Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: “All Aboard for Fresno…Free Speech Fight On”

6th September 202015th August 2020 Janet RayeFrank Little

Quote Frank Little, Fresno Jails Dungeons, FMR p6, Sept 2, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday September 6, 1910
Fresno, California – Free Speech Fight On; St. John Issues Call for Volunteers

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of September 3, 1910:

Fellow Workers: The police have been harassing us for some time. Do not allow us to speak on streets and have arrested four of us for no cause at all. Trial set for August 31st. We have decided that we must whip the city or quit. Can you back us with men?

We think it a good plan to have the old-timers who took part in the Spokane and Missoula fights to arrive first, so that we may get the benefit of their experience in bringing the matter to a culmination and see that everything goes through in good shape to the end that we give the wage workers a good example of what we can do. There will be no lawyers or defense fund, except a jungling fund.

Yours for the I. W. W.
AN AGITATOR.
2022 Mariposa St., Fresno, Cal.

—————

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Worker Frank Little in Fresno, Thrown into Dark Cell, Sings Rebel Songs All Day Long

5th September 202015th August 2020 Janet RayeFrank Little

Quote Frank Little, Fresno Jails Dungeons, FMR p6, Sept 2, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday September 5, 1910
Fresno, California – Frank Little Thrown into Dungeon, Sings Rebel Songs

From The Fresno Morning Republican of September 1, 1910:

JURY IN POLICE COURT RENDERS
4 VERDICTS IN AFTERNOON
——-
F. H. Little Found Guilty;
Victor Vogel Is Acquitted.
——-
W. F. Little and Wm. Flanagan
May Be Tried Second Time.
——-

Four members of the local branch of the Industrial Workers of the World were tried before a jury in the police court yesterday. The trial occupied the entire afternoon, but was devoid of sensational features. F. H. Little was found guilty of disturbing the peace. Sentence will be pronounced by Judge Briggs at 10 o’clock this morning. Victor Vogel was acquitted on the same charge and W. F. Little and William Flanagan will be discharged today as the jury failed to reach an agreement in their cases. The jury, of which E. C. Van Buren was foreman, rendered three separate verdicts, although the four I. W. W. members were tried jointly on the same charge.

The Little brothers appeared as counsel for the quartet of defendants. Assistant District Attorney Manson McCormick conducted the prosecution.….

The Little brothers called Detective Sam Drenth to the stand in an effort to get an admission that the police were trying to break up the local order of the I. W. W. The questions propounded by Little were overruled and Drenth did not give any testimony. The four defendants then took the stand and gave their side of the case.

The witnesses for the prosecution told conflicting stories, although the facts simmered down to a little loud talking on the part of F. H. Little, Victor Vogel and William Flanagan. The men were discussing the rooms in a certain lodging house on H street. Little talked a trifle too loud. Patrolman Piemens approached the trio and asked Little and his friends not to talk so loud. The men refused and defied the officer, whereupon he took them to jail. W. F. Little joined the party in the courthouse park and he too was placed under arrest.

—————

[Newsclip added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: “Another Victim of the Uniformed Thugs” by Fellow Worker Joe Hill

30th August 20204th August 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Joe Hill, Murderers Slaughter Our Class, IW p3, Aug 27, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday August 30, 1910
Pendleton, Oregon – FW Joe Hill, “on the road,” finds victim of gunthug.

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of August 27, 1910:

ANOTHER VICTIM OF THE
UNIFORMED THUGS.

On the Road, August 11th, 1910

While strolling through the yards at Pendleton, Ore…I saw a fellow sitting on a tie pile. He had his left hand all bandaged up and hanging useless by his side, and the expression on his face was the most hopeless I ever saw. Seeing that he was one of my class I went up and asked him how it happened, and he told me a tale that made the blood boil in my veins. Like many others, he floated into Roseville Junction, Cal., a town noted for murders and bloodshed. He had a few cents and did not have to beg, but the bull of that worthy town did not like the way he parted his hair, I guess, so he told him to make himself scarce around there. After a bit a train pulled out and he tried to obey the orders, but that upholder of law and justice saw him and habitually took a shot at him. His intentions were, of course, the very best, but being a poor shot he only succeeded in crushing the man’s hand.

