Tag: Great Steel Strike of 1919

Hellraisers Journal: Jack Sellins, Seeks Justice for His Mother, Martyred Mine Workers’ Organizer, Fannie Sellins

Janet RayeFannie Sellins
Share

Quote M. Robbins, for Fannie Sellins, Wkrs Wld p4, Nov 28, 1919—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday April 2, 1922
Jack Sellins Seeks Justice for Murder of Fannie Sellins and Joseph Starzeleski

From the United Mine Workers Journal of April 1, 1922:

 

SON SEEKS JUSTICE
———-

ASKS THAT SLAYER OF HIS MOTHER,
MRS. FANNIE SELLINS,
BE BROUGHT TO JUSTICE
———

WNF Sellins Starzeleski Monument, The Woman Today p9, Sept 1936

Editor of the Journal: I am writing you concerning the bringing to justice the persons responsible for the death of Fannie Sellins and Joseph Starzeleski, who were murdered in wanton cold blood over two and a half years ago.

For this length of time every effort has been made to find the persons responsible for this crime, and on January 26, last, three deputy sheriffs were arrested for the murder. Even on the information on which the arrests were made the court granted them their liberty on bail, which was only $2,500. However, on February 14, the grand jury returned an indictment against the three, and we are now waiting for a date for the trial to be set.

The three men indicted are: Edward Mannison, John Pierson and James Reilly, former deputy sheriffs.

A copy of a resolution is herewith enclosed asking that the two attorneys we have employed be appointed as special district attorneys. I would like to see this resolution adopted by local unions over the country and be sent to president judge of the Allegheny County courts.

Fraternally yours,
JACK SELLINS.

The writer of the above is a son of Mrs. Fannie Sellins, so brutally murdered by deputy sheriffs in the Brackenridge mine strike. He has had a heroic effort to have the slayers of his mother brought to justice, and says he is taking no chance of a failure of prosecution in the hands of the district attorney’s office.

The resolution is as follows:

Whereas, The District Attorney of Allegheny County has failed to proceed with the prosecution of the murderers of Fannie Sellins and Joseph Starzeleski, or to take any action to bring these offenders to trial, said murders having been committed at West Natrona, Pa., on Aug. 26, 1919;

Be it Resolved, That we believe that private counsel should be employed for that purpose, and that the court be asked to appoint two attorneys as special deputy district attorneys to take charge of said prosecution, and, further, we recommend that the court appoint John S. Robb, Jr., Esq., of Pittsburgh, Pa., and Victor B. Benton, Esq., of New Kensington, Pa., as such special deputy district attorneys, and that a copy of this resolution be mailed to the president judge of Allegheny County courts.

—————

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Jack Sellins, Seeks Justice for His Mother, Martyred Mine Workers’ Organizer, Fannie Sellins” →

Hellraisers Journal: From The Butte Daily Bulletin: Mother Jones Stands by William Z. Foster, John Fitzpatrick and J. G. Brown

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones re WZF Straight Brave Sincere, BDB p3, Nov 19, 1920———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday November 24, 1920
Washington, District of Columbia – Mother Jones Stands by W. Z. Foster

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of November 19, 1920:

‘MOTHER’ JONES STANDS BY FOSTER
—–
Secretary Machinists’ Union Replies to Press Canard
about Cleaning Movement of the Reds.
—–

(By LAURENCE TODD.)

(Federated Press Correspondent.)

Washington, Nov. 19.–[Request of Mother Jones to the Federated Press:]

GSS, Mother Jones, WZF ed, Survey p64, Nov 8, 1919

Say to the world of labor for me that never since the beginnings of the labor movement in this country were there finer, straighter, braver, more sincere or more unselfish men in its service than John Fitzpatrick, William Z. Foster and Jay G. Brown of the steel strike committee.

All this stuff in the capitalist press about the repudiation of Fitzpatrick and Foster by organized labor, and the cleaning out of the reds and Bolsheviks, is rot. The bosses are mighty anxious to stir up one set of union men against another, and it looks easy to them to call one set reds, and to tell the other set that this first lot is plotting against them. Any man who makes the fight for the workers against the oppressions of capitalism is my brother, no matter what he calls himself, and every good labor man and woman feels the same way. This bugaboo about radicals and reds is played out.

General Secretary Davison of the International Association of Machinists remarked that “if there were any reds in the ranks of organized labor who were trying to destroy the labor movement, our enemies wild be very glad to leave them undisturbed. It is the effective trade unionism that is branded as red by the anti-union forces. We have no dangerous radicals in our organization. The dangerous people are those outside.”

