Tag: Frank Keeney

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for February 1919-Found in West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Contract w God Almighty, MJ Spks p165, Charleston, Aug 1, 1912———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday March 14, 1919
Mother Jones News for February 1919
-Found in Speaking to the Miners of District 17 in West Virginia

From The West Virginian of February 4, 1919:

MOTHER JONES COMING BACK
TO THIS COAL FIELD
—–
Will Address a Mass Meeting
at Phillippi Sunday.
—–

[…..]

Mother Jones, Kalamazoo Gz p9 gen, Dec 27, 1918

“Mother” Jones, the miners’ friend, will soon be back in the Fairmont region according to the information received today by C. F. Keeney, president of District 17, United Mine Workers, who is now at the local office in Fairmont. “Mother” Jones will arrive in Charleston on Friday from California, where she interceded for Mooney before Governor Stephens, in the case that has attracted wide attention in labor circles. “Mother” Jones was sent to the Coast by the Illinois Federation of Labor.

While in the Fairmont region she will address three or four meetings in the interest of the miners in the Belington section, including a meeting at Junior mine. She will address a mass meeting of miners at Philippi on Sunday.

[…..]

Three Mass Meetings.

Three mass meetings are scheduled by the United Mine Workers for Sunday. In the afternoon “Mother” Jones will speak at Philippi.

At 1 o’clock in the afternoon President C. F. Keeney will address a mass meeting at Roaring Creek Junction.

A mass meeting at Junior mine will be addressed by Sam Ballantyne, an international organizer……

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1918 -Found Campaigning for Democratic Senate Candidate in West Virginia

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Quote Mother Jones, Praying Swearing, UMWC, Jan 17, 1918

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

Hellraisers Journal – Friday December 20, 1918
Mother Jones News for October 1918
-Mother Found Campaigning for Coal Baron in West Virginia

Mother Jones, DRW small, St L Pst p3, May 13, 1918

It seems our dear Mother Jones has left off swearing when she talks to the mighty coal barons and commenced to campaigning for them. Such is the case in West Virginia, where we found her, during the month of October, campaigning for Colonel Clarence Watson, head of the Consolidated Coal Company and Democratic candidate for U. S. Senate. Not everyone was pleased with that state of affairs as the following demonstrates.

From The Wheeling Intelligencer of October 14, 1918:

Intelligence received from Charleston advises that Mrs. Clarence W. Watson and “Mother” Jones held a conference with Governor Cornwell a few days ago. It is learned since then that “Mother” will campaign among the “boys” up on Cabin Creek, as well as in the Fairmont region. It will be recalled that Colonel Watson, after years and years of antagonism to union labor, and particularly to the union miner, a few months ago “let down the bars” he had erected against unionism and invited the miners to organize. “Mother” Jones was made his principal mouthpiece in that little bit of political strategy, and she served her new master well in, making public Colonel Clarence’s handspring in the direction of union labor votes. She extolled him to the skies, christened him “the friend of the miner,” and told he “boys” that he ought to he elected to the United States senate.

Will she fool ’em? Hardly. The West Virginia miner is not so green as he used to be when “Mother” first introduced herself to him. They cannot so soon forget the Watsonian antagonism, the manner in which the Watsons treated organizers who were sent to that field, the Watson’s “special police patrol of the mines to keep organization.” Colonel Watson will have to prove his case, with them first, and they will hardly aid him to get to the senate and then run the risk of the “proof” falling down, being relegated to the rear or transported to the isles of the sea of oblivion.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for September 1918 -West Virginia Miners and Families Hold Massive Labor Day Celebrations

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Quote Mother Jones, Fear Not Organize, Rkfd Mrn Str p3, Mar 19, 1918
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday October 18, 1918
Mother Jones News for September 1918
-Mother Found in West Virginia’s Fairmont Coal Field

From the Fairmont West Virginian of September 2, 1918:

On September 2nd Mother Jones spoke to 10,000 West Virginia miners and their families of the Fairmont Coal Field who gathered at Traction Park for a massive Labor Day Celebration.

