Hellraisers Journal: Everett Prisoners Freed; IWW Organizing Drives Declared in Lumber, Mining, and Marine Transport

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Don’t Mourn, Organize!
-Joe Hill

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday June 1, 1917
From the International Socialist Review: Telegram from Washington

INDUSTRIAL ACTION NEWS

Everett Massacre, Prisoners Released Telegram, ISR June 1917

—–

Everett Free Speech, Class War Prisoners at Cemetery, May 12, 1917, WCS

ON the 5th of November, 1916, five working men, members of the Industrial Workers of the World, were shot to death on the docks at Everett, Wash., by hirelings of either the mill owners of the State of Washington, or the Commercial Club of Everett, Wash. Forty-six other workers were wounded.

For this crime, seventy-three workers were jailed for six months under various charges and on the 5th day of May, this year, Thomas H. Tracy was acquitted of a murder charge after a trial lasting two months. Now comes the good news of “all prisoners released.” Another clean cut victory for the fighting I. W. W.!
Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Everett Prisoners Freed; IWW Organizing Drives Declared in Lumber, Mining, and Marine Transport”

Hellraisers Journal: Anna Louise Strong for The Survey: “The Everett Verdict”

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There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Monday May 21, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Tom Tracy Acquitted , Free-Speech Prisoners Released

From The Survey of May 19, 1917:

The Verdict at Everett

Acquittal for the Man Tried, Release for the Other I. W. W.’s
By Anna Louise Strong

Anna Louise Strong, 1885-1970, Spartacus

“Not guilty!” With these words the great labor trial growing out of the battle on the Everett dock last November drew to a close, on May 5. “We are making history,” said the judge in his opening remarks to the jury. They were, indeed. Although driven from public notice by the opening of war, the trial of the seventy-four I. W. W.’s, represented technically in the person of one of their number, Thomas Tracy, is in many respects the greatest labor trial in our history. Tracy has been adjudged not guilty, after nine weeks of trial, and the others have been released without trial.

The main events leading up to the trial were covered in the SURVEY of January 27, and the evidence coming in at the trial has shown that statement to have been correct, except for one or two irrelevant details. A boatload of I. W. W.’s went to Everett on November 5, having previously announced a meeting on the streets of that city, and invited by circular the citizens of Everett to “come and help defend your and our constitutional rights.” They were met at the dock by the sheriff and 150 deputies. In the fight that ensued two deputies and five I. W. W.’s are known to have been killed, and there is a strong probability that three or four more I. W. W.’s were lost in the waters of the sound. On the return of the steamer Verona to Seattle, the entire load of passengers was arrested, and subsequently seventy-four were held on a charge of murder in the first degree.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Anna Louise Strong for The Survey: “The Everett Verdict””

Hellraisers Journal: Trial of I. W. W. Class-War Prisoner Thomas H. Tracy Begins in Seattle, Washington

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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, Tuesday March 6, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Tracy Proudly Displays His I. W. W. Button

IWW Button, libcom Sioux City FSF 1915

As the trial of our Class-War Hero, Tom Tracy, gets underway in Seattle, a reporter for The Seattle Star describes the Fellow Worker:

Tracy, the defendant,…is a young-looking, heavy-set man, in a blue flannel shirt and red tie, with his I. W. W. button in evidence on his coat lapel.

He told reporters before the trial began that he is 36 years old, was born in Nebraska, and has done road construction work principally, in several Western states. He watched the slow progress of drawing and examining jurors with evident interest, but with an air of detachment.

From The Seattle Star of March 5, 1917:

I.W.W. TRIAL OPENS WITH
FIGHT ON JURY
—–

BY MABEL ABBOTT

Everett Class War Prisoners 1916-17, Thomas H Tracy

The first of 74 I. W. W. murder trials resulting from the riots in Everett, November 5, 1916, got under way before Judge Ronald Monday.

After an hour and a half of examination as to whether he is an I. W. W., whether he is a member of the Employers’ association, what newspapers he reads, and whether he forms his opinions upon what they contain, J. H. Hicks, 5225 15th ave, N. E., proprietor of Hicks’ cafeteria, was challenged for cause Monday morning by Attorney George Vanderveer, representing Thomas H. Tracy, I. W. W.. on trial for participation in the shooting of Deputy Sheriff Jefferson Beard, at Everett, November 5, and excused by Judge Ronald from sitting in the case.

If examination of jurors proceeds at the same rate, with even a reasonable number of challenges, the selection of the jury will take two or three days, at least.