[…..]

[Emphasis added; photograph of Mother Jones with W. Z. Foster added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The Butte Daily Bulletin: Mother Jones Stands by William Z. Foster, John Fitzpatrick and J. G. Brown” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for September 1920, Part II: Found in Stone Cutters Journal: Los Angeles Speech of March 7th

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Dad Never Scabbed on Me, LA Mar 7, Stone Cutters p11, Sept 1920———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 24, 1920
Mother Jones News for September 1920, Part II
Found in Stone Cutters’ Journal: Los Angeles Speech of March 7th

From The Stone Cutters’ Journal of September 1920:

Mother Jones Speaks in Los Angeles.

Mother Jones Seeks Shipyard, LA Tx p23, Mar 11, 1920
Los Angeles Times
March 11, 1920

Mother Jones spoke to the workers in the Labor Temple in Los Angeles recently. She said in part:

Fellow Workers:-I came here to rest, but I never allow rest to interfere with an opportunity to spread my religion among the workers. First of all, I want to say to you secret service men, get out your books and pencils and come right up here on the platform, and listen closely to every word I say. You might learn something for your own good-some new ideas might percolate through your thick skulls, and you might form a desire to lead a cleaner, better, more useful life.

Fellow workers, you are today in a most critical position. You are either facing liberty and emancipation or else if you don’t wake u , you are going into the blackest, most abject slavery ever known by man in the history of this world.

We whipped the Kaiser abroad and all his autocrats; now, let’s clean ’em up at home.

The inhuman way in which the workers were dealt with in, the steel strike is a fair example of the Prussianism of big business. They tell you that the steel strike was lost, but I say to you that the steel strike was one of the greatest victories ever won by labor in this country—great, because 350,000 workers of all nationalities, and different tongues, stood shoulder to shoulder, and demonstrated what “solidarity” means. They paralyzed one of our strongest industries, and the supply of steel will not be normal for six months yet.

There’s a great cry going up now to Americanize these foreigners—that’s the trouble with them now, they are Americanized. Most of them were imported here 20 years ago or more by those patriotic profiteers, Carnegie, and Gary, to act as scabs during the Homestead strikes— they scabbed then, and broke that strike, but they’re Americanized now and there’s no scabs in their families any more. You can bet on that.

They have learned what true “Americanism” means, and they want it; they want freedom and decent working conditions and they’ll get it some day.

They’ve been slaving 12 and 14 hours a day, with a 24-hour shift every other Sunday. That’s not Americanism, and that’s why they struck. They are not machinery or animals; they’re human beings and they want a square deal.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for September 1920, Part II: Found in Stone Cutters Journal: Los Angeles Speech of March 7th” →

Hellraisers Journal: From The Butte Daily Bulletin: “Inside Story of the Steel Strike” by Edwin Newdick of Federated Press

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Revolution in Our Veins, Altoona Tb p6, Jan 12, 1920———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday July 15, 1920
Edwin Newdick of Federated Press Tells Inside Story of Great Steel Strike

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of July 14, 1920:

re Great Steel Strike by E Newdick, GSS WZF, BDB p2, July 14, 1920

WZF GSS n Lessons, NY 1920, see BDB p2, July 14, 1920

(Editorial Note-Mr. Newdick was in charge of publicity for the National Committee for organizing iron and steel workers throughout the great steel strike. He was attached to the headquarters of William Z. Foster at Pittsburgh and in intimate touch with every phase of the situation. After the strike was called off he remained for sometime in Pittsburgh to check up on every fact herein presented. The Newdick series will comprise five installments.)

FIRST ARTICLE.

Pittsburgh, Pa.-The great steel strike of 1919-20 stands as a tribute to the American labor movement; but it also stands as a tremendous and inescapable problem confronting American labor; and, finally, it constitutes an indictment of labor in that labor failed to achieve the full measure of success which was within its reach.

