Hellraisers Journal: From The Liberator: “Reflections on the Seattle General Strike by a Woman Who Was There”-Revolution?

29th April 2019 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Anna Louise Strong, NO ONE KNOWS WHERE, SUR p1, Feb 4, 1919 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday April 29, 1919
Seattle General Strike: Revolution? -60,000 Striking Workers Run the City

From the New York Liberator of April 1919:

When Is a Revolution Not a Revolution

Reflections on the Seattle General Strike
by a Woman Who Was There

“A GENERAL STRIKE, called by regular unions of the American Federation of Labor, cutting across contracts, across international union constitutions, across the charter from the American Federation of Labor,”-this was what the chairman of the strike committee declared it to be. A General Strike in which the strikers served 30,000 meals a day, in which the Milk Wagon Drivers established milk stations all over town to care for the babies, in which city garbage wagons went to and fro marked “Exempt by Strike Committee”; a General Strike in which 300 Labor Guards without arms or authority went to and fro preserving order; in which the Strike Committee, sitting in almost continuous session, decided what activities should and should not be exempted. from strike in the interests of public safety and health, and even forced the Mayor to come to the Labor Temple to make arrangements for lighting the city.

Yet almost any member of the Strike Committee will tell you, in hot anger, that “this was no revolution, except in the Capitalist papers; it was only a show of sympathy and solidarity for our brothers in the shipyards.” And so in truth it was, in intention. It would seem that the beginnings of all new things take place, not through conscious intention, but through the inevitable action of economic forces.

Hardly yet do the workers of Seattle realize all the things they did.

The shipyard workers of Seattle struck, 35,000 strong, on [Tuesday] January 21st. On January 22, a request was brought to the Central Labor Council for a general strike in sympathy with the Metal Trades. This was referred to the various unions for referendum. By the following Wednesday, January 29, the returns were pouring in.

“Newsboys vote to strike and await instructions of Joint Strike Committee.” “Hotel maids vote 8 to 1 for strike.” “Waitresses expect to go strong for general strike.” Foundry employees, butchers, structural iron workers, milk wagon drivers, garment workers, carpenters, barbers, building laborers, longshoremen, painters, glaziers, plasterers, cooks and assistants, these were among the votes to come in the first week.
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Hellraisers Journal: As Support Grows for 30,000 Shipyard Strikers, GENERAL STRIKE THREATENED IN SEATTLE

24th January 2019 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Big Bill Haywood, re General Strike, Speech NYC, Mar 16, 1911 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday January 24, 1919
Seattle, Washington – Seattle Workers Threaten General Strike

From The Seattle Star of January 22, 1919:

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of January 23, 1919:

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Hellraisers Journal: National Labor Convention for Mooney: Debs Invited, W. F. Dunn of Butte Speaks for Radicals

18th January 2019 Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs

Quote EVD re General Strike, Journal Paper Mill Workers p7, Mar 1919

———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday January 18, 1919
Chicago, Illinois – National Labor Convention for Mooney Hears from Radicals

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of January 16, 1919:

—–

(Special Dispatch to The Bulletin.)

Chicago, Jan. 16.-At this morning’s session of the Mooney Labor Congress Ed Nolan scored the capitalist press on its criticism of the invitation of Debs and its attempt to give a sense of dissension among the delegates. Debs’ name was again greeted with tumultuous applause. It was moved that the Nonpartisan league be given the floor. The motion was defeated. Dunn of Butte moved to give the Detroit delegate the floor. The Detroit leader clearly outlined the program before the convention as follows:

No political begging, a general strike to free Tom Mooney and also to take a stand to free political prisoners and recognize Russia; reorganize the American Federation of Labor on an industrial basis.

The radicals are satisfied with the moves so far.

—–

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Hellraisers Journal: National Labor Convention at Chicago Plans Country-Wide General Strike on Behalf of Mooney

17th January 2019 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Edward D Nolan, re General Strike for Mooney, Stt Str p1, Jan 14, 1919

Hellraisers Journal – Friday January 17, 1919:
Chicago, Illinois – National Labor Convention Convenes on Behalf of Mooney

From The Seattle Star of January 14, 1919:

CHICAGO, Jan. 14.-Nation-wide strikes and boycotts will be the weapons used by labor to secure the release of Thomas J. Mooney, according to Edward B. Nolan, San Francisco, secretary of the International Workers’ Defense league who made the keynote speech at the opening session of the labor congress in the Mooney case here today.