DAY DEDICATED TO LABOR OBSERVED
BY MINE WORKERS
—–
Thousands of Them Attending
Six Big Picnics.
—–

TRACTION PARK CROWDED
—–
Many Organized Miners Walked
There From Monongah.
—–

Mother Jones, Ft Wy Jr Gz p3, Dec 17, 1917

More than fifteen thousand organized miners of the Fairmont coal district are today celebrating Labor Day at six picnics held in this section of the state. Celebrations are being held at the following points in the Fairmont region: Traction Park, Enterprise, Jamison Mine, Flemington, Reynoldsville and Clarksburg.

Practically all of the United Mine Workers locals in this region are participating in the big celebration at Traction Park, which is expected to be the biggest Labor Day celebration in the state. It is estimated that fully ten thousand miners will attend the celebration at Traction Park today. In addition to the miners there will be many families, because practically all of the miners have made arrangements to attend the celebration with their families, taking with them filled baskets prepared to spend the entire day.

Miners from the Dakota, Rivesville, Robinson and Barnesville shaft mine assembled this morning at 7:30 o’clock, marching all the way from Rivesville to Fairmont, arriving here about 9:30 [a.m.] As they marched up Main street, accompanied by the Ira L. Smith drum corps, each miner carried an American flag, some carrying United Mine Workers flags. The body departed for Traction Park on special cars leaving for Traction Park at 10 o’clock. Reports from Dakota are to the effect that there will be 800 members of that local attend the Traction Park celebration, more than 300, from the Shaft mine, and a proportionate number from the other miners in that section. The mines along the Minnington line and between here and Clarksburg will be represented as well, each local attending in a body and making an effort to have a fine showing. The Monongah local, of about 800 members, the Everson local and other organizations only a short distance from the park will have a full attendance.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for August 1918, Part II: Found Organizing in West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Mother Jones Quote, 2x4 kaiser union recognition hell freeze over.
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday September 20, 1918
Mother Jones News for August 1918, Part II
-Mother Found Organizing in West Virginia

From the Fairmont West Virginian of August 19, 1918:

MOTHER JONES AND FOWLER
AT OWINGS PICNIC
—–
Talk To Miners About Their Attitude
Toward the Union.
—–

AND TOWARD THE CO.
—–
Men Are Urged To Dig Coal
Because Uncle Sam
Needs It.
—–

Mother Jones Fire Eater, St L Str, Small Crpd, Aug 23, 1917

“Mother” Jones is back in West Virginia and will remain here until after Labor Day when she is scheduled to make addresses at both Monongah and Enterprise. She returned to Fairmont Saturday afternoon in order to make a speech at the picnic held at Owings Sunday. “Mother Jones has been away since the scale convention of the miners, going to Illinois where she addressed two important Mooney meetings, out to Colorado for some addresses and back to Chicago for some important conferences with government and labor officials.

“Mother” Jones gets around the country without difficulty even though she is in her eighty-eighth year. She boarded the Baltimore and Ohio sleeper at Chicago at nine o’clock Friday night, changed to the accommodation shortly afternoon Saturday at Benwood and was in Fairmont shortly after five o’clock Saturday afternoon. “Mother” Jones does not carry any excess baggage, getting along with two bags which are smaller than the women folks generally carry.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for July 1918, Part III: West Virginia Miners’ Scale Convention

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Quote Mother Jones, Flag Organize, Evle IN Prs, Mar 29, 1918
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday August 24, 1918
Mother Jones News for July 1918, Part III: Found in West Virginia

From the Fairmont West Virginian of July 25, 1918:

UNION MINERS HOLDING SCALE CONVENTION HERE
—–
Meetings at Willard Hall Are Expected
to Last Several Days.
—–

MOTHER JONES HOT SHOT
—–
W. M. Rogers Makes Plea for Big
Labor Day Celebration.
—–

Mother Jones, Ft Wy Jr Gz p3, Dec 17, 1917

The scale convention for the mines of the Fairmont field which have no contract with the United Mine of America is being held at Willard Hall this week, and opened at 10:30 this morning. The morning session was devoted to the adoption of the call, the filing of credentials and addressees by “Mother” Jones and W. M. Rogers, president of the State Federation of Labor.