The purpose of these articles is to show how and why labor failed. It will be assumed that every will-informed and fair-minded reader recognizes the epoch-making successes signalized by the steel strike and the organizing campaign which preceded it; but, before proceeding to expand upon the failures with which these articles will more particularly deal, the encouraging aspects will be summarized. In this case, as in various others in the course of these articles, the words of one of the leaders who was its most active executive official will be used. This is possible by arrangement with B. W. Huebsch, the publishers of “The Great Steel Strike and Its Lessons,” by William Z. Foster, secretary-treasurer of the National Committee for Organizing Iron and Steel Workers during the entire strike and the campaign which preceded it. By this arrangement the Federated Press is also to present extracts from this remarkable book before, or simultaneously with, its appearance before the public……

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The Butte Daily Bulletin: “Inside Story of the Steel Strike” by Edwin Newdick of Federated Press” →

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks at Public Meeting in Front of Court House at Williamson, West Virginia, Part II

Janet RayeBattle of Blair Mountain of 1921
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Every Damned Robber, Wmsn WV, June 20, 1920, Speeches Steel p222———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday June 23, 1920
Williamson, West Virginia – Mother Jones Speaks at Public Meeting, Part II

Williamson, West Virginia – Sunday Evening June 20, 1920
-Mother Jones Speaks at Public Meeting in Front of Courthouse.

SPEECH OF MOTHER JONES at WILLIAMSON, PART II.

[Mother Jones on Agitators.]

Matewan, re Grand Jury, WVgn p1, June 22, 1920
The West Virginian
June 22, 1920

I went to a meeting and the secretary of the steel workers went with me. He got up to speak. They took him. The next fellow got up; they took him. I got up. They arrested me. I wouldn’t walk. They had to ride me. A big old Irish buck of a policeman said, “You will have to walk.” “No, I can’t.” “Can you walk?” “No, I can’t.” “We will take you down to jail and lock you up behind the bars.”

After a few minutes the chief came along.
“Mother Jones?”
“Yes, sir.”

“There is some of the steel managers here want to speak to you.”
“All right, let the gentlemen come in. I am sorry gentlemen, I haven’t got chairs to give you.” (Laughter.)

One good fellow says, “Now, Mother Jones, this agitation is dangerous. You know these are foreigners, mostly.”
“Well, that is the reason I want to talk to them. I want to organize them into the United States as a Union so as to show them what the institution stands for.”

“They don’t understand English,” he says.
I said, “I want to teach them English. We want them into the Union so they will understand.”
“But you can’t do that. This agitation won’t do. Your radicalism has got to go.”
I said, “Wait a minute, sir. You are one of the managers of the steel industry here?”
“Yes.”
“Wasn’t the first emigrant that landed on our shore an agitator?”
“Who was he?”
“Columbus. Didn’t he agitate to get the money from the people of Spain? Didn’t he agitate to get the crew, and crossed the ocean and discovered America for you and I?

“Wasn’t Washington an agitator? Didn’t the Mayflower bring over a ship-full of agitators? Didn’t we build a monument to them down there in Massachusetts. I want to ask you a question. Right today in and around the City of Pittsburgh I believe there has assembled as many as three hundred thousand people [bowing the knee to Jesus during Easter season.] Jesus was an agitator, Mr. Manager. What in hell did you hang him for if he didn’t hurt your pockets?” He never made a reply. He went away.

He was the manager of the steel works; he was the banker; he was the mayor; he was the judge; he was the chairman of the city council. Just think of that in America—and he had a stomach on him four miles long and two miles wide. (Laughter.) And when you looked at that fellow and compared him with people of toil it nauseated you.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks at Public Meeting in Front of Court House at Williamson, West Virginia, Part II” →

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks at Public Meeting in Front of Court House at Williamson, West Virginia, Part I

Janet RayeBattle of Blair Mountain of 1921
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Wmsn WV, June 20, 1920, Speeches Steel, p213———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday June 22, 1920
Williamson, West Virginia – Mother Jones Speaks at Public Meeting, Part I

From the Tuscaloosa News of June 21, 1920:

THE GRAND JURY IS INVESTIGATING
THE MATEWAN SHOOTING
—–
“Mother Jones” in West Virginia Coal Fields
Making Speeches to Excite Miners
—–

(By Associated” Press)

Mother Jones, NYC Dly Ns p12, May 7, 1920

WILLIAMSON, W. Va., June 21.-Investigation of the fight between Baldwin-Felts detectives and citizens at Matewan, May 19, in which ten persons were killed, was commenced here today by a special grand jury. Deliberations of the jury will be behind closed doors, and nothing be known of its work until its report is made to the court.

Fifty men of the state constabulary were on duty here following a meeting last night in front of the court house at which “Mother” Jones was the principal speaker. Announcement was made that she would speak tonight at Matewan.

[Photograph and emphasis added.]

Williamson, West Virginia – Sunday Evening June 20, 1920
-Mother Jones Speaks at Public Meeting in Front of Courthouse.