The poor fellow might starve to death though, so that blood-thirsty hyena may not get so badly disappointed after all. Not being satisfied with disabling the man for life, he struck him several blows on the head and face with a “sapper” (rubber host with chunks of lead in the end). Then he threw him in the “task” without any medical aid whatever, although the hand was bleeding badly. The next morning about 5 o’clock he got a couple of kicks for breakfast and told that if he dared to show his face around there again it would be the grave yard for his. He told me he could not sleep much because the hand was aching all the time and he wished he could get it cut off, because it was no good anyway. Now, fellow workers, how long are those hired murders, whose chief delight it is to see human blood flowing in streams, going to slaughter and maim our class. There is only one way to stop it-only one remedy-to unite on the industrial field, Yours,

JOE HILL,
Portland Local, No. 92.

[Drawing and emphasis added]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: Latest IWW Songbook Now Available, Featuring Richard Brazier

23rd August 202030th July 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Richard Brazier, BRSB p388 from Lbr Hx Winter 1968 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday August 23, 1910
Spokane, Washington – Latest I. W. W. Songbook on Sale

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of August 20, 1910:

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: “The Scab” by Frank Gould, “Like ghouls that rob the dead.”

11th August 202024th July 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Frank Gould Poem Scab, IW p3, Aug 6, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday August 11, 1910
“And the victory near, then the scabs sneak in…” The Scab” by Frank Gould

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of August 6, 1910:

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Spokane Industrial Worker: the Employer, the Unemployed and the Man on the Job

8th August 202022nd July 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Joe Hill, Mr Block Got Lucky, LRSB 36th ed, 1995 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday August 8, 1910
The Employer-The Unemployed-The Man on the Job

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of August 6, 1910:

[Text:]

The boss works not at all. The unemployed works not at all. The worker works 10 hours per day. The worker produces a luxurious living for the boss, an existence for the unemployed, and a bare living for himself. What’s the matter with letting the unemployed go to work, making the boss go to work, and having the worker working one-third as long? If we organize and cut the working hours the boss will have to hire the unemployed. That will reduce competition among the workers for a job and give them power to later force the boss to cease being a boss and become a worker.

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Hellraisers Journal: From Industrial Worker: Frank Little, Horse and Wagon Agitator, to Organize Ranches Near Fresno

1st August 202019th July 2020 Janet RayeFrank Little

Quote Frank Little, re Fresno FS May, IW p2, June 11, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday August 1, 1910
Frank Little Calls for Good Agitators to Come to Fresno

From the Industrial Worker of July 30, 1910:

A HORSE AND WAGON AGITATOR.

[-by FW Frank Little]

FRESNO, Cal., July 23.-To the Editor of I. W.-Am back in Fresno, and will take up the work of organizing the ranch employes and packing house employees. Will start out with horse and wagon and travel from ranch to ranch, holding meetings in all of the small towns. But we are up against a hard fight. The masters will do all in their power to keep us from organizing the slaves. The A. F. of L. is going to try to organize, and, of course, the masters will aid them to defeat the I. W. W., and they have the money to put their labor fakirs in the field, while the few of us who are trying to build up the I. W. W. have to depend on working for a master to make a jungle stake.

I have been sick for some time, but will get out and hustle now. I will try and hustle some subs for the Worker on my trip.

Now is the time for work in this valley. I. W. W. men can get work and we need some good job agitators to get out in the fruit country and get control of the boss and make the masters raise the wages; and also build up the organization. It can be done if all of us will get in and hustle.

So, fellow workers, let us keep the work going. Yours for action,

F. H. LITTLE.

———-

[Photograph, newsclip and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Baby Boy Born to IWW General Executive Board Member, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

14th June 202013th June 2020 Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn

Quote EGF, My Aim in Life, Spk Rv p7, July 8, 1909 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday June 14, 1910
New York, New York – Baby Boy Born to Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

From the Industrial Worker of June 4, 1910:

I. W. W. General Executive Board Member
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn:

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Hellraisers Journal: Frank Little Reports to Industrial Worker on Fight of Local 66 to Speak on Streets of Fresno, California

13th June 2020 Janet RayeFrank Little

Quote Frank Little, re Fresno FS May, IW p2, June 11, 1910 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday June 13, 1910
Fresno, California – Fellow Worker Little Reports on Fight to Organize Local 66

From the Industrial Worker of June 11, 1910:

LIBERTY VS. THE LAW.

Fresno, Cal., May 29, 1910.

Editor Industrial Worker: The meeting of the I. W. W. in the public park today was suppressed by the county officials, backed by the uniformed thugs of the city. The constitution of the nation and state was stolen by the chief of police. The Industrial Worker was taken from one of the members. This park is supposed to belong to the people of Fresno county.

