B. A. Scott, another international organizer, who had been on the ground all morning, explained that some mines in that vicinity had been organized and that dates for organization had been determined at others. Announcements were finally gotten over that the miners at Lambert’s Run would be organized Monday at Meadowbrook, miners at Kilarm (Coon Run) Tuesday at miners at Enterprise, miners at Laura Lee and Cambria Wednesday night at the Macabee hall in Lumberport and miners at Cook’s mine Thursday night at Hutchinson. All of these meetings are set for seven in the evening.
Many meetings have been held in the district recently. At Shinnston last Wednesday night the miners of Owings, Willard, Bethlehem, Ehlea and small mines around Shinnston, were organized at the Rex theatre, which was donated for the purpose. The meeting was a splendid one and the attendance estimated at 600. J. L. Stutler was chairman. Leslie Sandy secretary and John Coslite, one of the committee of arrangements. The of that union will be perfected at a meeting to be held at the school house at Owings on Wednesday night of this week. Miners at Bingamon, Enterprise, Middleton and Winchester have been organized into one union and miners at Riverdale and Viropa into another. At Glens Falls there were 106 miners organized into a union on Friday night.
Frank Keeney, president of the seventeenth district, who is directing his efforts in a section including Marion, Harrison, Barbour, Lewis, Tucker, Mineral and Preston counties, admits that his organization has not been so “efficient” as he would have desired and explains that they have been “up in the air” but says that they have organized 3,500 miners in these counties since last Tuesday.
Mr. Keeney observed:
We have been somewhat up in the air. Wa have not known where we were at. The courtesy being extended us every has put us up in the air. Even the operators have been kind and courteous. At some places we have found that the men did not want ta be organized. At a couple of mines the men would not encourage the organizers and the superintendents actually got busy telling the miners they could organize if they chose. It is enough to put us up in the air.
The miners who gathered at Gypsy at the appointed hour waited patiently till long past the hour set. W. F. Gould, of Enterprise, made several announcements regarding the time “Mother” Jones was expected and the Lumberport band played every selection in its repertoire either at the Junction or in the woods where the meeting was held, the people marching there after the eleven o’clock car ran. James Loman, Albert Powell, James Heflln, John Davis and James Van Metre took up a collection to pay the band, asking a quarter from each one, and got $32. No one gave over fifty cents. The crowd surged into the little store at the Junction and drank up every cold drink and ate everything eatable in the place, keeping the proprietor so busy that he did not contribute in the collection for the band.
Minors were inclined to find fault with the organizers for announcing meetings and not making more of an effort to keep appointments. It was said that there had been a gathering at Shinnston planned in advance of organization, which was not held as there was some slip-up and that three weeks ago Saturday night a meeting was announced for Gypsy which did not take place.
———-
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
SOURCES
The Quarry Workers Journal
-Quarry Workers International Union of North America
(Barre, Vermont)
-June 1, 1918
https://www.newspapers.com/image/405046324/
St. Louis Post-Dispatch
(St Louis, Missouri)
-June 2, 1918
https://www.newspapers.com/image/138436453
The Wheeling Intelligencer
(Wheeling, West Virginia)
-June 5, 1918
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86092536/1918-06-05/ed-1/seq-1/
-June 6, 1918
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86092536/1918-06-06/ed-1/seq-1/
The West Virginian
(Fairmont, West Virginia)
-June 7, 1918
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86072054/1918-06-07/ed-1/seq-6/
-June 10, 1918
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86072054/1918-06-10/ed-1/seq-1/
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86072054/1918-06-10/ed-1/seq-4/
IMAGE
Mother Jones, Ft Wy Jr Gz p3, Dec 17, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/29086040/
See also:
Note: Why the Quarry Workers Journal reported Mother’s remarks from San Francisco is unclear to me. The last time we found Mother in San Fransisco was in April of 1918, where she was speaking on behalf of Tom Mooney:
Hellraisers Journal, Saturday May 18, 1918
Mother Jones News for April 1918, Part II: Found in San Francisco
Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for April 1918, Part II: Found in San Francisco, Speaking on Behalf of Tom Mooney
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen’s Magazine, Volume 64
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
Brotherhood of Locomotive Firemen and Enginemen, 1918
https://books.google.com/books?id=pL8OAQAAMAAJ
-May 1, 1918
“Scheme to Send Mooney to Prison for Life”
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=pL8OAQAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&output=reader&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA8-PA1
For the editorial favorable to Mother Jones from the May 14th edition of the St. Louis Post-Dispatch, see May 14th at:
Hellraisers Journal, Sunday June 23, 1918
Mother Jones News for May 1918, Part I: Gives Long Interview in St. Louis
Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for May 1918, Part II: Found in St. Louis, Missouri and Grafton, West Virginia
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
I Am a Union Woman – Bobbie McGee
Lyrics by Aunt Molly Jackson
http://www.historyisaweapon.com/defcon1/unionwomanmollyjackson.html
The bosses ride fine horses
While we walk in the mud,
Their banner is the dollar sign,
Ours is striped with blood.