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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday December 25, 1907
Sorrowful Christmas Day in Monongah, West Virginia
From the Appeal to Reason of December 21, 1907:
Hellraisers Journal: Monongah, West Virginia, “A Picture of Despair” by Dorothy Dale; 35 Boys Pulled from Mine
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Hellraisers Journal, Monday December, 23, 1907
Monongah, West Virginia – Women Weep for Husbands and Sons
From the Kansas Pittsburg Daily Headlight of December 21, 1907:
A PICTURE OF DESPAIR.
—–
Thirty Five Boys Among the
Fairmont Mine Victims.
—–
(By Dorothy Dale.)Fairmont, W. Va., Dec. 21.-O God! It was the cry of supplication. It was the cry of horror. It was the cry of despair. It was the one, a comprehensive cry of mercy, which could be heard.
There is still some doubt about the exact number of lives snuffed out. But there is no doubt about the windows and orphans, to one who has seen Monongah the scene of the disaster.
“You’ll find it tough,” they said. I found it tough. Monongah at best is a little weather-beaten wooden village straggling in the mud of the West Virginia hills. It lies on two sides of the river, now known as the morgue side and the mine side. On the morgue side an endless chain of women and children pass all day past the coffins.
Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for November 1917, Part II: Found at Miners’ Convention at Kansas City
That old blood sucker,
the kaiser, ought to
be kicked off his throne.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday December 22, 1917
Mother Jones News for November, Part II: Supports President Wilson
From the Pittsburg, Kansas, Sun of November 15, 1917:
MINERS VOTE TO REJECT THE
AUTOMATIC PENALTY
—–MAJORITY WAS 18 WITH KANSAS MINERS
OUTVOTING THE OTHER DISTRICTS.
—–Howat Stands Pat in a Fiery Speech
—–President John Wilkinson and “Mother Jones”
Urges Miners to Vote for Wilson
and Against the Kaiser
—–
Kansas City, Nov. 14.-Delegates representing the coal miners of Missouri, Oklahoma, Kansas and Arkansas in convention here tonight voted to reject the automatic penalty clause insisted on by Dr. H. A. Garfield, federal fuel administrator, as a part of their working agreement. The vote was 185 to 167…
Kansas Outvoted Others.
…It was announced that the vote by districts was as follows: Kansas, for the resolution, 129; against, 11; Oklahoma-Arkansas, for 22; against, 105; Missouri, for, 34; against 51.
Howat for Rejection.
The adoption of the resolution came at the end of a day of debate in which “Mother Jones” and John Wilkinson, president of district 21, counseled against the rejection of the clause and Alexander Howat, president of district 14, vehemently urged its rejection.
“Mother Jones” and Wilkinson urged the acceptance of the clause on the ground of patriotism.
[Mother Jones declared:]
It’s our to stand by the president and the nation in this crisis. Our business now is to help the government lick hell out of the Kaiser and then we will lick hell out of the operators. President Wilson and Dr. Garfield will see that no injustice is done you through the working of this hateful clause. And I pledge myself to go before the president and Mr. Garfield and obtain relief if you want me to.
As “Mother Jones” left the platform she said:
Vote for the clause, boys, it’s a vote for Wilson and he’ll vote for you.
Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for November 1917, Part I: Found in Connecticut, New York City and Kansas City
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Hellraisers Journal, Friday December 21, 1917
Mother Jones News for November, Part I: Attends District Miners Convention
Mother Jones began the month of November in Bridgeport, Connecticut, where she was found addressing a meeting of the employes of the Locomobile Company who were seeking organization with the machinists union.
We next found her in New York City at the headquarters of the Democratic Party where she shook hands with Mayor-elect Hylan.
At near mid-month we found her in Kansas City attending the convention of the miners of the Southwestern districts, whose delegates were there assembled to debate the “automatic penalty clause,” a bone of contention within the United Mine Workers of America. Regardless of her stand on that issue, Mother remains much beloved by the miners. She was welcomed into the convention on the arm of the President of District 14 (Kansas):
Howat entered the hall with Mother Jones on his arm. He introduced her as the “angel of the miners,” after she had been heartily cheered.
Hellraisers Journal: Darr Mine Explodes in Pennsylvania; December 1907 Is Most Deadly Month Ever for Miners of USA
Pray for the dead
And fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Friday December 20, 1907
Jacob’s Creek, Pennsylvania – Massive Explosions at Darr Mine
From The Pittsburgh Press of December 19, 1907:
Grief-Stricken Families Gather
SCENES AT DARR MINE ARE AWFUL
—–Connellsville, Pa., Dec. 19.-The force of the Darr mine explosion was felt for miles, and within 30 minutes from the times the smoke from the burning coal reached the exits of the mine, the mouths were surrounded by crowds of agonized members of the families of entombed men.
Some stood shuddering in the cold, with stolid faces, hardly seeming to realize that they were about to become widows, orphans or friendless, while others gave way to uncontrolled grief and uttered heart-piercing shrieks of grief, and wild cries of anguish.
No one made an effort to quiet another grief-stricken spectator. All seemed to feel that the bereavement was inconsolable, and each was busy trying to grasp the situation from a personal standpoint. Some of the women fell prostrate in the dust-covered snow when they full realized that the little community was experiencing the visitation of terrible calamity.
———-
Hellraisers Journal: Tribute from Eugene Debs for Comrade Father Thomas McGrady, Catholic Socialist
Thomas McGrady found joy in social service
And his perfect consecration to his social ideals
Was the crowning glory of his life
And the bow of promise at his death.
