Tag: Aberdeen WA Free Speech Fight 1911-1912

Hellraisers Journal: How the Sacred Constitution Is Upheld Against Fellow Workers in Aberdeen, Washington

Janet RayeFree Speech Fights
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IW Nov 30, 1911———————-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday December 30, 1911
Aberdeen, Washington – The Constitution as Upheld for  Fellow Workers 

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of December 28, 1911:

IW p1, Dec 28, 1911

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WAKE UP GOVERNOR HAY.
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Tacoma, Wash, Dec. 17, 1911.

Honorable Marion E. Hay,
Governor of the State of Washington,
Olympia, Wash.

Sir:-

We, the undersigned, do hereby respectfully call your attention to the lawlessness which, as we are informed, now exists and for some time past existed in Aberdeen, Chehalis county, in this state.

We herewith enclose affidavits to show that workingmen who have been charged with no crime whatever have been compelled to leave said city by an irresponsible mob of brutal men armed with guns and cubs-a proceeding for which we are advised, there is no authority in law and which, we submit, is to a marked degree, against the peace and dignity of our state.

Our laws, as we are informed, provide that persons charged with a crime may be arrested and after being found guilty in the manner prescribed by law, may be punished. Such punishments, we are informed, may be fine, imprisonment, the infliction of death penalty upon the offender, and in certain cases the performance of an operation to prevent procreation.

There is no law providing that persons, guilty or innocent, desirable or undesirable may be run out or town.

Trusting that you may, in the exercise of your authority as chief executive of our state, see your way clear to suppress all lawlessness and assuring you of our ability and willingness to furnish much or evidence of the character herewith enclosed, we beg to remain, respectfully yours,

ED GILBERT.
A. J. AMOLSCH.
MANS BECKER.

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: 700 Thugs Organized by Mayor Parks to Stop IWW Free Speech Fight in Aberdeen, Washington

Janet RayeFree Speech Fights
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IW Nov 30, 1911————————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 10, 1911
“FREE SPEECH must be established in Aberdeen! ON TO ABERDEEN!!”

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of December 7, 1911:

IW p1, Dec 7, 1911
We will now sing that touching hymn entitled
“Throw a Little Dough Upon the Drum.”

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ABERDEEN FULL OF THUGS
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A LULL IN THE STORM
-700 AUTHORIZED THUGS TO STOP 
FREEDOM OF SPEECH
-MAYOR PARKS THREATENS TO MURDER.
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ABERDEEN, Wash., Dec. 1.-Aberdeen is quiet after the storm. The I. W. W.’s have left, and can’t come back now if they want to. In fact, they did petition the mayor for permission to return peaceably, and were refused. So say the citizens.

Sympathizers with the organization, however, say guardedly that the “woods are full” of I. W. W.’s waiting for the proper time to strike a second blow against the town which, they say, has denied them the right of free speech.

The bustling lumber town is in a hubbub of excitement. The recent “invasion” is the topic of conversation on every street corner. Every one is aroused. “Aberdeen for law and order,” is the motto.

The 700 citizen police are still in authority and have their hickory ax handles and stout wagon wheel spokes handy in case they are needed again. The town is unnaturally quiet-like the calm before a storm. Serious men realize that the war may not yet be ended, and are waiting.

When the first skirmish took place five men mounted soap boxes on prominent street corners and demanded the right to preach their doctrine wherever they pleased. They were arrested. The next night 150 men wearing red tags made a demonstration before the city jail in favor of their imprisoned comrades. City officials ordered out the fire department and the crowd of I. W. W.’s and many bystanders were soaked with water. Several arrests followed. Friday Mayor Parks gave the oath to 500 special police. The number has since been swelled to 700. The I. W. W.’s attempted to hold a meeting in the Empire theater and the hardest struggle of the week took place. Citizen police patrolled all streets in squads and arrested every man they could find wearing the red tag of the I. W. W.’s. The meeting was dispersed.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: “To Aberdeen or Bust” IWW Men Leaving for Free Speech Fight

Janet RayeFree Speech Fights
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Hellraisers Journal – Friday December 1, 1911
I. W. W. Free Speech Fight On in Aberdeen, Washington

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of November 30, 1911:

The Spokane local of the Industrial Workers of the World is to rush 100 of its members to Aberdeen, Wash., to fill the jails of that town. They will help in a street speaking agitation now being waged there.

A telegram from Aberdeen Wednesday to the local secretary, W. A. Douglass, stated the fight was on and urged that all available men in Spokane start immediately. The communication stated the organizer and secretary of the Aberdeen local were already in jail for street speaking. 

Reports from Portland, Ore., tell of an outbreak of “soap box orators” in that city. In conference Wednesday the chief of police and Commissioner Coffey decided to jail all speakers creating street demonstrations. The Spokane local says men will be rushed to the Rose city immediately, if necessary.-Spokane “Chronicle.”

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Reinforcements From Vancouver.

VANCOUVER, B. C., Nov. 24.-At the local headquarters of the I. W. W. it was declared tonight that 368 men are going from here to Aberdeen, Wash., to participate in the free speech fight there.-“Spokesman-Review.”

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