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

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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

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

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: From the Duluth Labor World: “Character Sketch Of Clarence S. Darrow”

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True patriotism hates injustice
in its own land
more than anywhere else.
-Clarence Darrow

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 26, 1907
A Tribute to Clarence Darrow, Hero of Many Battles For Labor

From the Duluth Labor World of September 21, 1907:

CHARACTER SKETCH OF CLARENCE S. DARROW
—–
Great Lawyer Who Defended Haywood
Fought Many Battles For Labor.
—–
He has Ever Been On the Firing Line
In the Interest of Humanity.
—–

HMP, Darrow Addresses the Jury, OR Dly Jr, June 29, 1907

—–

Twelve years ago, when Eugene V. Debs was imprisoned as a result of his activities in the great railway strike in Chicago, Clarence Darrow became his legal champion. Three years later he defended Thomas I. Kidd and two striking woodworkers who were charged with having “conspired,” through their union, “to injure the business” of a great lumber company in Oshkosh, Wis. His arguments, which has been printed in phamphlet form and is pronounced by no less a critic than William Dean Howells “as interesting as a novel” resulted in the acquittal of his clients.

A more distinctive figure than Darrow’s, says Kellogg Durland, in the Boston Transcript, has seldom come out of the west:

He was born in the Western Reserve of Ohio. His father was an honest man. After qualifying for the church he gave up the cloth for a country store that he might “feel surer of what he was doing.” At 19 young Darrow was teaching school. One year of college life satisfied him. Early in his twenties he drifted to Chicago and studied law. All his life he has been a dreamer and happy in his dreams. He has the strength of a man of vision. As a lawyer he has wide reputation, for he has been the corporation counsel for a great railroad and the defender of men like Eugene V. Debs and Kidd in the famous woodworkers’ conspiracy case. Public life has always called him, but he has mostly been deaf to the call. “I want to make my living as a lawyer and devote my leisure to writing stories and essays,” he has pleaded almost peevishly. “And I want to write a long novel.”

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Hellraisers Journal: Delegate at IWW Convention: Miss Flynn, “Young High School Girl-Fiery Socialist Orator”

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I studied carefully the New York East Side,
the slums, the dives, and the sweatshops
and the terrible conditions of the people there
drove me into socialism.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday September 22, 1907
Chicago, Illinois – Miss Flynn Delegate to I. W. W. Convention

From Montana’s Great Falls Daily Tribune of September 21, 1907:

EGF, Fiery Girl Socialist, Grt Fls Tb p1, Sept 21, 1907

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Hellraisers Journal: IWW Convention Begins in Chicago; Young Delegate, Miss Flynn, Talks Socialism on Street Corner

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I studied carefully the New York East Side,
the slums, the dives, and the sweatshops
and the terrible conditions of the people there
drove me into socialism.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday September 18, 1907
Chicago, Illinois – Girl Socialist Is I. W. W. Delegate

Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, age 17, of New York City, is a delegate to the Convention of Industrial Workers of the World which opened its first session on Monday morning, September 16th.

From The Chicago Daily Tribune of September 17, 1907:

…Industrial Workers of the World Open
Annual Convention…..

IWW Universal Label, IWWC 1906 Proceedings

With a gavel valued at $100 in the chairman’s hands, the annual convention of the Industrial Workers of the World opened in the morning at Brand’s hall. The gavel was presented by the unions of Alaska. It is made of walrus tusks. It is expected a tangle over the credentials will be straightened out today, and the unionists will take up business matters…

———-

[Photograph added.]

Miss Flynn, “Platform Wonder”

MISS GLYNN IN SOAPBOX TALKS.
—–
“Platform Wonder” Tells Her Hearers
the General Strike Is to Be the
Watchword of Future.
—–

EGF Girl Socialist w Hat, NYW, Aug 24, 1906

Standing on a soapbox at Halsted and O’Brien streets last night, Miss Elizabeth Gurley Glynn [Flynn], the 17 year old union “platform wonder,” addressed a crowd of 200 workingmen and exhorted them to prepare for the “general strike” in Chicago in the near future. Other unions “revival” meetings were held at Clark and Erie streets and elsewhere about the city. The soapbox campaign will be conducted while the convention of the Industrial Workers of the World is in session this week at Brand’s hall.

