Tag: August 1917

Hellraisers Journal: From Appeal to Reason: Woman Representatives Score Butte & Bisbee, Jeannette Rankin Speaks

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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No one is safe where lynching is sanctioned.
-Jeannette Rankin

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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday August 22, 1917
From the Appeal to Reason: Two Brave Women Speak for Labor

The Appeal to Reason of August 18th featured the opinions of two women elected to represent the people: the first, Miss Jeannette Rankin of the United States House of Representatives, and the second, Mrs. Rosa McKay of the Arizona House of Representative. Today we begin with Miss Rankin who outlines conditions at Butte. We will conclude tomorrow with Mrs. McKay and her view of recent events in Bisbee.

Butte and Bisbee Outrages Scored
by Brave Woman Representatives

Jeannette Rankin, MN Princeton Union, Aug 9, 1917

The stories of the labor troubles in Butte, Mont., and Bisbee, Ariz., are told below by two women, both of them elected representatives of the people from their respective districts.

Miss Jeanette Rankin, of Montana, the first Congresswoman of the United States, told of conditions in Butte in a speech [August 7th] before the national House of Representatives.

In an article to the Appeal, Mrs. Rosa McKay, member of the Arizona House of Representatives from Bisbee, Cochise county, Arizona, tells of the Bisbee deportation.

The activity of these two women in behalf of justice for the workers and in defense of the cause of true democracy, leaves little wonder why the reactionary, corporation-serving politicians have sought to prevent the entrance of woman into politics. Speed the day when woman will take her full share in the affairs of government! Miss Rankin and Mrs. McKay have done the cause of suffrage a great service in the noble stand they have taken.

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Hellraisers Journal: Hopkinsville Kentuckian: “Total Dead of 64”-from August 4th Explosion at No. 7 Mine in Clay

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Pray for the dead
and fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones

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Hellraisers Journal, Monday August 20, 1917
Clay, Kentucky – Town in Mourning for Lost Miners

A town in western Kentucky continues to mourn its dead as the reported death toll now stands at 64.

From Hopkinsville Kentuckian of Aug 16, 1917:

Total of 64 Dead.

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Clay KY MnDs, 3 Brothers, Louisville Cr Jr, Aug 9, 1917

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Clay, Ky., Aug. 15.-The West Kentucky mine, the scene of the greatest mining disaster that has occurred in a west Kentucky coal mine was cleared of the dead today, when the last dead bodies were brought out. A total of 63 dead bodies have been removed.

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[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: “Street Car Workers Win”-Bloomington, Illinois

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday August 19, 1917
Bloomington, Illinois – Victory for Street Car Strikers

From the International Socialist Review of August 1917:

ISR Bloomington IL Street Car Strike, Aug 1917

STREET CAR WORKERS WIN

IN SPITE of the fact that more than one thousand Illinois soldiers were rushed to Bloomington, Ill., in record time, the street car workers won their strike.

The solidarity of labor was 100 per cent strong. More than two thousand employees of the Alton shops downed tools at three o’clock on the afternoon of July 6th and marched to the office of the street car company, where they demanded that the car strike be brought to a satisfactory settlement at once. Every union in Bloomington lined up behind the strikers.

The big power house was closed. Newspapers were unable to misrepresent the strike as there was no power to run the presses, and many of the big industrial plants had to close down for the same reason.

This is a striking example of how solidarity means success. If the workers will stand together as they did in Bloomington they can always win.

From The Chicago Daily Tribune of July 7, 1917:

Bloomington IL Street Car Strike Settled, Chg Tb, July 7 1917

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for July 1917, Part II: Found in West Virginia & Washington, DC

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday August 18, 1917
Mother Jones News for July, Part II: Organizing West Virginia

From the United Mine Workers Journal of July 12, 1917:

The following was published as an advertisement in the The Beckley (West Virginia) Messenger of July 10, 1917, but without the final paragraph.

“Mother” Jones’ Refreshing Experience

Mother Mary Harris Jones, Decatur Herald IL, May 14, 1916

“Mother” Jones had a most refreshing experience at a great meeting of the miners at Quinnimont, West Virginia, on the 14th day of June. The Layland mines, where the meeting was held, is owned by the Berwin-White Coal Company, and a large number of men are employed at this place. It is in the very heart of the mountainous New River coal fields. In the years gone by this section has been a veritable Gibraltar of the foes of unionism, and armed guards have patrolled the works of the companies looking for those who were trying to carry the message of unionism to the miners of this section. Happily, this condition has passed away in many parts of this field, and the private gunman is being driven farther and farther back into the remote mountain fastnesses.

The refreshing part of the Layland meeting was the manner and spirit in which Mr. O. A. Kneer, the superintendent of the Berwin-White Coal Company received the visit of “Mother” Jones. Instead of following the tactics of some of the less enlightened companies and forbidding “Mother” holding a meeting at the mines, he told the miners to go to the meeting, and was present himself. After the meeting was over he said it was one of the best addresses he had ever heard. Having an open mind and the spirit of fair play, he was ready to meet the miners half way and deal with them as men with rights.

