Tag: Big Bill Haywood

Hellraisers Journal: Feds Descend On Chicago Headquarters of Industrial Workers of the World & Arrest Leaders

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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If the workers are organized, all they have to do is
to put their hands in their pockets
and they have got the capitalist class whipped.
-Big Bill Haywood

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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday September 29, 1917
Chicago, Illinois – Leaders of I. W. W. Under Arrest

Yesterday afternoon federal agents descended upon the Chicago headquarters of the Industrial Workers of the World and arrested, en masse, the leaders of the One Big Union. Our Fellow Workers were transported to the Cook County Jail were they remain at this time locked behind the prison bars of the Master Class.

From today’s Chicago Daily Tribune:

WWIR, IWW Arrests w BBH added, Chg Dly Tb, Sept 29, 1917

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Hellraisers Journal: Suppression of Industrial Workers of the World Justified as “War Measure”

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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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 September 14, 1917
Federal Government Claims “War Measure” for Move Against I.W.W.

From Ohio’s Marysville Evening Tribune of September 10, 1917:

WWIR, IWW, BBH EGF Tresca, Mryvl Jr OH, Sept 10, 1917

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for August 1907, Part I, Found in Arizona, Denver, & Minnesota’s Mesabi Range

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, Thursday September 12, 1907
Mother Jones News for August, Part I: Arrives on Mesabi Range

Mother Jones by Bertha Howell (Mrs Mailly), ab 1902

During the month of August 1907, we found Mother Jones in Arizona continuing her work on behalf of the Western Federation of Miners. After a brief visit to Denver to congratulate William D. Haywood on his recent acquittal, Mother turned up briefly in Chicago and from there she traveled to Minnesota’s Mesabi Range to support the W. F. of M. and the ongoing strike of the iron-ore miners of that region.

Today we present Part I of our Mother Jones News round-up for the month of August 1907. We will continue tomorrow with Part II.

From The Clifton Copper Era of August 1, 1907:

Mother Jones in Clifton.

The well known labor champion. Mother Jones, arrived in Clifton last Sunday evening and commenced on Monday with a series of open air meetings, which will be continued throughout the week. She is a white-haired lady of seventy years and has spent the most of her life in the interest of the laboring classes. She is the best feminine speaker that has ever appeared in Clifton and outside of a few strong remarks about companies her talks so far have been very mild, and not what was expected of her.

In some of her talks she drifted back into ancient history among the laboring classes and brought it out to the present time. The main object of her visit here is to give advice to the Mexican laborers, some of whom have taken part in the recent strike at the A. C. smelter. She is a rugged old lady and her voice is exceedingly well suited for the position which she occupies. She has had vast experiences with the laboring classes, having taken active part in almost every strike that has occurred in the United States.

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Hellraisers Journal: Raids & More Raids! Homes and Offices in Chicago, Spokane, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Etc.

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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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 September 7, 1917
Nationwide Raids Against Industrial Workers and Socialists

The nationwide raids conducted by federal agents on September 5th against the Industrial Workers of the World and the Socialist Party of America are described by the Spokane Spokesman-Review of September 6th:

US Officers Raid I. W. W. Headquarters
Over Nation

[Report from Associated Press]

WWIR, Raids IWW SPA BBH, Chg Tb Sept 6, 1917

Indictments May Follow.

MAGNOLIA, Mass., Sept. 5.— Attorney General Thomas W. Gregory was a guest at the summer home of Colonel E.M. House here this evening when he received word that raids on the headquarters of the Industrial Workers of the World in many cities had been carried out as arranged by the federal Department of Justice.

“It is no secret,” said Mr. Gregory, “that the Industrial Workers of the World have been under suspicion for some time. The Department of Justice conducted a quiet investigation until I was convinced that we were warranted in taking such action as this.

“I do not need to say the the raids will be followed quickly by indictments if we find anything to warrant them, and the men will be prosecuted to the extent of the law if they deserve it.”

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Hellraisers Journal: IWW Halls and Socialists Offices Raided Coast to Coast by Federal Agents, Tons of Material Seized

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

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 6, 1917
Chicago, Illinois – I. W. W. and S. P. Headquarters Raided

The Headquarters of the Industrial Workers of the World, located at 1001-1006 West Madison street, were raided by federal agents yesterday and vast amounts of property and documents seized. The offices of the Socialist Party of America and of its national newspaper, American Socialist, were also “visited.” The raids in Chicago were made simultaneously with raids of I. W. W. halls across the nation.

From The Chicago Daily Tribune of September 6, 1917:

WWIR, IWW Raids, Chg Tb, Sept 6, 1917WWIR, IWW Raids, Chg Tb, Sept 6, 1917, 2WWIR, IWW Raids, Chg Tb, Sept 6, 1917, 3

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Hellraisers Journal: Labor World Scores IWW: “Labor and the nation will be better off when we are rid of them.”

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

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday September 5, 1917
From the Duluth Labor World: I. W. W., Foe of Nation & Enemy of Labor

AFL Emblem, Am Fedist, Aug-Dec 1917

The Duluth Labor World, voice of the American Federation of Labor in northern Minnesota, has now declared the Industrial Workers of the World to be a foe of the United States of America and an enemy of true American Labor. Having been willing to organize foreign-born and unskilled workers where the A. F. of L., for the most part, would not, (the United Mine Workers being a noble exception), the I. W. W. is now accused of “exploiting” alien prejudices.

