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Hellraisers Journal – Friday June 20, 1919
Mother Jones News for May 1919
-Found Speaking to Coal Miners in Watson, West Virginia
From the Fairmont West Virginian of May 31, 1919:
Organized labor paid its tribute to the returned soldier boys yesterday when a parade was held in the morning between Fairmont and Watson under the auspices of United Mine Workers’ local union 4005, of Watson which closed with an open air meeting at the grove at Watson. Two thousand United Mine Workers participated in the parade.
The parade started at Fairmont avenue and Twelfth street and was escorted by Chief of Police Harr and a cordon of police. W. M. Rogers, Fairmont, president of the State Federation of Labor lead off the procession.
The Moose band, of Fairmont, was next in line, wearing their new uniforms, which are composed of a pretty blue with appropriate trimmings. The band rendered a fine program of march music. Thirty-five service men who reside near Watson, were in line. There were 200 members of local 4005, United Mine Workers, in line. One hundred and twenty-five members of local 4006, Kingmont, were in line and local 4017, Norway, had 55 men in line. Local union 4021, of Dakota, had 58 men in line and local 4027, of Barnstown had 120.
Local 4006, Rivesvllle, had 50 men, while local 2358 Rivesville, had 56 men. United Mine Workers, local 4048, Carolina, had 41 men. Then came the largest delegation in the parade that of local 1643 Monongah, which had 500 United Mine Workers in line. The next largest delegation was from local 4047, Grant Town, which had 400 men.
Mother Jones occupied a seat in an auto that led off the parade. R. E. Fitzhugh, of Watson, was marshal of the parade, which was a great success.
After the parade the column moved to Crawford’s Grove Watson, where meeting was held in the presence of 3,000 United Mine Workers and their families. W. M. Rogers, Fairmont, president of the State Federation of Labor, introduced the speaker in well chosen words.
“Mother Jones” was the first speaker. She urged all of the United Mine Workers to remain loyal to their organization. Later she paid a high tribute to the returned soldiers, many of whom appeared in uniform at the meeting. She praised the democracy of America.
The second speaker was S. Ed. Laurner, an international officer of the Paper and Sulphite Workers, hailing from the state of Georgia. He made an appeal of the United Mine Workers that they assist the paper and sulphite workers, the former now having declared a strike at the large paper mills at Piedmont, this state, for recognition.
The large assemblage adopted a resolution expressing its gratitude to President Wilson for his efforts in bringing about world peace and in conclusion asks for the release from prison all political, religious and industrial workers who were incarcerated during the war. W. M. Rogers, president of the State Federation of Labor, wired the resolution in full to president Wilson today.
Mr. Rogers read to the assembly a copy of the telegram sent by C. F. Keeney, Charleston president of district 17, United Mine Workers, which was sent to Sam Ballantyne, an international board member of the United Mine Workers of America.
On account of sickness it is impossible for me to be in Fairmont today. However, you will not be disappointed as “Mother Jones” will deliver an address that will be long remembered if you will only give her your attention as she is one of the greatest advanced thinkers among the working class and knows the labor movement from A to Z. Give the boys my best wishes, my heart is with them.
[Emphasis added.]
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INDUSTRIAL PEACE ASSOCIATION DECRYS “REVOLUTION”
Claims “Bolshevist of America” to “Nationalize Women”
On May 20th and May 21st, full page ads appeared in The Rockford [Illinois] Daily Register-Gazette, The Rockford Republic and the Rockford Morning Star with the lurid claim that “Bolshevists of America” will “Nationalize Women.” Who the “Bolshevist of America” are or when this sensational plan was advanced “to nationalize women, we do not know, and the author does not reveal. We have heard of no such organization and, further, we have heard of no such proposal from any radical organization regarding women.