If all the coal companies were enlightened enough to show the same spirit, the coal fields of the country would not so often be the scene of bitter industrial struggles. Mr. O. A. Kneer, by his fairness and good will, has done much to bring peace between the miners and operators in that section. His attitude is commended to the companies who think to crush the miners by private armies of gunmen. There is nothing that appeals to the average miner so much as fair play.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for July 1917, Part I: Found in Illinois

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday August 17, 1917
Mother Jones News for July, Part I: Blamed for Riot

During the evening of Thursday, July 5th, Mother Jones spoke on behalf of striking street carmen in Bloomington, Illinois. She was blamed for the riot which broke out following her speech.

From The Daily (Bloomington) Pantagraph of July 6, 1917:

MJ, Bloomington IL Riot, Pgr, July 6, 1917
MJ, Bloomington IL Riot 2, Pgr, July 6, 1917

Bloomington this morning is practically under martial law following one of the wildest nights of rioting in its history. Troop G, First Illinois cavalry from Peoria reached the city at 7:30 a. m. over the Big Four under the command of Captain Thomas J. Simpson. There were 58 men and three officers. They proceeded immediately to the B. & N. power house at the intersection of Roosevelt avenue and the Big Four tracks, where they pitched camp.

Several more companies of troops are on their way to Bloomington from Chicago and will reach here about noon……

The “Mother Jones” Meeting.

“Mother” Jones, it is said, closed her address by telling the men “to do something.” With this incentive hundreds of men and women gathered in front of the Eagles hall apparently waiting for a leader….

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Hellraisers Journal: The Lynching of Frank Little by Cesare of Evening Post and Bingo of Solidarity

Janet RayeFrank Little
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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 August 12, 1917
Cartoonists Depict the Lynching of Fellow Worker Frank Little

From the American Socialist of August 11, 1917:

Frank Little, MT Law n Order, Cesare, Am Sc, Aug 11, 1917

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Hellraisers Journal: Frank Little, Martyr for Solidarity, Laid to Rest in Butte; Thousands Honor Fallen Hero

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Frank Little Quote by Tom Rimmer

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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday August 8, 1917
Butte, Montana – Thousands March to Honor Martyr Frank Little

Frank Little Funeral, At Grave, Lbr Def, Aug 1926, 2

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On Sunday August 5th there was held the largest funeral ever held in the city of Butte, and, perhaps, in the state of Montana. Thousands of mourners marched behind the casket carrying the remains of Frank Little, the valiant warrior who gave his life in freedom’s cause.

From The Anaconda Standard of August 6, 1917:

The voice of the mine owners could not refrain from sniping at the striking miners, their union (not affiliated with the I. W. W.), nor the union represented by Frank Little, the Industrial Workers of the World. Nevertheless, the report on FW Little’s funeral appears to be, for the most part, accurate.

LARGE FUNERAL NO DISORDER
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DEMONSTRATION AND A SPECTACLE
MARK FINAL TRIBUTE TO FRANK LITTLE
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MANY FRIENDS MARCH
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Women in the procession, which is made up of more than three thousand-Red sashes and other I. W. W. emblems displayed- Moving pictures are taken-Stars and Stripes shown for a while, then removed. No religious service-Brief remarks were made at the grave.

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Frank Little Funeral, Casket Duggans, Butte Aug 5, 1917

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Hellraisers Journal: Frank Little Lynched in Butte; Note Threatens: “Others Take Notice! First and Last Warning!”

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Don’t worry, fellow-worker,
all we’re going to need from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday August 3, 1917
Butte, Montana – Union Men Arm for Self Defense

Frank Little was taken from his room by vigilantes before dawn on August 1st. His body was found hanging from a railroad trestle by a neighborhood man on his way to work. Pinned to the body of Fellow Worker Frank Little was a note bearing the Montana Vigilante Code and a grim warning to “Others.” The men of the Butte Metal Mine Workers Union are seeking permits in order to arm for self-defense.

From The Anaconda Standard of August 2, 1917:

Frank Little, Others Take Notice, AS p1, Aug 2, 1917
Frank Little, Others Take Notice, 3 7 77, AS p1, Aug 2, 1917

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WE NEVER FORGET Frank Little Who Gave His Life in Freedom’s Cause at Butte, Montana on August 1, 1917

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Don’t worry, fellow-worker,
all we’re going to need from now on is guts.
-Frank Little
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WE NEVER FORGET, Frank Little, Butte, MT, Aug 1, 1917

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Fellow Worker Frank Little

Organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World

Frank Little Martyr, Truth Butte Tompkins, 1917

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Frank Little was lynched in Butte, Montana, at 3 A. M. on August 1, 1917, by vigilantes who, many alleged, were in the employ of the Anaconda Copper Company. He came to Butte to support striking metal miners despite having been warned of the dangers involved in that assignment. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn said of him:

He was tall and dark, with black hair and black eyes, a slender, gentle and soft-spoken man…He was dependable in all situations.

FW Little was much admired by the miners of Butte, and his funeral was one of the largest ever held in that city. His coffin was covered by a red silk banner, inscribed:

A MARTYR TO SOLIDARITY

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