[Declared Miss Flynn:]

Not until every workingman quits his labor and refuses to go back until he is given a fair share of the profits will the labor question be settled. The general strike is the watchword of the future. It is certain to come soon.

Meetings will be held tonight in the Milwaukee avenue district and at several places on the west side.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for August 1907, Part II, Found on Minnesota’s Iron Range, and in Chicago, & Cincinnati

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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 September 13, 1907
Mother Jones News for August, Part II: Travels to Chicago

Mother Jones, Tacoma Times, Sept 19, 1904

On August 21st, Mother left Duluth, Minnesota, after concluding her time in Northern Minnesota where she had been traveling the Mesabi Range in support of the striking iron miners and giving speeches alongside of C. E. Mahoney of the Western Federation of Miners. She next traveled to Chicago where she was found speaking in support of the Telegrapher’s Strike. At one union meeting she advised young woman on the issue of keeping company with scabs:

When you find these fellows sneaking back to work, keep him out if you can; if you can’t, renounce them and see that any fellow who calls on you carries a union card or else order him from your door.

Mother also made a short trip to Cincinnati in order to speak at Socialist Picnic in that city.

From The Cincinnati Post of August 23, 1907:

MJ, Ad Speech, Cinc Post p4, Aug 23, 1907

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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

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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: From The Masses: “Having Their Fling- Orgie Maniacle” by Art Young

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I have no country to fight for;
my country is the earth,
and I am a citizen of the world.
– Eugene V. Debs

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday September 11, 1917
From The Masses: Art Young Comments on the Orgie of War

“Having Their Fling” by Art Young

WWI, Having Fling Art Young, Masses, Sept 1917

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Hellraisers Journal: Miss Elizabeth Flynn, Girl Socialist, Found on Soapbox Lecturing on Philadelphia Street Corner

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It’s great to fight for Freedom
with a Rebel Girl.
-Joe Hill

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday September 10, 1907
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Miss Flynn Lectures on Socialism

From the Chicago Inter Ocean of September 9, 1907:

GIRL IN HIGH SCHOOL SOCIALIST LECTURER
—–
Miss Elizabeth Flynn Mounts Dry Goods Box
on Philadelphia’s Corners to Expound the
Doctrines of Her Political Beliefs.
—–

STRICKEN BY POVERTY, SHE AIMS BLOW AT CAPITALISTS
—–
Handles Rockefeller, Roosevelt, and Other Leaders
Without Gloves in Addresses to Masses
-Says Crisis Will Bring Change.
—–

Special Dispatch to The Inter Ocean.

EGF Girl Socialist w Hat, NYW, Aug 24, 1906

PHILADELPHIA. PA., Sept. 8.-Philadelphia is being treated to a series of lectures on socialism, delivered by a girl of 17 years. She is miss Elizabeth Flynn of New York, still in high school, and every night she expounds the doctrine of ther political faith from the top of a dry goods box at a busy corner.

Two weeks ago Miss Flynn passed her seventeenth birthday, celebrating this important occasion by delivering two powerful addresses on socialism, brimful of tart remarks about Mr. Rockefeller’s fine and about the insincerity of Mr. Roosevelt and any other politician of the capitalistic class.

Draws Picture of Capitalist.

Here are some hammer blows from her speeches:

On the one hand is the working class, on the other hand the things they need, and between the two the capitalist dragging down the working man and pushing up the price of materials he must have.

Are we going to sit around and starve ourselves waiting for the capitalist to get out of his market glue?

Mark me!The downfall of capitalism will come in some great crisis.

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

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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.”

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

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

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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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