Tracy is the first of the 74 I. W. W. charged with first degree murder, to be tried. All have asked for separate trials.

Important Fight

The setting of the big fight indicates that it will rank in importance with the McNamara dynamiting trial in Los Angeles and the Ettor and Giovanitti trials in Lawrence, Mass.

Among the array of lawyers in the court room when the trial opened, were A. L. Veitch, of Los Angeles, who is credited with the convictions of the McNamaras, who assists the prosecution in the present case, and Fred H. Moore, also of Los Angeles, who defended Ettor.

The state is also represented by Prosecutor Black, of Snohomish county, and H. D. Cooley, of Everett. For the defense, besides Moore, are George H. Vanderveer. O. N Hilton, of Denver, and C. E. S. Wood, of Portland.

Tracy Wears I. W. W Button

Tracy, the defendant, who sits behind this legal battery, is a young-looking, heavy-set man, in a blue flannel shirt and red tie, with his I. W. W. button in evidence on his coat lapel.

He told reporters before the trial began that he is 36 years old, was born in Nebraska, and has done road construction work principally, in several Western states. He watched the slow progress of drawing and examining jurors with evident interest, but with an air of detachment.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Trial of I. W. W. Class-War Prisoner Thomas H. Tracy Begins in Seattle, Washington”

Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: Everett Prisoners Speak From Behind Bars, Reveal Jail Conditions

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Don’t Mourn! Organize!
-Joe Hill

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday March 5, 1917
From the Snohomish County Jail – Everett Class-War Prisoners Speak Out

The Industrial Worker of March 3rd offers the story of our I. W. W. Class-War prisoners who have spent the last few months behind the bars of the Snohomish County Jail in Everett, Washington. Despite the harsh conditions, the usual I. W. W. organizational and educational activities continue unabated.

PRISONERS WRITE EVERETT JAIL CONDITIONS AND ACTIVITIES
—–
Will get Freedom, If There Exists Shadow of Justice in America;
Bring order and Cleanliness Out of Filth and Disorder;
Abused by Drunken Deputies.
——

Everett Massacre, Snohomish County Jail, WCS p116

“Everything is fine and dandy on the outside, don’t worry, boys.”

This is the first thing we have heard from visitors ever since we seventy-four have been incarcerated in the Snohomish County Jail at Everett.

While “everything is fine and dandy on the outside” there are no doubt, hundreds who would like to hear how things are on the inside. Let us assure everyone on the outside that “everything is fine and dandy” on the inside. We are not worrying as it is but a short time till the beginning of the trials, the outcome of which we are certain will be one of the greatest victories Labor has ever known, if there exists a shadow of justice in the courts of America.

One hundred days in jail so far-and for nothing! Stop and think what one hundred days in jail means to seventy-four men! It means that in the aggregate the Master Class have deprived us of more than twenty years of liberty. Twenty years! Think of it, and a prospect of twenty more before all are at liberty.

And why?

There can be one reason, one answer: We are spending this time in Jail and will go thru the mockery of trial because the masters of Everett are trying to shield themselves from the atrocious murders of Bloody November Fifth.

After being held in Seattle, convicted without a trial, except such as was given us by the press carrying the advertising of the boss and dependent on him for support, on November 10th forty-one of us were brought to Everett. A few days later thirty more were brought here.

Russianized Jail Conditions.

We found the jail conditions barbarous. There were no mattresses and only one blanket to keep off the chill of a Puget Sound night in the cold, unheated steel cells. There were no towels. We were supplied laundry soap for toilet purposes, when we could get even that. Workers confined in the lower cells were forced to sleep on the floors. There were five of them in each cell and in order to keep any semblance of heat in their bodies they had to sleep all huddled together in all their clothing.

The first few days we were in the jail we spent in cleaning it, as it was reeking with filth and had probably never been cleaned out since it was built. It was alive with vermin. There were armies of bed bugs and body lice. We boiled up everything in the jail and it is safe to say that it is now cleaner than it has ever been before or ever will be after the wobblies are gone.

Everett Class War Prisoners 1916-17, Jack Leonard (John L. Miller)

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: Everett Prisoners Speak From Behind Bars, Reveal Jail Conditions”

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks at Yakima, Washington: “Is not this a country of free speech?”

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This is one of the great battles
for the members of the working class
and we must stand by our boys.
They fought for us.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday March 2, 1917
From the Industrial Worker: Miss Flynn Speaks for Everett Prisoners

EGF, Everett Northwest Worker, Jan 18, 1917

The Everett Defense News Letter of February 17th reported that Elizabeth Gurley Flynn had recently returned from a speaking tour on behalf of the Everett Prisoners’ Defense Committee:

MISS FLYNN HAS
SUCCESSFUL TOUR.

