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Hellraisers Journal – Thursday November 20, 1919
Mother Jones News for October 1919, Part I
Found with Steel Strikers of New York, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania
From the New York Daily News of October 1, 1919:
From the Buffalo Courier of October 4, 1919:
USES DISCRETION IN HER UTTERANCES
AT LACKAWANNA
—–
‘Mother’ Jones Heeds Warning and
Refrains From Fiery Words.
—–COUNSELS STRIKERS TO BE CALM
—–
Companies Say More Men Are
Reporting For Work.
—–“Mother” Jones’ visit to Lackawanna yesterday afternoon was the occasions for a display of the police and state constabulary which watched all her movements and never let her get out of their sight.
The visit of the strike agitator drew an audience, of 8OO strikers and sympathizers to A. C. hall, but the members were disappointed if they expected repetition of the machine gun fire of accusations that she made Thursday night in Buffalo. “Mother” Jones advised her “boys” to be calm and to refrain from violence. She qualified remarks of Thursday night by saying that she did not refer to the New York state constabulary when she called the constabulary “professional murderers put into uniform by the government.” She said that she only had knowledge of the constabulary of Pennsylvania.
Care in Utterances.
Chief Gilson, Lieut. Sheehan and a large number of the troopers were on hand to prevent any violent outburst of oratory. They said after the meeting that “Mother” Jones had conducted herself well while at Lackawanna. Last evening she left for Pittsburgh, and on Sunday is scheduled to speak at Wheeling W. Va.
Aside from a meeting of the Polish steel workers at Lackawanna last evening, no special incidents marked the day after “Mother” Jones left. The companies reported that more men were reporting for work daily. Chief Gilson said that he had not had any word yet from District Attorney Moore as to the inquest which will be held.
Tonight there will be a meeting of the American strikers among the iron and steel workers at A. C. hall, Lackawanna.
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From The Wheeling Intelligencer of October 6, 1919:
“MOTHER JONES” IN RADICAL ADDRESS FLAYS
CORPORATE HEADS AND OFFICE HOLDERS
—–CALLS ‘EM “LAP DOGS” OF CORPORATIONS AND
POLITICAL PIE COUNTER FREQUENTERS.
—–
DENOUNCED MOUNTED POLICE AND TERMED
THEM “AMERICAN COSSACKS.”
—–
QUAINT AND PICTURESQUE OLD LADY DELIVERS
FLAMING TALK TO LARGE ASSEMBLAGE
OF STRIKERS SUNDAY.
—–[Sadly this article, which quoted Mother at length, was received in an mostly unreadable condition. We do know that she referred to the steel barons as “High Class Burglars” and that a dog howled mournfully towards the end of her speech. The article concludes:]
Mother Jones closed her address by saying that she would leave immediately for Pittsburgh and go from there to Gary. She asked the strikers if she could carry the word to the Pittsburgh workers that Wheeling district is standing pat.
In private life Mother Jones is a charming, agreeable old lady and not at all the fiery agitator her reputation and speeches indicate.
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From Hellraisers Journal of October 8, 1919:
Buffalo, New York–Mother Jones Speaks to Striking Steel Workers
Mother Jones spoke Thursday evening, October 2nd, at Miller’s Harmonia Hall and said in part:
[From the Buffalo Evening Times of October 3, 1919.]
The revolution is on and nothing can stop is now. Old George III didn’t think the Americans would rise and lick h— out of him, and Gary thinks the same way. They call me an agitator well, the United States was founded on agitation by radicals, and we will make no apologies for that name if that is what they want to call us until we clean the whole lot of them out. American liberty was bought not by the money of men like Gary, but by the blood of men like you, who have left you that glorious emblem, the Stars and Stripes, of which the first stripe is red the color of the blood they shed.
The labor union represents the only Christianity of the present time. The labor union has done more of humanity than all the churches, universities, Y. M. C. A. and other institutions of capitalism. When the miners’ union took the children out of the mines and put them into the school the cry of anarchy went up. The master class has a new word now-Bolshevism-for those who do not agree with the capitalists. If Bolshevism makes the world any better for the workers, I am for the Bolsheviki. I want the spies who have followed me all day today to know this.
From the Canonsburg [Pennsylvania] Daily Notes of October 8, 1919:
MOTHER JONES STIRS STRIKERS
ARRESTS FOLLOW
—–MORE THAN 40 MEN ROUNDED UP IN RIVER TOWNS
BY THE STATE TROOPERS
—–
CROWD BECOMES DISORDERLY
—–
One Striker Attempts to Throw Man Under
Moving Freight Train, Police Active
—–(Special to The Notes)
DONORA, Oct. 8.–State troopers here and at Monessen today made more than forty arrests among the striking steel workers. Twenty-six arrests were made here and seventeen at Monessen.
The arrests followed a general outbreak of the men, caused, it is believed, by a visit to the valley towns yesterday by Mother Jones. She addressed the strikers, and her impassioned talk seems to have stirred the men to action.
Joe Mattell, a striker, was today held on a charge of felonous assault with intent to murder. It is alleged that he attempted to throw another steel worker, Alex Ferguson, under a moving freight train. The two men became involved in an argument about strike conditions and then came to blows.