From the Duluth Labor World of September 1, 1917:

WWIR IWWR Labor's Enemy, Labor World, Sept 1, 1917

The time has come when it is necessary for the men of labor to speak out emphatically against any and all organizations claiming the support of workingmen that are not wholly American to the core. This is no time for quibbling. We do not propose to sit idly by and permit our cause to suffer longer from the foolhardy course of such a self-styled labor organization as the I. W. W., an organization that never did anything for the workingmen save pull their legs.

The enemies of the American trade union have for years been busy in Continental Europe propagating among workingmen against the American Federation of Labor. They declare it is controlled by the so-called “Capitalist Class;” that it is a mass-backed, conservative organization formed for the purpose of perpetuating the wage system, and when foreign laborers come here to work they bring with them their prejudices against the American labor movement.

This is why such an organization as the I. W. W., appeals to the foreign born laborers in this country who have not identified themselves with the American movement. And as a result the poor fellows are frequently led to deep industrial precipices from which they are ruthlessly hurled by the pretensive revolutionary leaders in the I. W. W.

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Hellraisers Journal: Twenty Thousand Men, Women, and Children Cheer Big Bill Haywood at Pabst Park in Milwaukee

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Stand shoulder to shoulder.
You can’t lose.
Yours, fraternally,
W. D. HAYWOOD

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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday August 21, 1907
Milwaukee, Wisconsin – Haywood Guest at Socialist Picnic

From The Green Bay Gazette of August 19, 1907:

Haywood, Wilshire's Magazine, 1906

HAYWOOD GIVEN OVATION
—–
Twenty Thousand Milwaukeeans
Turn Out to Greet Miner.

Milwaukee, Wis., Aug. 19.-Twenty thousand men, women, and children crowded Pabst park yesterday afternoon to listen to William D. Haywood, secretary treasurer of the Western Federation of Miners, when he addressed the gathering of Milwaukee social democrats at their second picnic of the season.

The picnic was the most successful held by the party in this city and Mr. Haywood was given a most gratifying ovation.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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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 1907, Part I: Found in Speaking in Arizona

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, Thursday August 15, 1907
Mother Jones News for July, Part I: Found in Arizona

Mother Jones, Tacoma Times, Sept 19, 1904

During the month of July, Mother Jones was found continuing her work in Arizona on behalf of the Western Federation of Miners. She toured the mining districts and spoke to the miners, their families, and supporters. One such speech was described by The Tucson Citizen of July 16th:

Mother Jones, known as the miners’ Joan of Arc, arrived in Tucson yesterday afternoon and last night addressed an open air meeting at the corner of Church and Congress streets. Tremendous magnetism and a certain amount of crude eloquence are the attributes with which Mother Jones has endeared herself to tens of thousands of working people all over the United States. Last night she gave a characteristic address….

Mother Jones went throughly into the Colorado and Idaho situation and lambasted the crowd that is prosecuting Moyer, Haywood and Pettibone. Getting nearer home she paid her stinging compliments to the Copper Queen Mining Company and gave her own version of the strike situation there. She has been at Bisbee since May 15 of this year lending encouragement to the strikers in the interest of the Western Federation of Miners. Her voice rose almost to a shriek as she told the Federation side of the troubles in the Warren district. Frequently during the address the old woman was cheered and exclamation of “God bless you” and “Good for you, Mother,” were heard from among her auditors. Before she finished the speaker was surrounded by a crowd in thorough sympathy with her, and the wonderful power she exerts over large bodies of men was made manifest in the way she swayed her Tucson audience….

———-

Part I: Mother Jones News for July 1907

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Hellraisers Journal: Debs Reflects on Haywood Verdict: Thinks Roosevelt Should Tender an Apology

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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A thousand times rather would I be
one of those men in Ada county jail
than Theodore Roosevelt in
the White House at Washington.
-Eugene Victor Debs

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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday August 10, 1907
From the Montana News: Debs Reflects on Haywood Verdict

Readers of Hellraisers will remember the controversy begun by Roosevelt when it was revealed, last April, that the President had declared Haywood, Moyer, Pettibone and Debs to be “Undesirable Citizens.”

In the Appeal to Reason of May 18th, Comrade Debs confronted Roosevelt:

Henry Maki WFM Telluride, Chained to Pole Mar 2, 1907

Were a mob of workingmen to seize Theodore Roosevelt and chain him to a post on a public street in Washington in broad daylight, as a mob of his capitalist friends seized and chained a workingman [Henry Maki] in Colorado, or throw him into a foul bullpen, without cause or provocation, prod him with bayonets and outrage his defenseless family while he was a prisoner, as was done in scores of well-authenticated cases in both Colorado and Idaho, would he then be in the mood to listen complacently to hypocritical homilies upon the “temperate” use of language, the sanctity of “law and order” and the beauty of “exact justice to all”?

And if he heard of some man who had sufficient decency to denounce the outrages he and his family had suffered, would he then “conceive it to be his duty,” as he tells us, to condemn the language of such a man as “treasonable and murderous” and the man himself as “inciting bloodshed,” and therefore an “undesirable citizen”?

[Photograph added.]

If fighting for the rights of working people makes one an undesirable citizen, then let us hope that millions more would be proud and happy to be classed with the likes of Comrades Haywood and Debs.

In this weeks edition of the Montana News, Eugene Debs suggests that President Roosevelt should tender an apology to the man he declared guilty in advance of the trial. Comrade Debs declares the acquittal of Big Bill Haywood to be a great victory for the American labor movement and a rebuke to the prosecution and to their masters, the Mine Owners’ Association, whose interest the prosecution endeavored to serve. Comrade Debs expresses his great respect for Comrade Haywood and proposes that Haywood should be nominated as the Socialist Party’s candidate for president.

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