Nolan asked the congress to set a definite date for the strikes.

[Declared Nolan:]

Legislation is not forthcoming for Mooney’s benefit. Labor must use its last resort, its powerful economic weapon-the strike and the boycott-to win Mooney his justice. The case has become the greatest question of the nation. We must use the final expression of labor and lay our cards on the table.

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Hellraisers Journal: Duluth Metal Trades Council Unanimous on General Strike for Mooney, Life of Rena Mooney Described

18th December 2018 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

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

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday December 18, 1918
Duluth, Minnesota – Mass Meeting Supports Tom & Rena Mooney

From The Labor World of December 14, 1918:

DULUTH LABOR IS FOR MOONEY
—–
Mass Meeting Held By Metal Trades Council
-Telegram Sent to Gompers.
—–

Mrs. Mooney, wife of Tom Mooney, whose death sentence has been commutated to life, has worked since her acquittal to secure a new trial
for her husband.

A mass meeting to protest against the incarceration of Tom Mooney was held at Woodman hall last Wednesday evening. The meeting was largely attended by representative union men from nearly every organization in the city.

Sentiment for Mooney was strong and the meeting lasted until nearly midnight.

William E. Towne, president of the Typographical union, and one of the best known trade unionists at the Head of the Lakes, was the first speaker. He touched upon Mooney’s life and described his earnest efforts to organize the workers, and how the money power had been used against him. Mr. Towne also gave a brief history of Rena Mooney, wife of Tom Mooney.

Duty of Labor.

Following Mr. Towne’s address, W. D. Croker, printer, touched upon the duties of every member of union labor and what was expected of labor in the nation.

[Said Mr. Croker:]

If by December 9, the governor doesn’t grant Mooney a new trial or an unconditional pardon, it is labor’s duty to hold the wheels of production until some one thing or the other is granted this man Mooney.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs to Tom Mooney: “Tear up that commutation…No compromise!..You are innocent!”

17th December 2018 Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs

Quote EVD, Debs to Mooney, New Appeal p1, Dec 14, 1918
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday December 17, 1918
Eugene Debs Sends Message to Tom Mooney: “Tear up that commutation!”

From The New Appeal of December 14, 1918:

Debs Wires Mooney

Eugene V. Debs has sent the following telegram to Tom Mooney:

Tear up that commutation and fling the scraps in the brazen face of the corporation hireling that insulted you and the working class by that infamous act.

Let Patrick Henry once more speak through you, “Give me liberty of give me death!”

There must be no compromise! You are innocent! The working class is aroused as never before in history. They will tear the murderous clutch of criminal capitalism from your throat.

All hail the general strike. If they insist on war let it come. We have nothing to lose but our chains.

God loves justice and hates cowards. Stand by your colors and the workers of the world will stand by you; to victory or death.

Now is the time for the workers of America to prove themselves. Tom Mooney and his comrades cry aloud to the proletariat of the world.

Arouse ye millions for whom he risked his life, and save that life for the future of his class, and for the vindication of right and justice.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Organized Labor Prepared for General Strike in Advance of Governor’s Commutation for Mooney

30th November 2018 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Beckmeyer re Mooney General Strike, Stt Str p4, Nov 28, 1918
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Hellraisers Journal – Saturday November 30, 1918
Pacific Coast, Nation-Wide, and World-Wide, Labor Organized for Mooney

In advance of the commutation by the Governor of California of the death sentence of Tom Mooney, Labor was organizing on his behalf, even to the extent of considering a General Strike. The Governor’s opinion that this case does not represent a clash between Capital and Labor is not shared by the millions of working men and women around the world who have organized and are yet organizing against the frame-up of Brother Mooney.

