She is the same dear little old Mother Jones
and if she has lost any vigor
in the past two years I can’t see it.
-An Iowa Miner, 1918
Hellraisers Journal, Friday April 19, 1918
Mother Jones News for March 1918: Found in Kansas and Iowa
We begin our Mother Jones news round-up for March 1918 with a report of Mother listening to A. F. of L. President Samuel Gompers pleading for the Eight Hour Day before the Chicago Alschuler Hearings. We next find her speaking before district conventions of the United Mine Workers held in Kansas and in Iowa.
From Springfield’s Illinois State Register of March 1, 1918:
GOMPERS SAYS SHORTER DAYS WILL WIN WAR
—–
Long Hours and Low Wages Drive Men to Drink,
Is Plea of Labor Chief at Chicago
—–MOTHER JONES LISTENS
—–Chicago, Feb. 28.-Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor made a stirring appeal today in behalf of an eight-hour day for employes in the meat packing industry at the stockyards wage arbitration. He appeared as a witness for the employes and his testimony was eagerly listened to by “Mother” Mary Jones, an organizer for the United Mine Workers and several hundred other representatives of organized labor from all sections of the country…..
From the Kansas Pittsburg Daily Headlight of March 11, 1918:
DISTRICT MINERS’ CONVENTION STARTS
—–MOTHER JONES IS ON HAND TO ADDRESS
KANSAS COAL DIGGERS
—–
President Howat’s Report Was Read
at Opening Session-
Excluded Two Papers From Hall.
—–
Mother Jones, one of the most striking figures in the labor union movement, was an unexpected visitor at the convention of the United Mine Workers of District 14 that opened, in the City Hall auditorium this morning. She was seated on the platform throughout the morning session and it was announced that she would address the convention early this afternoon.
Just before the noon adjournment the convention voted to extend an invitation to John R. Lawson and E. L. Doyle of Colorado to attend the convention.
The reading of President Alexander Howat’s annual report occupied the greater part of the morning session…..
[Note: the two newspaper excluded were The Pittsburg Sun and Pittsburg Kansan.]
From the Kansas Pittsburg Daily Headlight of March 12, 1918:
MOTHER JONES TOLD OF W. VIRGINIA FIGHT
—–A STRUGGLE TO ESTABLISH UNIONISM
IN COAL FIELDS OF STATE.
—–
Friction Within Organization of Miners
Should Cease, Delegates to District Convention
are Told By Old Battler.
—–Mother Jones veteran battler in the ranks of organized labor, was given an enthusiastic reception by the convention yesterday afternoon. She told at length of the struggle to establish unionism in West Virginia and in some of the other fields where the fight has been particularly bitter.
Mother Jones cautioned the men against dictation from any officer of the organization, no matter how high his position. At the same time she urged that men placed in office be loyally supported and that if they do not make good on the job change them at the next election.
Old Trick, She Alleged.
It is an old trick of the operators to try to put their tools in office in the Mine Workers and fight the men who really represent the miners, Mother Jones alleged. Friction within the organization should cease, she said, reviewing at how great a cost of blood and suffering the organization has been built.
One of the chief causes of some of the defeats that the Mine Workers suffer was diagnosed by Mother Jones as being the organizers who are good men but do not know how to handle men, are ignorant of psychology. Organizing for the Mine Workers is not child’s play nor Sunday school activity, she said.
Defended a Convention Act.
Mother Jones said it was all right for the convention to ask Lawson and Doyle to address it.
[She said:]
Hear all sides of the questions which affect your organization.
In concluding her talk Mother Jones turned to President Howat and said:
Now I’m going to give my opinion of you. You are a fighter. If you ever get in a tight place call on me and I’ll come and raise hell to help you.
———-
From The Des Moines Register of March 15, 1918:
MINERS HEAR TALK BY MOTHER JONES
—–
Aged Labor Leader Says She’s Not So Strong
but Is Just As Full of Fight.
—–Mother Jones, for more than half a century the most picturesque figure in the labor movement in the United States, yesterday addressed the convention of District No. 13, of the United Mine Workers of America, at the Odd Fellows hall. Mother Jones is in her eighty-ninth year and is apparently as full of vigor and expletives as ever. Yesterday she made a characteristic speech in which she reviewed the labor activities of a long and eventful life, seven months of which were spent in military prisons.
Mother Jones said she was not quite so strong as she was two years ago, but that she “is just as full of fight.” She made a plea for solidarity on the part of mine workers everywhere. Her great desideratum at present is to see the West Virginia and the Colorado miners brought into the same fold.