Frank Keeney. president of District No. 17…called the meeting to order. P. F. Gaitens [Gatens], international board member for District No. 17, acted as secretary in the absence of Mr. Mooney, who is expected to be here on the morrow…

“Mother” Jones’ address was filled with interesting discussion of social and economic questions, as well as talk on coal mining and union organization.

W. M. Rogers made a plea for a big Labor Day celebration in spite of the fact that coal operators were opposing it. “They argue that a day’s production will he lost. I say that you can work a Sunday or extra hours for several days-that labor is entitled to one big day all its own.”

“Civilization never advances beyond he women.” declared “Mother” in her address to the scale convention. “The great danger is when the hog is developed in the woman instead of the human.”

“Mother” Jones, introduced as the most beloved labor leader in the world by Frank Keeney, president of District No. 17, was discussing the duty that lay before the coal miner delegates assembled for this convention.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for July 1918, Part II: Found Organizing in West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Some of those parasitical fellows come along
and tell [the miners] they can’t have beer.
I don’t care about the whiskey,
but the boys do need the beer.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday August 23, 1918
Mother Jones News for July 1918, Part II: Found in West Virginia

From the Fairmont West Virginian of July 20, 1918:

U.M.W. ORGANIZERS BUSY IN REGION
—–
Meetings Being Held in Mining Towns
Practically Every Day.
—–

Mother Jones, Ft Wy Jr Gz p3, Dec 17, 1917

United Mine Workers in this section held several meetings yesterday evening giving instruction as to further organization and inspiring miners to produce more coal. W. F. Ray and Sam Ballentyne were in Wilsonburg where they were straightening up an organization which had not been properly organized. B. A. Scott and Joe Angelo were at the Dawson mine in Clarksburg for the same purpose. P. E. Gaiens was at Lumberport yesterday evening looking after interest of the United Mine Workers Association. James Diana and Representatives Peters were at Gypsy.

W. F. Ray, B. A Scott and Organizer Peters will leave tonight to spend a few days at their homes. Mr. Ray is a resident of St. Albans,, W. Va., while Peters and Scott are both from Charleston.

President C. F. Keeney will return to Fairmont tonight from Charleston, where he has been for the past several days.

David Fowler, who has been in the Morgantown section for the past several days assisting in the organisation of miners, returned to Fairmont yesterday.

J. L. Lewis, of Indianapolis, Ind., international [acting] president of the United Mine Workers of America, came to Fairmont last night and paid a visit to the local office of United Mine Workers.

Mother Jones returned to Fairmont yesterday evening.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for July 1918, Part I: Found Organizing in West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Flag Organize, Evle IN Prs, Mar 29, 1918
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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday August 22, 1918
Mother Jones News for July 1918, Part I: Found in West Virginia

From the Fairmont West Virginian of July 5, 1918:

MINERS PROVE PATRIOTISM BY WORKING TODAY
—–
Not a Mine in the Region Out of Operation
—–

Mother Jones, Ft Wy Jr Gz p3, Dec 17, 1917

The car supply for the mines along the Monongahela railroad tomorrow will be one hundred per cent.

—–

As a proof that the patriotism of the miners in the Fairmont district is of the 100 per cent. quality every mining property so far as in known is in operation today with full forces in most instances…

This is a remarkable showing for the day following the Independent day holiday. In former years the men used to make a several days’ affair out of the Fourth of July but this year the Fuel administration made a direct to them to go right back to work so that the much needed coal would keep coming in a steady stream and the way they have responded will be gratifying to all interested in keeping p the production records.