[SPEECH OF MOTHER JONES at WILLIAMSON, PART I.]

[The Pagan Agitator]

The old condition is passing away. The new dawn of another civilized nation is breaking into the lives of the human race.

Away back, eighteen hundred years ago, two hundred years after the world’s savior was hung there arose an agitation. The Roman lords got uneasy about it, and they said, “We have got to stop this agitation and this education. If we don’t they will get the best of us. That won’t do.” They sent down and brought up all those they could get together to come in a hurry to Rome. They either sold them into slavery or held them, and among those that was brought in was a young man. When he came into the Roman court to get his decision the Judge said, “Who are you?”

“I am a man, and a member of the human family.”

“Then why do you carry on this agitation?”

“Because I belong to a class that all down the ages have been robbed, murdered, maligned, crucified, deluded, and because I belong to that class I think it is my duty to be with that class and to put a stop to these crimes.”

I wish I could convey that same spirit that possessed this pagan slave eighteen hundred years ago to every working man in my hearing today. If he possessed that spirit of manhood the other fellow would come and ask us for the right to eat instead of asking him for the right to eat. But we haven’t come to that spirit yet, because all down the ages the system has been going on to enslave us. This pagan slave was not a Christian. By no means. He was a pagan in those days, but he was teaching real Christianity. He was teaching Christ’s Christianity, that an injury to one working man is an injury to all. But they called him a pagan.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks at Public Meeting in Front of Court House at Williamson, West Virginia, Part I” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for March 1920, Part I: Found Supporting Shipyard Strikers of San Francisco and Vicinity

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Home Good Fight Going On, Ptt Prs p17, Sept 24, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday May 7, 1920
-Mother Jones News for March 1920, Part I
Found Supporting Shipyard Strikers of San Francisco and Vicinity

From The Los Angeles Times of March 11, 1920:

Mother Jones Seeks Shipyard, LA Tx p23, Mar 11, 1920———-

Mother Jones, Crpd Lg, Chg Tb p120, Oct 26, 1919

“Mother”‘ Jones, one of the most widely known union labor agitator in the world, who has been resting in this city for the last week, will leave today for Oakland to lend her support to the shipyard strikers in the Bay cities, according to information given out yesterday at the oil workers headquarters, room 111, Central Labor Temple.

The aged agitator last night stated that she did not know whether she was going to Oakland today or not, and intimated that it was none of the newspaper’s business what she was going to do. But at the home of Frank Flaherty, 2759 Marengo street, where “Mother” is staying, it was announced that she would leave tonight.

A telegram also was sent to V. C. Doaslaugh, secretary of the Alameda county Metals Trade Council, yesterday, in which it was stated that “Mother” Jones would arrive there Friday. The message was signed by C. B. Harvey, vice-president of the local Oil Workers’ Union.

“Mother” Jones came to Los Angeles to recuperate from a nervous breakdown, it was said at the Central Labor Temple, yesterday. The elderly woman participated in the recent fiasco of the Pennsylvania Steel workers, and report indicate that the collapse of that strike brought on an attack of “nerves” which caused her to retire to this city.

During her stay in this city, “Mother” Jones has had only one opportunity to talk. Last Sunday [March 7th] she addressed a few union laborites at the Labor Temple.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for March 1920, Part I: Found Supporting Shipyard Strikers of San Francisco and Vicinity” →

Hellraisers Journal: Steel Workers Offer Heartfelt Thanks to Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Make Our Neighbors Wrongs Our Own, II Altoona Tb p6, Jan 12, 1920 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday March 24, 1920
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Steel Workers Offer Resolution of Heartfelt Thanks

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of March 20, 1920:

STEEL WORKERS THANK CLOTH UNION FOR HELP
—–

(By the Federated Press.)

GSS, WZF, TY to ACW, ACWAC p223, May 1920

New York, March 20.-As a mark of gratitude for the magnificent aid given by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America to the steel workers during the great strike of 1919, they have been sent a handsomely drafted resolution of thanks. The document, which is signed by John Fitzpatrick and William Z. Foster, respectively chairman and secretary-treasurer of the committee for organizing the iron and steel workers, thanks the amalgamated for their gift of $100,000 to the strikers’ defense fund.

The amalgamated’s solidarity with the steel workers has created a sensation all over the world. Their gift is the largest sum ever raised by any organization to aid workers in another industry.