The ads contained dire warnings against Bolshevists, I. W. W.s, and the ongoing plot to influence the labor movement of Rockford. The “loyal” workers of Rockford were reminded that Mother Jones, while in Rockford in April, called herself a Bolshevist as she spoke on behalf of the furniture workers’ strike:
“Mother” Jones recently announced from a Rockford state that she is a Bolshevist, and that since the workers furnish the brains and create the products of industry, they should own and manage the shops and factories.
From The Rockford Republic of May 20, 1919:
Note: much of the text of the ad was emphasized. We have removed that emphasis and added our own.
REVOLUTION
WILL ROCKFORD SUFFER?
A Statement of Facts, Every One True,
That Will Make Plain the Dangers Possible in Rockford Today.In Europe, east of the Rhine, there is no stable Government. We hear of attempts to organize crime in the interests of the proletariat as a substitute for law in the interests of all. We read in reliable papers of attempts to “nationalize women” so that the best and most beautiful of them shall “no longer be the property of the privileged classes, but available for the use of any member of the proletariat not more than three times a week.” This doctrine has been openly advocated from the platform of Carnegie Hall, New York City, by the Bolshevists of America, and an attempt to “level intelligence,” so that there shall be penalties even for intellectual distinction, was also openly supported.
Vicious literature has been common in every age, but it has been reserved for our own to produce a literature which deliberately erases the “not” from every law of God or man, and proceeds to preach a creed of immorality and lawlessness.
[….]
Bolshevism put forth its supreme effort in America last February, in Seattle, Washington….
Rockford citizens have not forgotten the trouble we had with the I. W. W.’s a year ago. Ours is a factory town , and while it does not offer the opportunities that Seattle did, it has not been overlooked. The story of the trials the Government had with I. W. W.’s here in Rockford has not been told, but the number who were quietly spirited away by the Department of Justice and the Military Intelligence and Plant Protection Division of the United States War Department is known to some of us. So, at the beginnings, the stories of Seattle and of Rockford may be said to run parallel…..
Previous to April 1st, there were believed to be 113 I. W. W.’s in Rockford, and most of these are among the woodworkers of the city. Since April 1st, the I. W. W.’s claim an increase in membership of 200, and these I. W. W’s are said to be members, in good financial standing, of the Cabinet Makers and Machinists lodges of the city, and other local unions. In justice to the many loyal Americans who are members of these lodges, and for whom the community holds the highest respect as honorable citizens and loyal and trustworthy workmen, there is no question but that these facts are not know to them. However, for their best interests there should be no hesitation in stating these facts clearly and plainly. So again we say that the two stories run parallel…..
[Like Seattle,] Rockford has also suffered the loss of hundreds of thousands of dollars’ worth of Government contracts, and there are more workers than there are jobs for them to fill. The radicals are also in control of Rockford’s labor unions, and they have asserted that a strike would speedily bring the employers to terms, but this result has not been gained. Now we hear threats of a “sympathetic” strike. So once more, the two stories seem parallel…..
In Rockford, hundreds of leaflets, bulletins and papers are being distributed daily. Copies of “The New Solidarity,” the official organ of the I. W. W.., are being sold by the scores at five cents per copy. Other hundreds of copies of “How Russia Did It” have been sold by I. W. W. news agents, notwithstanding the fact that both of these publications have been forbidden the United States mails. I. W. W. news agents from Chicago frequent union headquarters, follow the unsuspecting union members out into the hallway and sell or give away this stuff, with a request that it be handed on, when read. Russian Bolshevists have given addresses. Not only that, but the Financial-Secretary of one of the strongest labor unions in Rockford recently made a Bolshevist speech on Sunday morning, in which he is reported to have said: “I know that I would be arrested if a Government official was to hear what I have said.” He is, by no means, the only labor union official in the city who is known to be an I. W. W. tool, if not an actual I. W. W.
[Mother Jones in Rockford]
“Mother” Jones recently announced from a Rockford state that she is a Bolshevist, and that since the workers furnish the brains and create the products of industry, they should own and manage the shops and factories. “Mother” Jones was requested to visit Rockford by radical leaders of the present labor unrest…..