Miners’ Picnics.

Fully fifteen hundred people, mostly miners and their families, gathered at Traction park yesterday afternoon for the big all day picnic held there.

The program began shortly after 10 o’clock in the morning with addresses by William M. Rogers, president of the State Federation of Labor, and James Dianna, the latter of Bomer, W. Va. and one of the most prominent labor organizers in the state. He addressed the miners assembled at the park yesterday morning in the Italian language. In the afternoon an address as delivered by Frank Keeney, who is in charge of the United Mine Workers for the seventeenth district.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for May 1918, Part II: Found in St. Louis, Missouri and Grafton, West Virginia

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Let me see you wake up and fight.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday June 23, 1918
Mother Jones News for May 1918, Part I: Gives Long Interview in St. Louis

From the St Louis Post-Dispatch of May 13, 1918:

Mother Jones Interview, St L Pst Dsp p3, May 13, 1918

Valiant Champion of the Workers Pink of Cheek
at 88 and Wears a Fussy Little Bonnet.
—–
Objects to Women Doing Heavy War Time Work;
Opposes Suffrage, Knitters Rile Her.
—–

BY MARGUERITE MARTYN.

Mother Jones Drawing St L Pst Dsp p3, May 13, 1918

I WOULD like to have had a union card to show. I was glad I was conversant with the after-the-war platform of the British Labor Party as voluminously printed in the Post-Dispatch, and that I could profess full faith in the justice of trade unionism, when I went to call on Mother Jones. As it was, I came out of the interview with the valiant little 88-year-old labor champion comparatively unscathed, though I sat meekly silent while her scorching tongue excoriated many institutions I have at least looked upon with toleration.

Women in war industries supplanting men, she had little patience with.

[She said:]

I see them climbing over engines with their oil cans. I see them pumping levers on street cars; I see them pushing heavy trucks of munitions, and I think, what of the future generation? Woman’s nervous organism is not equal to such work. One of the principles of trade unionism is that women shall work under conditions that will safeguard to the utmost their bodily welfare.

Woman suffrage she dismissed with equal scorn.

Women vote in Colorado and what have they done to improve industrial conditions? After the riots at Trinidad and 20 women and children were laid out in the morgue, committees of ladies came and looked over the scene, and they said, “Too bad, too bad!”

They knew the murder of these innocents, whose men were fighting only for the right to work and earn their bread, had been authorized by the [Democratic] Governor they had helped to put in power. They did not criticise the Governor and some of the women were in the militia that committed the crimes.

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Hellraisers Journal: West Virginia Vagrancy Law Targets Striking Coal Miners, No Penalty for Lock-Outs

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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, Saturday February 2, 1918
State of West Virginia – Targets Strikers with Vagrancy Law

From the Duluth Labor World of January 26, 1918:

STRIKERS ARE TERMED LOAFERS
—–
West Virginia Law Makes Idle Men Subject
to Arrest for Vagrancy.
—–

WV Miners Strike, Gunthugs, Labor World, Sept 1, 1917

WHEELING, W. Va., Jan 24-Men who go on strike in West Virginia are liable to arrest for vagrancy under the new vagrancy law rushed through the last special session of the legislature. The law provides, under penalty of arrest and sentence for vagrancy, that able-bodied men, between the ages of 16 and 60, must be employed in some lawful, useful and recognized business or occupation whereby they may earn a sufficient income to support themselves and those legally dependent upon them.

A number of strikers already have been arrested under new law. The restlessness of organized labor in West Virginia is conceded to be the impelling force that necessitated an extraordinary session of the legislature to pass this law.

[Says a West Virginia labor official:]

Under the guise of attacking the loafer, the state legislature created the most effective instrument for the breaking of strikes.

The sinister aspect of the law is to be seen in the fact that no penalty is provided for the man who withholds work from others eager for the opportunity to earn. Lockouts are legal, while strikes are criminal.

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

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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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