-Eugene Victor Debs
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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday December 19, 1907
Eugene Debs Bids Fond Farewell to Father Thomas McGrady
From the Appeal to Reason of December 14, 1907:
It is a strange and pathetic coincidence that almost at the very moment I completed the introduction to the brochure of Thomas McGrady on “The Catholic Church and Socialism,” now in press, the sad news came that he had passed away, and the painful duty now devolves upon me to write the word “finis” at the close of his work and add a few words of obitual eulogy.
It is not customary among Socialists to pronounce conventional and meaningless panegyrics upon departed comrades; nor to pay fulsome tribute to virtues they never possessed. Mere form and ceremony have had their day-and a long and gloomy day it has been-and can have no place among Socialists when a comrade living pays his last reverent regards to a comrade dead.
Thomas McGrady was born at Lexington, Ky., June 6, 1863. In 1887, at 24 years of age, he was ordained as a Catholic priest at the Cathedral of Galveston, Tex. His next pastorate was St. Patrick’s church, Houston, followed by his transfer to St. Patrick’s church, Dallas, Tex. In 1890 he returned to his Kentucky home, beginning his pastoral service there in Lexington, his native city. Later he went to St. Anthony’s church, Bellevue, Ky., and it was here, in 1896, that he began his first serious study of economic, political and social questions. He was first attracted by Henry George’s Single Tax, but abandoned that as inadequate after some Socialist literature fell into his hands, and he became convinced that nothing less than a social revolution, and the abolition of the capitalist competitive system would materially better the existing industrial and social condition of the people.
Hellraisers Journal: December Death Toll for Nation’s Coal Miners Continues Apace with Yolande Explosion in Alabama
Pray for the dead
And fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday December 18, 1907
Yolande, Alabama – Many Miners Feared Dead in Mine Explosion
Broken-hearted families now huddle at the scene of yet another mine explosion, the third such this month, this time in Yolande, Alabama. The latest mine disaster has taken the lives of at least 50 husbands, fathers, brothers and sons, leaving behind widows and orphans to weep and mourn. They now face an uncertain, and likely bleak, future without their family breadwinners.
From The Gadsden Daily Times-News of December 16, 1907:
Hellraisers Journal: To the Preachers of “Morals” by Ralph Chaplin: “You do the work of hired thugs and spies..”
The World’s great Wrong cries out; you do not heed,
But drivel rot with heaven-uplifted eyes,
Then creep away behind a cloud of lies
To kiss the palsied hand of murderous Greed.
-Ralph Chaplin
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Hellraisers Journal, Monday December 17, 1917
A Rebel Verse from Ralph Chaplin
Hellraisers Journal: 103 Fellow Workers Plead “Not Guilty” to Charges of Conspiracy in Chicago Federal Court
Don’t worry, Fellow Worker,
all we’re going to need
from now on is guts.
-Frank Little
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Hellraisers Journal: Sunday December 16, 1917
Chicago, Illinois – I. W. W. Defendants Appear Before Judge Landis
From the Kansas Pittsburg Daily Headlight of December 15, 1917:
I.W.W. DEFENDANTS FILLED
A COURT ROOM
—
BEFORE JUDGE LANDIS AT CHICAGO,
ACCUSED AGITATORS PLEADED NOT GUILTY.
—–
“American Bolsheviki Without Whiskers,”
as U. S. Lawyer Described Them,
Appeared to Answer Conspiracy Charge.
—–
Chicago, Dec. 15.-One hundred and three alleged members of the Industrial Workers of the World, probably the largest number ever assembled in one court room to answer the charges of conspiracy against the federal government, pleaded “not guilty” when arraigned before Judge Landis in the United States district court today.
In general appearance the defendants resembled a typical jury panel. There were exceptions, however, for among the I. W. W. there are not a few who pretend to literary merit. There are some who confess themselves poets, and a few are orators. These might be distinguished by the flowing Windsor tie and the soft collar of the artist or musician, by the stiff rearward brush of the hair, or, in one or two instances, by a neatly trimmed Van Dyke beard. One of the government lawyers referred to them as “the American Bolsheviki, without the whiskers.”
Hellraisers Journal: Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Tours Mesabi Iron Range, Speaks on Industrial Unionism
It’s great to fight for freedom
with a Rebel Girl.
-Joe Hill
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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday December 15, 1907
Northern Minnesota – Miss Flynn Tours and Speaks
From The Industrial Union Bulletin of Dec 14, 1907:
Miss Flynn’s Tour a Success
I arrived in Duluth, Minn., on Friday, November 14th, and on Sunday afternoon, November 16th, the first meeting was held in Superior, Wis., with an audience of 300 people. The second was held the same evening in Duluth, Minn., with an attendance of from 600 to 700 people. At the two meetings the people were enthusiastic in demonstrating their appreciation of industrial unionism. The capitalist papers gave us extended write-ups, copies of which have been forwarded to headquarters, carefully omitting the portions of the talks which dealt with themselves and “the panic.” The chairman of both meetings was Fellow Worker Zollner, a fighter of ability in this vicinity.
The first range town we visited was Proctor, Minn., the home of the “Duluth, Mesaba and Northern” transportation workers. The round-houses and yards of this ore-carrying road are located here, all of it being stock-trust property. The company very generously gave their employers a special train into Duluth to see the “Land of Nod,” which was playing there that night, which had the effect of diminishing the size of our audience. “The Land of Nod” is better for the proletarians than an industrial awakening. Miss Flynn promised to come again, however-one hundred times, if necessary-to get the doctrines of industrial unionism before the workers. Let the company take notice.