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn has just returned from a speaking trip through Washington, Oregon, Idaho and part of Montana in the interests of the Defense of the 74 victims of Bloody Sunday. Every where the workers have heard eagerly the facts of the tragic and brutal massacre of November 5th and have given willingly of their time, energy and money to help set free our imprisoned fellow workers. Miss Flynn will now be engaged until the trial in the State of Washington and, more especially, in King County.

The Industrial Worker of February 17th offers a report on the speech given by Miss Flynn in Yakima, Washington, during that tour:

IN COLD FOR TWO HOURS.
—–

Sabotage by Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

Once in a while a reporter tells the truth and the editor, being sleepy or tired, lets it go over. In what other way can we account for the extremely fair statement of the Gurley Flynn meeting given by the Yakima Republican:

Two hours is a long time to listen to any one speaker. It is a long time when one sits on the comfortable, fatly-cushioned seats of a theatre. It is still longer when one sits on the hard, wooden benches of the I. W. W. hall. And when one stands, without overcoat, on the streets to hear the stray phrases and sentences which come thru a crowded, narrow doorway, the time is long, indeed.

Yet 650 persons last night sat for two hours, on hard wooden benches, and sat tense and still, to hear Elizabeth Gurley Flynn’s defense of the I. W. W. movement. A hundred or more others, unable to wedge themselves into the hall or doorway, shivered on the street as they stood to hear the lecture. Miss Flynn’s voice carried well and they heard most of the address. They heard enough to make them stay to the end of the two-hour appeal.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks at Yakima, Washington: “Is not this a country of free speech?””

Hellraisers Journal: Charles Ashleigh: How Forest & Lumber Workers’ IU Stood Forth Against the Lumber Trust Dragon

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We meet today in freedom’s cause
And raise our voices high;
We’ll join our hands in union strong
To battle or to die.

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday March 1, 1917
Everett, Washington – Solidarity can free our brave class comrades!

In an article in this month’s edition of the International Socialist Review, Charles Ashleigh gives some background on the organizing efforts in Everett, Washington, which landed 74 I. W. W. men in the Snohomish County jail facing murder charges. He calls for workers to stand in Solidarity with these heroic class-war prisoners, and states that working-class loyalty can win their freedom.

Northwest Lumber Jacks, ISR, March 1917

The Lumber Trust and Its Victims

By CHARLES ASHLEIGH

THE great Northwest! Land of snow-topped hills and fertile valleys; of the gray Puget Sound and timber-covered acres! This is the much vaunted land of plenty, country of enterprise—the State of Washington.

Years ago, the first stalwart pioneers laid the foundation of a civilization which is now ripening to a maturity,—and, it would seem, a decay! The pioneers are gone and, in their place, are the mighty potentates who have come into power over the land: the emperors of lumber. Hundreds of thousands of acres of timber land have become the stage for the slow, grinding industrial drama of the exploitation of the army of slaves of the lumber companies. From myriad logging camps and a multitude of saw-mills flows an ever-increasing volume of fat profit into the gaping maw of the few who own the lumber industry. Along the shores of Puget Sound are a number of busy ports, the purpose of whose existence is the shipping of the lumber to all parts of the world.

And, in the “lower end” or “working-stiff quarter” of every town upon the Sound you can see the producers of this tremendous wealth. Congregated on street corners, in pool halls, in the sitting-rooms of cheap “flop-houses” and in the “employment sharks'” offices are crowds of sturdy men, clad in the high, spiked shoes of the logger, heavy short flannel shirts and mackinaws; these are the human material which the lumber barons use for their enrichment.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Charles Ashleigh: How Forest & Lumber Workers’ IU Stood Forth Against the Lumber Trust Dragon”

Hellraisers Journal: From the Seattle Union Record: Charles Ashleigh Exposes Waterfront “Bomb Plot” Bunk

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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 February 22, 1917
Seattle, Washington – News from Everett Prisoners’ Defense

From the Seattle Union Record of February 17th:

TRIAL WILL BE HELD IN SEATTLE
—-
Change of Venue From Snohomish County Is Granted
-Waterfront “Bomb Plot” Blows Up
-Help Needed
—–

By CHARLES ASHLEIGH

Moore & Vanderveer, Attorneys Everett Defense

The application of our attorneys for a change of venue from Snohomish County was heard February 9, in Everett, before Judge Ronald. Moore and Vanderveer had filed a mass of evidence showing great prejudice in the county against the defendants and the working-class movement generally. The prosecution did not attempt to rebut the dozens of affidavits of prejudice submitted by the defense and the judge thereupon granted a change of venue to King County, of which Seattle is the county seat.