The two Justices of the Peace here, Charles Ford and Greer Boyd, have been handing out some very severe sentences for disorderly conduct in connection with the strike. Fines have ranged from $25 to $50 and from 30 to 60 days in jail. Nearly of the men arrested were foreign-born.
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From The Allentown Morning Call of October 13, 1919:
MEETING INSPIRED BY MOTHER JONES
—–
Octogenarian Labor Orator Thrills
Crowded House at Lyric Theatre.
—–Lyric Theatre was crowded to its capacity yesterday afternoon, the gathering attending one of the largest mass meetings yet held by the strikers of the Bethlehem Steel work’s. They had as their guest Mother Jones, who for nearly two hours addressed the workers, firing them with newer energy and vim to continue their efforts for better wages and working and living conditions.
The meeting was presided over by Councilman R. P. Wheeler, who following the opening selection “The Star Spangled Banner” introduced Mother Jones. Taking the centre of the stage with a snap and spring to her step that showed she still possesses remarkable vitality, the 90-year-old orator who has been thru more strikes, has suffered many hardships for the cause and will continue to fight for organized labor as long as she is able, started an address that bordered at times on the sensational.
She analyzed the great strikes that ever happened in this country. From the opening period of any strike that has ever happened in recent years, she told of the hardships endured by those looking for better conditions. She told of many cases where she herself underwent persecution and arrest, also of men, women and children who suffered likewise. She told of conditions that even many men of the rank attending yesterday’s meeting and who have been thru strikes before, never knew anything about.
Her address was heard not only by the rank and file of steel workers who are now on strike at the Bethlehem plant. Men of every walk of life were in the audience in Lyric Theatre yesterday, afternoon, and when she brought her address to a close with words of encouragement to the men to remain firm and loyal, every one marveled at her vitality. She was just as fresh closing her two hour talk as when she started.
A quartet directed by Frank Moyer rendered several numbers. Nine-year-old Miss Florence, daughter of Mr. and Mrs. David Williams, also sang several selections.
Before the meeting closed David Williams, organizer, announced that on next Sunday William G [Z]. Foster, of Pittsburgh, secretary for the national committee for organizing iron and steel workers, would be the speaker.
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From The Reading News-Times of October 14, 1919:
MOTHER JONES ADDRESSES WOMEN
—–
Steel Strikers of Allentown Invited Her
to Encourage Their Helpmates
—–ALLENTOWN, Oct. 13.-Only about 100 women were in the audience which greeted “Mother” Jones in the Lyric Theatre yesterday afternoon at a meeting of the Bethlehem Steel strikers. The strike leaders brought her from Pittsburgh to encourage the women of strikers’ families to hold out in face of their tendency the past ten days to induce the men to return to work. About 600 persons attended, a majority of whom were from Bethlehem.
Strike Leader Williams called the meeting to order and urged the men to hold out and then “Mother” Jones was introduced by Councilman Wheeler. She pitched into the State police and condemned the press in general, saying it was controlled by the interests. She denounced Judge Gary and Charles M. Schwab as thieves, and declared the time was coming when the strikers would send the latter to Jail.
Her climax was a vigorous appeal to the strikers to drag every “scab” out of the works. “And if you men cannot do it,” she exclaimed, “I’m going to come here with an army of women and do it!”
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Note: Emphasis added throughout. Occasional paragraph breaks added for ease of reading.
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SOURCES & IMAGE
Quote Mother Jones GSS American Liberty, Bff Eve Tx p4, Oct 3, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/442051869/
The Daily News
(New York, New York)
Oct 1, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/391481628
Buffalo Courier
(Buffalo, New York)
-Oct 4, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/409320330/
The Wheeling Intelligencer
(Wheeling, West Virginia)
-Oct 6, 1919
https://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/lccn/sn86092536/1919-10-06/ed-1/seq-2/
Hellraisers Journal of October 8, 1919
Mother Jones Speaks to Striking Steel Workers of Buffalo: “The Revolution Is On and Nothing Can Stop It.”
The Daily Notes
(Canonsburg, Pennsylvania)
-Oct 8, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/53815260
The Allentown Morning Call
(Allentown, Pennsylvania)
-Oct 13, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/280794883/
The Reading News-Times
(Reading, Pennsylvania)
-Oct 14, 1919
https://www.newspapers.com/image/46604143/
See also:
Tag: Great Steel Strike of 1919
https://weneverforget.org/tag/great-steel-strike-of-1919/
Clipping from New York Daily News of Oct 1, 1919:
-news of steel strike re Senate Hearings, and also, Church organization to investigate conditions.
Hellraisers Journal –Wednesday October 29, 1919
Mother Jones News for September 1919, Part I
Duquesne, Pennsylvania – Mother Jones Arrested for Organizing Steel Workers
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday October 30, 1919
Mother Jones News for September 1919, Part II
Cleveland, Ohio – Mother Speaks at Convention of United Mine Workers
Hellraisers Journal – Friday October 31, 1919
Mother Jones News for September 1919, Part III
Her Home? “Wherever there is a good fight for freedom going on.”
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They’ll Never Keep Us Down – Hazel Dickens