[May Day Parade]
On May 1st, the cunning of the Rockford radicals was shown. A great parade and meeting was staged and this demonstration was advertised to be in the interests of the Rockford Furniture Strikers. All Rockford knows that this was one of the most disgraceful things that ever happened in Rockford and yet all Rockford Union men were invited and urged to march in that parade. The loyal, sensible man did not know that he was to be disgraced by marching under a red flag and taking part in a Bolshevist meeting of the worst sort, but he was BUNCOED into it and no more flagrant example of misplaced confidence has ever been seen. Every honest, patriotic working man who marched in that parade was a “dupe” of the I. W. W.s of Rockford…..
The Seattle strike lasted five days and two hours. 100,000 workers walked out,-70,000 of them being sympathy strikers. The loss to the workers in wages is estimated at $3,750,000.00. The Furniture strike is settled, but how long will the other strikes in Rockford last? How much will be the cost to Rockford? The furniture strike cost alone at least $440,000.00. None of the said agitators or officers of the Union lost a cent. To this must be added the cost of the present machinists strike.
INDUSTRIAL PEACE ASSOCIATION
[For All Rockford]
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SOURCES & IMAGES
Quote Mother Jones, Fight for Flag Apr 8, Rockford IL Morn Str p4, Apr 9, 1919
https://www.genealogybank.com/
The West Virginian
(Fairmont, West Virginia)
-May 31, 1919
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86072054/1919-05-31/ed-1/seq-1/
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86072054/1919-05-31/ed-1/seq-5/
The Rockford Republic, page 7
The Rockford Daily Register-Gazette, page 25
(Rockford, Illinois)
-May 20, 1919
Rockford Morning Star, page 8
-May 21, 1919
https://www.genealogybank.com/
See also:
Tag: Seattle General Strike of 1919
https://weneverforget.org/tag/seattle-general-strike-of-1919/
New Solidarity-a few issues from April-Dec 1919
https://www.sos.wa.gov/library/publications_detail.aspx?p=271
https://libcom.org/library/1919-0
Mother Jones declares: “I am a Bolshevik”!!
Hellraisers Journal – Friday May 16, 1919
Mother Jones News for April 1919, Part I
-Found Speaking to Strikers in Rockford, Illinois
per Rockford Morning Star of April 9, 1919
Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for April 1919, Part I-Found in Pennsylvania and Illinois
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday May 17, 1919
Mother Jones News for April 1919, Part II
-Found Speaking in Peoria, Illinois
Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for April 1919, Part II-Found Speaking in Peoria, Illinois
Re: National Industrial Peace Association
The Pacific
(San Francisco and Berkeley, California)
-Dec 16, 1909
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=jKwcAQAAIAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA23-PA1
“The National Industrial Peace Association”
-by Rev. Noah C. Gause
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=jKwcAQAAIAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA23-PA8
From:
The Pacific, Volume 59, Issues 26-52
https://books.google.com/books?id=jKwcAQAAIAAJ
Search: {“carnegie hall” “nationalize women” “bolshevists of america”} yields only one result:
The Star-Herald
(Kosciusko, Mississippi)
-June 27, 1919
“Bolshevism in American Colleges-
Writer In Saturday Evening Post Calls Attention to ‘Poison in the Pot.’”
https://www.newspapers.com/image/316695882/
Re:
The Saturday Evening Post
(Philadelphia, Pennsylvania)
-Apr 12, 1919
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=fn84AQAAMAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA1-PA3
“Civilization Imperiled” by Alfred Noyes
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=fn84AQAAMAAJ&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA1-PA21
From:
The Saturday Evening Post, Volume 191, Issues 40-43
https://books.google.com/books?id=fn84AQAAMAAJ
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We Only Want the Earth/Be Moderate – Freedom
Lyrics by James Connolly