There is a certain amount of advantage accruing to the change of venue to Seattle, according to most comment. Upon the list of the prosecution’s witnesses are Everett bank managers, cashiers, the most prominent money-lender of the town, and others of financial importance. This means that the jury would be chary of rendering a decision which would discredit the statements of persons to whom probably a number or the jurors would owe money or to whom they would be in some manner obligated. But that does not hold good in a city such as Seattle. A little Everett bank manager would cut merely an inconsiderable figure there. In Everett he would be a large toad in a small puddle, in Seattle, he would be a very little toad in a big puddle.

Press Tries to Arouse Prejudice

The same day as the change of venue was granted, the Post-Intelligencer and The Times of Seattle came out with a frothy story about a “bomb outrage” which, they alleged, was the work of the I. W. W. A little explosion was noted on the roof of the building in which is the office of the Waterfront Employers’ Union, an Open-Shop organization on the water-front. It seems that the “explosion” was probably caused by a fire-cracker thrown out of the window of a neighboring building. The papers reported Mr. Wollen, assistant-manager of the Employers’ Union, and the police, as attributing the affair to the I. W. W. and other “disgruntled”-by which they mean class-conscious-water-front workers.

A representative of the labor press was immediately sent out to investigate the truth of the matter and it turned out that the bosses’ sheets of Seattle had been spinning some of their usual wholecloth. Manager Becker, of the waterfront Employers, said, referring to the press stories: “You may quote me as saying the stories are bunk!” Assistant-Manager Wollen, whom the papers credit with the statement that the “outrage” was perpetrated by the Industrial Workers, said: “I never said anything about an attempt on my life. I said the whole thing was a Chinese New Year’s joke and laughed it off.” Chief of Police Beckingham said he knew nothing about any police theory connecting it with the workers. “The papers will say anything to arouse prejudice against the I. W. W.,” said the chief.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Seattle Union Record: Charles Ashleigh Exposes Waterfront “Bomb Plot” Bunk”

Hellraisers Journal: Everett Defense News Letter No. 12: Caroline A. Lowe Comes to Aid of Class-War Prisoners

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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, Tuesday February 20, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Caroline A. Lowe Joins Defense Team

From Charles Ashleigh for Defense News of February 17th:

Everett Massacre, Def News Letter 12, Feb 17, 1917

Seattle, Wash., Feb. 17th.

Caroline A. Lowe, Progressive Woman, Sept 1913

The panel of jurors, from which will be drawn the twelve to serve in the cases of the 74 men charged with murder, has been already published. There are 175 jurors on the list, of whom 71 are women.

MISS FLYNN HAS
SUCCESSFUL TOUR.

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn has just returned from a speaking trip through Washington, Oregon, Idaho and part of Montana in the interests of the Defense of the 74 victims of Bloody Sunday. Every where the workers have heard eagerly the facts of the tragic and brutal massacre of November 5th and have given willingly of their time, energy and money to help set free our imprisoned fellow workers. Miss Flynn will now be engaged until the trial in the State of Washington and, more especially, in King County.

WELL KNOWN WOMAN VOLUNTEERS FOR DEFENSE.

The Defense has secured most valuable aid in the services of Miss Caroline A. Lowe, a woman of national prominence, who has entered into the campaign for the release of the 74 working men who are threatened with life-long imprisonment for their belief in Free Speech. Miss Lowe is an attorney-at law, practicing in Kansas and California and was formerly vice-president of the Kansas City Teachers’ Association. She was also National Lecturer for the Socialist Party. Miss Lowe addressed the U. S. Senate Committee on National Suffrage, during the Suffrage hearing in 1911. She was prominent in the fight for Free Speech in Kansas City, Mo., in the winter of 1913-14 when the workers won a clear-cut victory, securing the right to use the streets as a public forum.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Everett Defense News Letter No. 12: Caroline A. Lowe Comes to Aid of Class-War Prisoners”

Hellraisers Journal: Part II-Report on Everett’s Industrial Warfare by E. P. Marsh, President Washington State F. of L.