Tells of Her Experiences.
Mother Jones gave an interesting account of her experiences during the mine troubles in Colorado and of her interviews with John D. Rockefeller, Jr., in her efforts to bring Rockefeller and the representatives of the miners’ organization together. One of the miners who heard her yesterday and has known her for years, remarked:
She is the same dear little old Mother Jones and if she has lost any vigor in the past two years I can’t see it.
The question of old age pensions came before the convention just before adjournment yesterday afternoon and the subject will be resumed at this morning’s session. President [of District 13] J. C. Lewis introduced the resolution favoring pensions for aged miners, and while there is considerable sentiment in its favor, some opposition is expected. It is probable that the subject will be thoroughly threshed out at this morning’s session…..
From the Des Moines Evening Tribune of March 15, 1918:
MINERS TALK OLD AGE PENSION
-WHITE HERE
—–John P. White of Indianapolis, formerly International president of the Mine Workers of America, is in the city today attending the convention of district 13.
Mr. White is now associated with the fuel administration as special advisor to Dr. Garfield. He will address the convention this afternoon. Mr. White comes as the representative of President Frank J. Hayes of the International Mine Workers.
———-
From the United Mine Workers Journal of March 28, 1918:
FROM IOWA
The Iowa Convention An Harmonious GatheringDistrict No. 13 held their eighteenth successive and third biennial convention in the I. O. O. F. hall, Des Moines, Ia., on March 12, adjourning March 18.
The convention was one of the most harmonious meetings ever held by District No. 13.
While there were lively and healthy discussions on the floor, there were no bitter feelings shown and President J. C. Lewis allowed every delegate the utmost freedom to express his views, and the very able way he handled the meeting was one of the reasons for the success of the convention.
Secretary-Treasurer John Gay also was there as usual whenever the finances of the district were concerned. Their action in regard to the litigation fund at Indianapolis was highly endorsed. District No. 13 will always be behind the international organization when there is financial trouble ahead; the sentiment of the convention went on record to that effect.
“Mother Jones” addressed the meeting at considerable length, urging the members to solidarity in their ranks in her usual vigorous style. She complimented District No. 13 for giving her International Board Member Sam Ballantyne to organize West Virginia, telling them that by reason of the strong personality and reasoning ability he was the right man in the right place. John R. [P.] White accepted an invitation to be present at the convention and his words of wisdom were greatly appreciated by the delegates.
SOURCES
Illinois State Register
(Springfield, Illinois)
-Mar 1, 1918, page 1
https://www.genealogybank.com/
The Pittsburg Daily Headlight
(Pittsburg, Kansas)
-Mar 11, 1918
https://www.newspapers.com/image/95947584/
-Mar 12, 1918
https://www.newspapers.com/image/95947605/
The Des Moines Register
(Des Moines, Iowa)
-Mar 15, 1918
https://www.newspapers.com/image/130652347/
The Evening Tribune
(Des Moines, Iowa)
-Mar 15, 1918
https://www.newspapers.com/image/323800279/
The United Mine Workers Journal, Volume 28
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
-Nov 1, 1917-May 2, 1918
Executive Board of the United Mine Workers of America
https://books.google.com/books?id=OAxOAAAAYAAJ
UMWJ Mar 28, 1918
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=OAxOAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PT698
News from Iowa
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=OAxOAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PT707
IMAGE
Mother Jones Fire Eater, St L Str, Aug 23, 1917
https://www.newspapers.com/image/204372148/
See also:
For more on Alschuler Hearings:
Tag: Alschuler Packinghouse Award of 1918
https://weneverforget.org/tag/alschuler-packinghouse-award-of-1918/
For more on controversy within UMWA re: Lawson and Doyle (note: the treatment of these two heroes of the Colorado Coalfield Strike of 1913-1914 is one of the saddest episodes in the UMWA history), see:
The United Mine Workers Journal, Volume 28
(Indianapolis, Indiana)
-Nov 1, 1917-May 2, 1918
Executive Board of the United Mine Workers of America
(search together and separately: Lawson Doyle)
https://books.google.com/books?id=OAxOAAAAYAAJ
For Lawson’s view of these events:
Out of the depths;
the Story of John R. Lawson, a Labor Leader
-by Barron B. Beshoar
Denver, 1942
(Limited search, sadly not available online.
-This book is a must read!)
https://catalog.hathitrust.org/Record/006736459