Hellraisers Journal – Friday November 11, 1910 Martyrs of Chicago’s Great Eight-Hour Movement Remembered
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of November 9, 1910:
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Twenty-three years have elapsed since the execution of the four men in the county jail at Chicago. Twenty-three years, ample time for the world to correct its errors of misinformation. And yet, only a comparatively small portion of the people as a whole; yes, it may be safely said that only a minority of the so-called “revolutionists” are possessed of the true status of the affair. It is for the purpose of briefly outlining the facts of the Haymarket “riot” and the resulting murder of four innocent men, and to commemorate their death that this Anniversary Number is issued. The facts are as follows: Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: “The Haymarket and the Eight Hour Movement of 1886””→
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday November 10, 1910 Fresno, California – I. W. W. Free Speech Fight Has Been Postponed
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of November 9, 1910:
FRESNO FIGHT POSTPONED —————
Industrial Worker October 19, 1910
Fellow Workers: The fight for free speech has been postponed. On the 2d. of November the boys all came out of jail. Their excuse was that there were not enough men. It is true, the men were coming in awful slow, but they were coming. Public sentiment was changing in our favor, and if the men had stuck we would have won out.This fight is important and we must win or the I. W. W. will feel the painful consequences all over the west. Until we erase this blot from our crimson banner we must hang our heads in shame. If they can suppress our street meetings, they can also suppress our hall meetings and will hound us at every step.
We are not going to try to coax or persuade anyone to take part in this fight. If this fight is won it will be won by Industrial Unionists. The Industrial Unionist is the man who practices a large part of what he preaches. He does not walk around with a chip on his shoulder, telling the timid and modest members what he knows and what he would do in each and every case and what a splendid fighter he is. No, he is sadly lacking in these eminent virtues. Somehow he can never spare the time for it. Some few have a faint suspicion that he is too busy practicing or trying to practice Industrial Unionism. About half the men who went to jail here are pretty fair Industrial Unionists.
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday November 9, 1910 Fresno, California – City Claims Victory Over Industrial Workers of the World
From The Fresno Morning Republican of November 3, 1910:
Fresno has won its battle to govern the right of free speech.
The city ordinance which prohibits speech-making on the public streets without a permit from the chief of police holds good and the Industrial Workers of the World are the ones who discovered that the law is iron-clad.
A month’s fight against the city authorities ended at 10 o’clock yesterday morning, when fifty-three members of the I.W.W. left the local jail and marched to police court, where they entered individual pleas of guilty and were released from custody with a suspended sentence of ninety days hanging over each man. Three I.W.W.’s “double-crossed” their fellow workers and pleaded not guilty, after promising to go into court and abide by the decision of the majority. This trio was returned to jail.
Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday November 8, 1910 Fresno, California – 500 Fellow Workers Needed for Free Speech Fight
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of November 2, 1910:
FREE SPEECH NEWS FROM THE FRONT ——-
FRESNO THE BACKBONE OF CALIFORNIA.
The Sierras east of Fresno are covered with great forests of pine, sugar pine and Oregon pine. The Hume-Bennett Lumber company is at Hume, a mile from Kings river, employing over 700 men; Fresno Lumber company at Pine Ridge, working a thousand men; Sugar Pine farther, to the north, working about 700. This territory also abounds in minerals, especially gold and copper, and is as yet only scratched. Fresno county is the stronghold of King capital in California. He wears his crown with haughty mein and brooks no oppositions. Fresno is the back bone of California. To break this back bone will take at least 500 men. If we break it, all California falls to the crimson standard, for we will then systematically proceed to organize. We have men here who are the goods and will make it their special business to see that this is done. There are a vast number of Armenians, Greeks, Italians and Mexicans here, also colonies of Germans and Russians. In fact all nationalities are here represented. We omit the Japanese because they are already fairly well organized. All these different nationalities have their eyes now focused on the I. W. W. If we win they are bound to regard us with admiration, and it will be easy to organize them. If we lose-perish the thought-we can’t afford to lose. We are fighting for breath. Send men, gather recruits, and send funds. This is a battle royal and must be supported. Yours for Industrial Freedom.
JUNGLES PRESS COM.
Address W. [U.] L. Leister, P. O. Box 209, Fresno, Cal. On arrival inquire at 1128 I St. Not J St.
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday November 3, 1920 Industrial Workers of the World – Some November Anniversaries
From The One Big Union Monthly of November 1920:
Some I. W. W. Anniversaries
The month of November is particularly rich in memories for the I. W. W.
The events of the day are crowding upon us so fast that we cannot devote much time or space in our publications to the memories of the past, but not for a moment should the workers of this country be allowed to forget the outrages committed upon us in years gone by.
For the time being we shall content ourselves with a very brief review of some of the most horrid anniversaries of the I. W. W., which should be “celebrated” this month, not forgetting such anniversaries as that of Frank Little, whose anniversary falls in a different month.