From The Seattle Star of November 28, 1918:

—–

—–

SAN FRANCISCO, Cal., NOV. 28.-Desperate but not united plans by Pacific coast labor to initiate a national protest strike, together with the federal Densmore dictaphone report exposing the methods of District Attorney Charles Fickert of San Francisco, where two sensational developments that sent the internationally known Mooney case into double quick time as it approached its crisis.

The general strike to which scores of federated bodies pledged themselves as the date for the hanging of Tom Mooney drew near, was regarded by a great portion of organized labor as the only effective means left to protest against the widely assailed prosecution methods used in the Preparedness day bomb cases.

With the execution date for Mooney set for December 13, his fate rests today with Governor Stephens of California, to whom President Wilson has three times addressed pleas to reopen the case.

Excluding presidential intervention, a pardon by Governor Stephens in Mooney’s only chance-that or provisional pardon, which would demand a retrial on one of several bomb indictments still standing against Mooney and his co-defendants.

Appeals to every court in the land had been denied before the agitation for a general strike began.

Strike Idea Grows

Just what effect John B. Densmore’s eleventh-hour espionage report upon Fickert’s secret activities in the Mooney case might have upon this contemplated protest remained speculative as labor digested its revelations.

After reading it, San Francisco labor council delegates, in violent disagreement, refused to sponsor a general strike, but instead decided to send a protest committee to the governor.

Meantime a number of big labor organizations thruout the country had already decided upon a general stoppage of industry to focus public attention upon the “persecution and unfair trial” of Thomas Mooney and the sentence of Warren Billings to life imprisonment.

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Hellraisers Journal: General Strike In Kansas City Now Underway in Sympathy with Striking Laundry Workers

28th March 201813th January 2019 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Solidarity Forever
For the Union makes us strong.
-Ralph Chaplin

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday March 28, 1918
Kansas City, Missouri – General Strike Is Spreading

Workers of Kansas City, both union and non-union, are rallying to the aid of laundry drivers and laundry workers who have been on strike now for about five weeks.The employers have repeatedly refused to bargain with their employees, and have even refused to meet with the federal conciliators sent by the U. S. Department of Labor.

From The Leavenworth Post of March 27, 1918:

GREAT STRIKE AT KANSAS CITY
NOW WELL UNDER WAY
—–
Walkout Began at Eight o’Clock This Morning
With Barbers, Bartenders and Brewers
in the Forefront of the Fray.
—–

TROUBLE REPORTED THIS AFTERNOON
—–
Sympathetic Strike, Called to Aid Laundry Drivers,
Brought Out 700 Card Men
From Other Unions in First Call.
—–

Kansas City, March 27.-Kansas City today was in the midst of a general strike, the exact extent of which was unknown this afternoon. The strike began at 8 o’clock this morning and although labor leaders declared it would result in a virtual tie-up of all industry by tomorrow night, best reports indicated that so far only 700 union men, including brewers, bartenders, barbers and members of certain building trades unions had quit work. Men from other crafts were walking out this afternoon, however, it was said. No disorders had been reported to the police. The strike was called to support the walkout of laundry workers and drivers.

Street cars were still operating this afternoon and reports were current that members of the Street Railway Employes’ union had voted not to strike.

Late News Tells of Violence.

The first violence in connection with the strike occurred at 2 o’clock this afternoon when a crowd estimated at one thousand persons rushed a crowd of police reserves who had arrested three men in connection with the overturning of a laundry wagon. The officers used their clubs freely and the crowd responded with stones and fists. A number of persons were injured, none severely it was reported. The prisoners escaped during the tussle and only one of them was recaptured it was said.

Reports late this afternoon indicated that the strike was spreading slowly.

———-

[Inset is from Chicago Daily Tribune of March 27th.]

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

18th September 2017 Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn

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…..

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.
—–

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: “The Deadly Parallel” Compares IWW’s Declaration on War in Europe with AFL’s Pledge of Service

2nd April 2017 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

IWW on War and Class Solidarity, Dec 1, 1916

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Hellraisers Journal, Monday April 2, 1917
From the International Socialist Review: “The Deadly Parallel”

“The Deadly Parallel” was first published in Solidarity, organ of the Industrial Workers of the World, on March 24, 1917, and is republished in this month’s edition of the Review:

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Tag: General Strike