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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 February 16, 1917
From Everett Labor Journal: Report on Industrial Warfare, Part II

Over a period of three weeks, from January 26th to February 9th, The Labor Journal of Everett, Washington, published the “Report on Everett’s Industrial Warfare,” by E. P. Marsh, President of the Washington State Federation of Labor, which report he had delivered on the first day of that bodies annual convention, Monday January 22, 1917. Hellraisers Journal republished Part I of that report yesterday; we offer Part II today, and we will concluded the series with Part III of the report tomorrow.

EVERETT’S INDUSTRIAL WARFARE, PART II

Everett Labor Journal, Feb 2, 1917

EVERETT’S INDUSTRIAL WARFARE;
REPORT OF PRESIDENT E. P. MARSH

E. P. Marsh, Pres WA FoL, Everett Labor Journal, July 23, 1915, small

Activity of the Everett Commercial Club.

I wish it were possible with a short homily to end the story here, for the sorriest part of it now begins. It is to be expected that when two men are in a fist fight, the bystander will at least keep his hands off, or, when one has been terribly beaten, insist that the fight end and the men patch up their differences. The business interests of the city were the bystanders in this struggle, but by no means “innocent.” They had every right to say to the contending parties: “You fellows have fought long enough; why don’t you quit, find out what it is all about, and see if you can’t be good friends again?”

The business interests were suffering keenly because of this struggle. The strikers [striking Shingle Weavers of Everett] were living on short rations, little money to spend for groceries, meat and shoes. The strikebreakers were being housed on mill property, fed from a commissary, spending none of their money with Everett merchants. If the Commercial Club members had a right to take a hand in the proceedings, and naturally they felt they had, for they were being hurt, it was their bounden duty to honestly investigate the truth of the statements of the contending parties, approach the whole problem in a spirit of community good, offer conciliation and mediation to both contending parties. Now notice how they went about it.

Some months previously the Commercial Club had been reorganized on the bureau plan, the various activities of the business life of the city being chartered out and turned over to various bureaus. There was an advertising bureau, a transportation bureau, etc. It became a stock concern, stock memberships being issued in blocks to employers and business houses and some distributed among employers and their employes. What a field for an industrial bureau that would have kept in touch with the human side of the city’s industries, striven for industrial peace by studying the vexatious labor problem with an eye to helping along friendly relations between employers and their men. But there was no such bureau, at least not equipped to function in the social relationship of industry. Mistake No. 1 of the Commercial Club.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Part II-Report on Everett’s Industrial Warfare by E. P. Marsh, President Washington State F. of L.”

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks on Behalf of Everett Prisoners; Defense Wins Change of Venue

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It is no wonder the Statue of Liberty
has her back to the United States.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday February 12, 1917
Everett, Washington – Prisoners Championed by Miss Flynn

Jail at Everett, WCS

While the Everett Class-War Prisoners remain locked behind the bars of the Snohomish County Jail under conditions described as “barbarous,” they nevertheless can take comfort in knowing that they have, as their champion, Miss Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, the “Rebel Girl” of Joe Hill’s famous song, fighting on their behalf.

From the Portland Morning Oregonian of February 5, 1917:

I. W. W. COLLECT FUND
—–

ELIZABETH G. FLYNN TALKS IN
EVERETT PRISONERS’ BEHALF.
—–
“No Wonder Statue of Liberty Has Back
Turned to United States,”
Speaker Declares
—–

EGF, Ad mtg on 4th, Morning Oregonian, Feb 3, 1917, p11

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, speaking in behalf of the defense of the I. W. W.’s to be tried as participants in the Everett affair of November 5, addressed a capacity audience at the Eleventh-street playhouse yesterday afternoon.

While there were many interruptions of applause during the speaker’s address, the meeting was orderly. A collection, taken up by the girl ushers amounted to $175. Miss Flynn announced that it was not enough, and she called for another passing of the basket to make up the sum of $200. This will be added to the sum needed to defend the men who are charged with murder and complicity in the demonstration on the steamer Verona in Everett, Wash.

Miss Flynn attacked the “lumber trust and other forces of oppression.” She declared that the I. W. W.’s of Everett had been beaten with rubber hose and tortured. She said that the trouble started when the men were told to get off a certain street corner in the heart of the town, on the main street of Everett. “Why, if you got two blocks off the main street of Everett you’d be in the woods,” declared Miss Flynn.

What she termed as the lack of freedom of speech made Miss Flynn say: “It is no wonder the Statue of Liberty has her back to the United States.” She said that while the Salvation army wants “pie in the sky when you die,” the Industrial Workers want “pie here and now.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks on Behalf of Everett Prisoners; Defense Wins Change of Venue”