—–

GSS AFL Received from ACWA, Nov 13, 1919, ACWAC p220, May 1920

[Photographs and emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Steel Workers Offer Heartfelt Thanks to Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for January 1920: Found Speaking in Johnstown and Altoona, Pennsylvania

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Mother Jones, Revolution in Our Veins, Altoona Tb p6, Jan 12, 1920 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday February 17, 1920
-Mother Jones News for January 1920
Found Speaking in Johnstown and Altoona, Pennsylvania

From The Pittsburg Press of January 6, 1920:

‘MOTHER’ JONES TALKS AT JOHNSTOWN TEMPLE
—–

GSS, Mother Jones, WZF, Survey p64, Nov 8, 1919

Special to THE PRESS.

Johnstown, Pa., Jan. 6.-Under police surveillance, “Mother” Jones, aged 90, who admits she labor agitator and who often has been arrested for her utterances and her part in labor troubles, spoke to 300 men, mostly foreigners, at Labor Temple, Sunday. Her audience was largely made up of the remnants of the steel strike organization and she harangued the men as if the steel strike had never been ended. Police were present at the meeting and her statements were considered milder than when she appeared here several months ago.

[Photograph of Mother Jones with William Z. Foster added.]

Note: The Great Steel Strike was officially called off by the National Committee for Organizing Iron and Steel Workers on January 8th.

From the Altoona Times Tribune of January 7, 1920:

Mother Jones Talks To Flood City Men
—–

Mother Mary Jones, beloved by the miners of the country and the union workers of Colorado, comes to the Mishler theater Sunday afternoon to address the members of the craft unions of the city. She was the guest of the workers of Johnstown on Sunday afternoon and delivered an address in the Labor temple.

Mother Jones is most democratic and her aim in life is to make the workers comfortable. After being introduced to some 600 workers of the Flood City she won their hearts right off the reel by saying “If smoking gives you boys any comfort, keep right on smoking.” She then invited a squad of policemen to the stage but not one of them accepted but when she had finished several of them shook hands and congratulated her.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for January 1920: Found Speaking in Johnstown and Altoona, Pennsylvania” →

Hellraisers Journal: “Behind the Picket Line, The Story of a Slovak Steel Striker” by Mary Heaton Vorse, Part II

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote MHV Immigrants Fight for Freedom, Quarry Jr p2, Nov 1, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday February 11, 1920
Youngstown, Ohio – Mary Heaton Vorse Visit the Home of a Striker

From The Outlook of January 21, 1920:

BEHIND THE PICKET LINE

THE STORY OF A SLOVAK STEEL STRIKER
-HOW HE LIVES AND THINKS

BY MARY HEATON VORSE

[Part I of II.]

[Leaving the Picket Line in Youngstown, Ohio:]

MHV, NYS p37, Dec 1, 1918It was seven o’clock. The morning vigil was over; the strike was unbroken. The deluge had not occurred. The men, weary with watching, broken with inaction and with suspense, drifted to their homes.

“You’re cold, ma’am,” my guide said to me, gently; “I want you should come to my house to get breakfast; my house it ain’t far.”

It seemed to me an imposition to appear in a strange woman’s house at that hour in the morning, especially as Mike let fall casually that he had eight children. A strike and eight children and a husband seemed to me quite enough for any woman to cope with, but he would not let me go without a cup of coffee. We walked past little detached dwellings, small frame houses and some of concrete.

These have been lately built. They show the modern impulse toward better housing. Here and there a rambler was planted over a door; there were porches, and plots of ground surrounded the houses. This was the most meritorious community, from the point of view of decency, that I have seen in any steel town.

Later we met a handsome lad coming out of the gate—Steve’s oldest boy on his way to high school. Then we went into the kitchen, and my first impression was of rows and rows of brightly polished shoes all ready to be hopped into—any amount of brightly polish-little shoes standing neatly two by two.

Now, any student of domestic life will know what this means. How many families are there who can get the boys to black their shoes the night before? I can’t in my household—indeed, it takes savage pertinacity to st shoes blacked at all. Just the sight of those shoes made me realize that my hostess was no ordinary woman. In the meantime Mike was calling up the stairs:

Mother, come down and see who’s here! Come down and see what I’ve got in the kitchen!” To hear him one would have supposed that I was a birthday present. And when “mother” appeared there was nothing that could have shown a third person that I was not an old friend. The owners of the shiny shoes came into the room with their shy “good mornings.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “Behind the Picket Line, The Story of a Slovak Steel Striker” by Mary Heaton Vorse, Part II” →