On November 19, 1915, Joe Hill was legally murdered in the prison of Salt Lake City, Utah. His ashes are scattered by loving friends, who believe in his innocence, over the flower beds of this and other countries, and his memory lives in the songs which the I. W. W. members sing on every occasion.
Besides being a writer of songs which made the workers of all countries listen, Joe Hill, the miner, was also an amateur cartoonist. We reproduce here with a couple of his cartoons.
On November 5th, 1916, The Everett Massacre took place. We shall not try to describe this terrible tragedy of the class struggle. We refer every body to the account of it, issued in a book of 302 pages by the I. W. W. This book, “The I. W. W. Massacre,” is written by Walker C. Smith and sold by the I. W. W. Should be read by every red- blooded worker. Five were killed and scores wounded.
The Everett Massacre was one of the foulest deeds ever committed by the dirty hirelings of the capitalist class. It can be compared only to the indescribable horrors of Armistice day in Centralia, Wash., on November 11, 1919. The gruesome death of our Fellow Worker Wesley Everest on that day is enough to stagger the world. We cannot go into details. Read the book “The Centralia Conspiracy,” by Ralph Chaplin. It describes in word and illustration those terrible days.
Fellow Worker Bert Bland, who with a number of others is now serving a sentence equal to life imprisonment in Montesano as a result of the Centralia conspiracy, writes a touching tribute to the memory of the martyr Wesley Everest, which is published herewith.
Wesley Everest’s last greeting was: “Tell all the boys I did my best.” Joe Hill’s last message was: “Don’t mourn. Organize!” Frank Little’s last message is known only to his murderers, but we have no doubt it was like Joe Hill’s.
Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 30, 1910 Fresno, California – Editorial Advocates Whipping Post to Suppress Free Speech
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of October 26, 1910:
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ADVOCATES WHIPPING POST TO SUPPRESS FREE SPEECH.
General Headquarters I. W. W., 518 Cambridge Bldg., Chicago, Ill.
The Fresno Herald and Democrat, published at Fresno, Cal., for which one John Hamilton Gilmour assumes responsibility as publisher, has an editorial in the issue of October 12th commenting on the fight for free speech that is being made by the I. W. W. at Fresno, which ends by saying:
“It is incumbent upon all classes of citizens to aid the police in the suppression of these Industrial Workers of the World if they attempt to disturb the peace of the city.* * * For men to come here with the express purpose of creating trouble a whipping post and cat-o’-nine-tails well seasoned by being soaked in salt water is none to harsh a treatment for peace breakers. Indeed, such a punishment would prove more efficacious than a term in a dark cell.”
The editorial is an indication of what the membership for the I. W. W. have to fight against in carrying on the campaign for education and organization amongst the workers of the San Joaquin valley.
A whipping post and cat-o’-nine-tails seasoned with brine! For what? because workers of that sections-a few of them insist that they have an opportunity of holding meetings, to discuss matters of interest to their class, and to devise ways and means to educate, and organize the wage slaves of the farms, factories and railroads into an effective organization. The master class of the San Joaquin valley have throws off the mask. Through the mouthpiece of their class they have made known to what extent they are willing to go in order that they may continue to plunder the workers of that section, in PEACE.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday October 25, 1920 Atlanta Federal Penitentiary – Norman Hapgood Interviews Eugene Debs
From the Appeal to Reason of October 23, 1920:
Did you ever enter the strong gates of a prison? Has your mind ever pictured the sinking heart of a man who hears those heavy iron doors clank behind him? Wife and child, perhaps, are shut from him in the outer world. And inside? The lost are there, the despairing, the destroyed. Leave hope behind, ye who enter. And yet it is not as bad as it was, some centuries ago. The harmonious and austere building at Atlanta is infinitely superior, in what happens inside of it, to the prisons of Lincoln’s day. God knows it is bad enough.
Partly, it is bad because we in truth do not know what to do with certain types of dangerous depravity. Give us time, a century or two, and we may learn the alphabet of treating such aberration. Granted we are ignorant about crime — what about prisoner 9653? Why is he in this place?
To see prisoner 9653 we go only so far as a reception room, and Eugene V. Debs, four times nominee of a great party for the Presidency, now No. 9653, steps forth eagerly to meet me. How warm his grasp! How pure and sunny his smile! How his face carries the record of his 40 years of service, of forbearance, of hope of a great belief.
Debs’ Warm Cordiality.
We sit down on opposite sides of a long table. Debs’ lawyer is there and so is the prison attendant. Neve mind; Debs doesn’t mind. He leans across, his face alight, his speaking and delicate hands at play. He will not let me get in my question. His warm cordiality prevents. He knows I am not a Socialist and that I am not going to vote for him. He knows all about it. But what is that to him? I am a human being, which is enough. But there is more. I have recently chosen the unpopular course on a great subject — Russia — and Debs knows all about that also, and pours out an overgenerous appreciation until, afraid of that man at the end of the table, who is responsible for the allotment of time, I see a chance to turn the switch and I suddenly ask the most dangerous question I know.
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.
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.
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