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Hellraisers Journal – Monday December 29, 1919
Mother Jones News for November 1919, Part II
Found in Washington, D. C., Not Afraid of Judge Anderson
From the Lebanon Daily News of November 14, 1919:
—–
(Special to News by United Press)
Washington, Nov. 14.-With the government acting as mediator, mine operators and representatives of the United Mine Workers came together here today in an effort to settle the dispute over wages and hours which caused the recent coal strike.
As the delegates assembled for this “peace conference,” it appeared there would be a deadlock from the very outset.
The union representatives were prepared to enter the conference at 2:30 this afternoon determined to hold out for an uncompromising victory. Less than complete triumph, they feared, will give the extreme radical element control of the miners-the men will lose faith in their conservative leaders. Acting President Lewis was expected to insist on full compliance with the men’s demands of a 50 hour week and wage increases ranging up to sixty per cent.
Operators were solidly in favor of refusing to surrender anything to the workers, according to early indications. They stood pat on the “Washington wage agreement,” contending it runs until the end of the war, and that the war is not ended. Some of them were disposed to emphasize that comparatively few of the miners have returned to work in obedience to their leaders instructions, and it was expected the union chiefs would be asked about this at the outset of the meeting.
Secretary of Labor Wilson, who called the conference, has invited Dr. Harry A. Garfield, Fuel Administrator, to participate in the hope that if an agreement cannot he reached within a reasonable time the government may be able to offer a compromise. Any compromise will probably carry with it an increase in the price of coal to the consumer, so the operators will have increased revenue to pay higher wages.
Garfield, who is in charge of coal prices, was in a position to give expert advice on just what a raise in pay to the workers will mean to the coal market.
That Lewis and his colleagues will not be left in doubt as to how radical labor stands on the miners’ case, “Mother” Jones, of Colorado fame, and Andy Furuseth, head of the Seamen’s union, are here to let them know. Both are emphatic in their disapproval of Lewis’ compliance with Federal Judge Anderson’s order to end the strike.
“The strike should never have been called off,” said Furuseth. “The miners won’t return to work, and I approve of it.”
[Mother Jones Defies John L. Lewis.]
[Said Mother Jones:]
This is a free country, but it would starve people. This is what Judge Anderson’s order means to the miners who are fighting for their freedom and a living.
Next Monday I am going down into West Virginia and urge the miners to stay out until they win. I am not afraid of Judge Anderson. He can send me to jail or he can hang me, but he will have to do it.
Overhearing “Mother’s” remark, Furuseth exclaimed:
Lewis wears pants, but he ought to wear petticoats; Mother, you wear petticoats but you ought to be in Lewis place.
While the miners and operators were preparing to meet, Rail Director Hines and representatives of the railroad brotherhoods expected to continue their conferences over the railroad men’s demands for a wage increase. Hines was expected to make a definite answer to the brotherhoods today or tomorrow.
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From The Atlanta Constitution of November 23, 1919:
Master Mind of ‘Reds’ Directing Radicalism
Believed in New York
—–Trail, Which Is Daily Growing Warmer, Expected
to Bring World Plot to Author’s Door.
—–By Carl W. Ackerman.
(The Constitution-Philadelphia Public Ledger Services-Copyright, 1919.)New York, November 22.-All trails of of those who are actively working to bring about an industrial revolution in the United States today converge in this city. Federal authorities tonight are convinced that the “master mind” who is directing the efforts of the “Reds” in the ranks of labor organizations, and who is directing the anarchists and communists, the Union of Russian Workmen, if not the I. W. W. also, in the United States, has his headquarters in New York…..
Judging from bits of of information which which I picked up during my recent visits in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and this state, I would be surprised if the federal government within the near future, did not uncover the”master mind” and the sources of his his funds.
In this final article, however, on the “red” movement in this country, four points will be be made clear:
First the I. W. W. is today the chief undisturbed revolutionary organization in the United States.
Second. The two chief propaganda channels of the I. W. W. are “the new solidarity” and “the one big union” newspaper and magazine.
Third. The Union of Russian Workers is engaged in educational work, teaching foreigners English at the same time they are teaching them syndicalism, communism and anarchy.
[The Dangerous Mother Jones.]
Fourth. Among the recognized organizers of labor there are agitators like “Mother” Jones,” who, while not members of any revolutionary organization, are, nevertheless, taking an active part in revolutionary propaganda……
In Pittsburg a few night night ago I read the complete stenographic reports of the speeches made at the convention of the Pennsylvania State Federation of Labor, where a general strike was decided upon. Because of the nature nature of the remarks of “Mother” Jones, who is a paid employe of the United Mine Workers Workers of America, I copied some of her statements to show the readers of these articles the kind of of addresses which are made to state meetings of laboring men even in Pennsylvania:
Get a move on you. Get some blood on you and make Pennsylvania a state worth living in. I don’t care one row of pins about the ballot. I tell you what I care about; if I can get you fellows organized on the economic field, cemented together, you can tie up every industry in the country and fold your arms.
[A Warning to “Reds.”]
The revolutionist revolutionist today are leaving their tracks all over over the country, but the federal government government through several departments in Washington, some of which are co-operating with foreign governments, are in a position tonight where it knows the routes of the revolutionists and where it knows thousands of the members of revolutionary organizations…..
What the developments will be within the next few weeks no one but a few government officials know, and they, naturally, hold their peace.
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Note: Emphasis used throughout.
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SOURCES & IMAGES
Lebanon Daily News
(Lebanon, Pennsylvania)
-Nov 14, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/514229072/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/514229111/
The Atlanta Constitution
(Atlanta, Georgia)
-Nov 23, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/26932074/
See also:
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 28, 1919
Mother Jones News for November 1919, Part I
Found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Washington, D. C.
Tag: Great Coal Strike of 1919
https://weneverforget.org/tag/great-coal-strike-of-1919/
For “Public Opinion” on the Great Steel Strike and the Great Coal Strike, see:
The Literary Digest
(New York, New York)
-Nov 22, 1919
-Topics of the Day: “Public Opinion Defeating the Strikes”
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=RPSjaZ40_uMC&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA7-PA11
-page 46+50-“What Steel Strikers Think of the Police”
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=RPSjaZ40_uMC&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA7-PA46
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=RPSjaZ40_uMC&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA7-PA50
-page 56+59-“How the Wheels Go Round in the Miners’ Union”
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=RPSjaZ40_uMC&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA7-PA56
https://play.google.com/books/reader?id=RPSjaZ40_uMC&hl=en&pg=GBS.RA7-PA59
For premature report of impending death of Mother Jones, see:
The Guthrie Daily Leader
(Guthrie, Oklahoma)
-Nov 20, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/354598432/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/354598443/
Note: The Guthrie Daily Leader of Oklahoma published a bulletin from Pittsburgh stating that Mother Jones was “dying at the home of relatives near Philliptown.” With this news was published what appears to be a pre-prepared obituary. I could find no other reports of the impending death of Mother Jones in any newspaper from November of 1919, however, this same obituary was used in 1930 following the actual death of Mother Jones, see:
Fairbanks Daily News-Miner
(Fairbanks, Alaska)
-Dec 2, 1930
https://www.newspapers.com/image/4502523/
https://www.newspapers.com/image/4502541/
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Fire in the Hole – Hazel Dickens