So you can see we are up against a big fight here in the near future. All fighters must prepare to come to Fresno when the call is sent out.

The chief of police says he will call on the G. A. R. and the Spanish War Veterans to wipe out the i. W. W.

Yours for Industrial Freedom,
F. H. LITTLE,
Organizer of the I. W. W.

———-

We are taking in new members every day, and the sentiment is strong for Industrial Unionism. We expect to do something here this summer, as this is one of the best places in the west for agitation. There are lots of Germans and Russians here and they are ripe for organization. The Mexicans, Japanese and Chinese are lining up.

We have a bunch of agitators here-English, Mexican, German and Japanese-and are stirring things up. The masters see that we are jarring the workers loose from their conservative ideas.

The papers have announced that the A. F. of L. will organize the laborers-that is, the white slaves. They are going to run the Japanese out of the country.

They are also going to organize the farmers and the farm employes into one union. Ye gods and little fishes! Just think. The man who sweats and toils out in the hot sun, the man who produces all things good and has nothing, to belong to the same union as his master, who does nothing and has all. But I think they will fail, for the blanket stiff who is forced to hike over the road and carry his home on his back is too wise for the A. F. of L. labor faker.

All Fellow Workers who are looking for a master and who want to do good work for the I. W. W. would do well to stop at this place. We need as many agitators in this part of the country as we can get, for we expect to tie up this whole country this fall. We have the silent strike on. It is on a job for the Southern Pacific. The slave drivers are wild-the slaves won’t work as hard as they want them to. We have a bunch of I. W. W. men on the job and we swill get control soon. Then we expect to give them a dose of I. W. W. direct action. So keep your eye on Fresno and watch Local No. 66 grow. Will send you a line from time to time and let you know what is doing. Yours for Freedom.

F. H. LITTLE

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Hellraisers Journal: From The One Big Union Monthly: Butte Miners’ “Picket Line of Blood” by Ralph Chaplin

10th June 2020 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote re IWW Martyr Manning ACM Massacre, BDB p1, Apr 26, 1920 ———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday June 10, 1920
Butte, Montana – Metal Miners’ Honor Picket Line of Blood

From The One Big Union Monthly of June 1920:

“The Richest hill in the world” has once more been stained with the blood of workers. Its arrogant industrial autocrats of Butte have again taken refuge in murder to shield themselves from the organized power of the union miners. The lynching of Frank Little has been paralleled by the massacre on Anaconda road. Butte-naked, barren, black—the city of gun-men and widows, of “sweat-holes” and cemeteries, stands out before the world today a blot on what we call civilization. Machine guns and searchlights command the city from the heights. Armed soldiers guard the approaches to the mines and gun-men loiter at every corner, or whiz up and down the streets at all hours of the day and night. There is one place on Anaconda road where everything in sight has been riddled with bullets. The blood of the dead and wounded has hardly dried in the dust. Miners have been told in unmistakable language that their constitutional right to picket means nothing and that the will of the copper trust is mightier than the law of the land. Bloody Butte! It is an ignoble title—ignobly won. But it is a fitting title.

The overlords of Butte will not permit their right to exploit to be challenged. Drunk with unbridled power and the countless millions profiteered during the war, with lying phrases of “law and order” on their lips, the blood of workingmen dripping from their hands and the gold of the government bursting their coffers they face the nation unreprimanded and unashamed—reaction militant, capitalism at its worst. The copper trust can murder its slaves in broad daylight on any occasion and under any pretext. There is no law to call a halt. In the confines of this greed ruled city the gun-man has replaced the Constitution. Butte is a law unto herself.

This huge mining camp is typical of the present stage of capitalism. The parasites of big business, furious with the realization of their approaching doom, are striking at the working class more blindly,more ferociously and more frequently than ever before. Even their most savage anti-labor laws are proving themselves inadequate to darken the rising sun of solidarity.

The gunman and lynch-mob are more and more replacing the law as measures of labor repression. The old maxim “whom the gods would destroy they first make mad” is finding daily confirmation.

Holy grove, Ludlow, Calumet, Everett and Bisbee still stand as grewsome monuments to the White Terror in America. Butte has been added to the list for a second time. Armistice Day in Centralia is only a few month past yet we can no longer refer to it as “yesterday” but the day before. Yesterday was the massacre on Anaconda road. Nobody knows where the blow will fall tomorrow. Things are moving rapidly these days.

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Tag: Industrial Workers of the World