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Hellraisers Journal – Friday April 18, 1919
Mother Jones News for March 1919
-Found Advocating for Workers’ Rights in Pittsburgh and Charleston
From The Pittsburgh Post of March 3, 1919:
SHORTER DAY URGED BY “MOTHER” JONES
—–
Aged Labor Leader Talks At Temple Meeting.
—–
If they stand together the workers can bring peace and happiness to every American home, “Mother” Jones, widely famed labor leader, told a large audience yesterday afternoon at the Labor Temple, Washington street and Webster avenue. The meeting was held under the auspices of the Pittsburgh Federation of Labor. “Mother” Jones, who declared herself “85 years young.” was accorded an enthusiastic reception.
[She said:]
Four hundred thousand soldiers are coming home, and we must prepare for the event by lessening the hours of labor.
Stanley Rokoscz, former president of the Polish National Alliance, addressed the meeting in Polish. P. J. McGrath, secretary of the Street Car Men’s Association, and J. T. Patterson, vice president of that body, urged immediate organization of the Pittsburgh district iron and steel workers.
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[Photograph added.]
From The Wheeling Intelligencer of March 11, 1919:
MOTHER JONES AGAIN AT STATE CAPITAL
—–CHARLESTON, W. Va., March 10.-On the eve of the opening of the special session of the state legislature “Mother Jones,” militant leader of organized labor, came back to Charleston tonight to lead union workers in opposition to the proposed enactment of legislation establishing a state police force, she announces. She headed a demonstration of the steps of the state house at the regular session recently, staged by organized labor as disapproval of the constabulary.
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From The Pittsburgh Post of March 12, 1919:
W. VA. MINERS MAKE THREAT TO FIGHT
IF STATE POLICE BILL PASSES
—–
Union Men Will Oppose Enforcement of Laws.
—–SENATE GETS RESOLUTION
—–CHARLESTON, W. Va., March 11-Union miners in West Virginia today served notice on Governor Cornwell (Democrat) and the State Legislature that they will not hesitate to engage in actual warfare to prevent enforcement of the “Red Flag Bill” passed recently and to prevent passage of the proposed state police bill by the extra session that convened today.
The threat was contained in a resolution adopted by miners’ unions of Districts No. 17 and No. 29, United Mine Workers of America.
“As a final arbiter of the rights of public assembly, free speech and a free and uncensored press, we will not for a single moment hesitate to meet our enemies upon the battlefield,” said the latter part of Section 2 of the resolution.
The resolution stated that the “incorporated interests and the political interests” of the state are in a “conspiracy” to prevent federated labor from the promotion of its own aims and that the state patrol legislation proposed is intended to provide means to prevent strikes by force of arms.
The resolution was introduced and read into the Senate journal this afternoon. It was adopted first by Local Union No. 290 [2901], United Mine Workers, at Ramage, W. Va., and was then printed and sent to various other unions, by which it was adopted and sent to the governor and to the presiding officers of the House and Senate.
THE RESOLUTION.
Whereas, we believe there is a conspiracy between the incorporated interests and the political interests of West Virginia to defeat by legislation the aims and aspirations of labor and reduce organized labor to a non-organized and competitive basis; and,
Whereas, class legislation, class distinction, class hatred and class rule is so manifest in the legislative bills No. 104 and No. 189, commonly known as the Red Flag Bill and the Constabulary Bill, that organized labor cannot fail to see that in the event of these bills becoming the law of this commonwealth they will lead to discontent, strikes, riots and rebellion; and,
Whereas, the miners and laboring people of West Virginia being a law-abiding and peace-loving unit of society, must, if possible, by peaceful means prevent said bills from being enacted into law; therefore, be it resolved:
First, That we call the attention of all the locals in District 17 and District 29, U. M. W. of A., to this un-American class legislation resurrected from the feudal days of the dim past and ask them to join us in a righteous and peaceful protest to prevent these bills from being enacted into law and thus prevent our American institutions being Russianized by a Prussian law and by peaceful means prevent riots, discontent disorder and rebellion.
“WE ARE 14 TO 1.”
Second, that in the event that our righteous protestations and our desire for peace, order and harmony as citizens of West Virginia is ignored by the law-making powers of West Virginia and that these bills are enacted into a law and are upheld by the courts of this state that we hereby serve notice on the ruling class of this state that whereas labor by the might of its arm stands fourteen to one and that our only means of warfare, either offensive or defensive, is the strike.
But as a final arbiter of the rights of public assembly, free speech and a free and uncensored press, we will not for a single moment hesitate to meet our enemies upon the battlefields and there amid the roar of the cannon and the groans of the dying and the crash of systems purchase again our birthright of blood-bought freedom.
Third, that a copy of these resolutions be sent to the governor of the state and the presiding officers of each house of the legislature and to the public press, and that a copy be sent to each local union in districts Nos. 17 and 29, U. M. W. of A., with the request that they register their righteous protest against these bills by adopting these or similar resolutions and forwarding same to the governor and law-making powers of this state that we, by the power of concerted action of the strong arm of labor, kill these un-American laws without disorder or bloodshed.
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Note: Emphasis added throughout.
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SOURCES
Quote Mother Jones, Constabulary n Bread, Ab Chp 23, 1925
https://www.marxists.org/subject/women/authors/jones/ch23.htm
https://digital.library.upenn.edu/women/jones/autobiography/autobiography.html#XXIII
https://www.iww.org/history/library/MotherJones/autobiography/23
The Pittsburgh Post
(Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania)
-Mar 3, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/87642369/
-Mar 12, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/87648725/
The Wheeling Intelligencer
(Wheeling, West Virginia)
-Mar 11, 1919
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86092536/1919-03-11/ed-1/seq-1/
IMAGE
Mother Jones, Eve Ns Hburg PA p2, Jan 6, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/57884211
See also:
Re P. J. McGrath, photo & short bio
-from Motorman and Conductor of July 1922:
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=zdTEZN87pbAC&hl=en&pg=GBS.PT323
Re J. T. Patterson, he does not appear to be
an officer of the “Street Car Men” per Motorman and Conductor of March 1919 (more research needed), see:
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=i6MuAQAAIAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA3-PA14
Note: a great organizing drive of steel and iron
workers will soon begin, see:
Duluth Labor World of April 1919
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn78000395/1919-04-19/ed-1/seq-1/
Re Ramage Resolution as sent to WV Senate, see:
Journal of the Senate of the State of West Virginia
West Virginia. Legislature, Senate, 1919
(search separately: “red flag” “state police” constabulary)
https://books.google.com/books?id=GBZNAAAAMAAJ
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=GBZNAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA1
THRTY-FOURTH REGULAR SESSION
-Commencing January 14, 1919
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=GBZNAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.PA3
WEST VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE SENATE JOURNAL
EXTRAORDINARY SESSION, 1919
-Commencing March 11, 1919
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=GBZNAAAAMAAJ&printsec=frontcover&pg=GBS.RA2-PA1
Re Ramage Local’s Resolution, see:
ADOPTED UNANIMOUSLY BY LOCAL UNION No. 2999, U. M. W. OF A., LOCATED AT WENDEL, W. VA. (endorsing resolution of Ramage Local No. 2901)
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=GBZNAAAAMAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA2-PA14
Re UMW Local 2901 (not 290) Ramage, WV-from UMWA Convention of 1920
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=JlpZAAAAYAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.PA131
Tag: Red Flag Laws of 1918-1919
https://weneverforget.org/tag/red-flag-laws-of-1918-1919/
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The Death of Mother Jones – Bobbie McGee