Tag: Industrial Workers of the World

Hellraisers Journal: From International Socialist Review: Ruling Class Violence & the Lawless Month of August 1917

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Don’t worry, fellow-worker,
all we’re going to need from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday September 9, 1917
From the International Socialist Review – Month of Lawlessness

During the month of August of this year, the Ruling Class was particularly violent in its drive to keep the Working Class under its firm control. The latest edition of the Review makes plain that there is one law for rulers of industry and another for those they rule.

Cover: International Socialist Review, September 1917:

Bisbee Deportation, 1164 Columbus NM, ISR Cover Sept 1917

———-

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From International Socialist Review: Ruling Class Violence & the Lawless Month of August 1917” →

WE NEVER FORGET: Political Prisoners of World War I Repression Who Lost Their Lives in Freedom’s Cause, 1917-1931

Janet RayeWe Never Forget
Share

Pray for the dead
And fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

WNF, WWIR, Political Prisoners 1917-1931

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

From American Political Prisoners by Stephen M. Kohn:

Between 1917 and 1931, at least thirty-one young men died as a direct result of imprisonment for their opposition to World War I or for their radical trade union activities. For the most part, these men died in obscurity at a time when the general public ignored the First Amendment abuses that led to their imprisonment and death.

April 8, 1918 – Fort Hancock, New Jersey
-Ernest Gellert. Socialist CO.

June 29, 1918 – Leavenworth Penitentiary
(Date of death from Davenport Daily Times of July 1, 1918, page 1.)
-Daniel H. Wallace, convicted under Espionage Act for anti-war speech given at Davenport, Iowa. Member, League of Humanity.

October 14, 1918 – Bellevue Hospital, New York
-Jacob Schwartz of New York City. Anarchist who criticized US intervention in Russia.
Transferred to hospital from Blackwell’s (? needs verification) after severe beating.

November 1918 – Sacramento County Jail
-R. J. Blaine, IWW-Federal Prisoner, died while awaiting trial.
-Ed Burns, IWW-Federal Prisoner, died while awaiting trial.
-Ed Evans, IWW-Federal Prisoner, died while awaiting trial.
-James Nolan, IWW-Federal Prisoner, died while awaiting trial.
-Frank Travis, IWW-Federal Prisoner, died while awaiting trial.

Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET: Political Prisoners of World War I Repression Who Lost Their Lives in Freedom’s Cause, 1917-1931” →

Hellraisers Journal: Raids & More Raids! Homes and Offices in Chicago, Spokane, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Etc.

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Don’t worry, fellow-worker,
all we’re going to need from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday September 7, 1917
Nationwide Raids Against Industrial Workers and Socialists

The nationwide raids conducted by federal agents on September 5th against the Industrial Workers of the World and the Socialist Party of America are described by the Spokane Spokesman-Review of September 6th:

US Officers Raid I. W. W. Headquarters
Over Nation

[Report from Associated Press]

WWIR, Raids IWW SPA BBH, Chg Tb Sept 6, 1917

Indictments May Follow.

MAGNOLIA, Mass., Sept. 5.— Attorney General Thomas W. Gregory was a guest at the summer home of Colonel E.M. House here this evening when he received word that raids on the headquarters of the Industrial Workers of the World in many cities had been carried out as arranged by the federal Department of Justice.

“It is no secret,” said Mr. Gregory, “that the Industrial Workers of the World have been under suspicion for some time. The Department of Justice conducted a quiet investigation until I was convinced that we were warranted in taking such action as this.

“I do not need to say the the raids will be followed quickly by indictments if we find anything to warrant them, and the men will be prosecuted to the extent of the law if they deserve it.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Raids & More Raids! Homes and Offices in Chicago, Spokane, Philadelphia, Salt Lake City, Etc.” →

Hellraisers Journal: IWW Halls and Socialists Offices Raided Coast to Coast by Federal Agents, Tons of Material Seized

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Don’t worry, fellow-worker,
all we’re going to need from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 6, 1917
Chicago, Illinois – I. W. W. and S. P. Headquarters Raided

The Headquarters of the Industrial Workers of the World, located at 1001-1006 West Madison street, were raided by federal agents yesterday and vast amounts of property and documents seized. The offices of the Socialist Party of America and of its national newspaper, American Socialist, were also “visited.” The raids in Chicago were made simultaneously with raids of I. W. W. halls across the nation.

From The Chicago Daily Tribune of September 6, 1917:

WWIR, IWW Raids, Chg Tb, Sept 6, 1917WWIR, IWW Raids, Chg Tb, Sept 6, 1917, 2WWIR, IWW Raids, Chg Tb, Sept 6, 1917, 3

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: IWW Halls and Socialists Offices Raided Coast to Coast by Federal Agents, Tons of Material Seized” →

Hellraisers Journal: Labor World Scores IWW: “Labor and the nation will be better off when we are rid of them.”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Don’t worry, fellow-worker,
all we’re going to need from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday September 5, 1917
From the Duluth Labor World: I. W. W., Foe of Nation & Enemy of Labor

AFL Emblem, Am Fedist, Aug-Dec 1917

The Duluth Labor World, voice of the American Federation of Labor in northern Minnesota, has now declared the Industrial Workers of the World to be a foe of the United States of America and an enemy of true American Labor. Having been willing to organize foreign-born and unskilled workers where the A. F. of L., for the most part, would not, (the United Mine Workers being a noble exception), the I. W. W. is now accused of “exploiting” alien prejudices.

From the Duluth Labor World of September 1, 1917:

WWIR IWWR Labor's Enemy, Labor World, Sept 1, 1917

The time has come when it is necessary for the men of labor to speak out emphatically against any and all organizations claiming the support of workingmen that are not wholly American to the core. This is no time for quibbling. We do not propose to sit idly by and permit our cause to suffer longer from the foolhardy course of such a self-styled labor organization as the I. W. W., an organization that never did anything for the workingmen save pull their legs.

The enemies of the American trade union have for years been busy in Continental Europe propagating among workingmen against the American Federation of Labor. They declare it is controlled by the so-called “Capitalist Class;” that it is a mass-backed, conservative organization formed for the purpose of perpetuating the wage system, and when foreign laborers come here to work they bring with them their prejudices against the American labor movement.

This is why such an organization as the I. W. W., appeals to the foreign born laborers in this country who have not identified themselves with the American movement. And as a result the poor fellows are frequently led to deep industrial precipices from which they are ruthlessly hurled by the pretensive revolutionary leaders in the I. W. W.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Labor World Scores IWW: “Labor and the nation will be better off when we are rid of them.”” →

Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: Poem for Frank Little, “The Man That Was Hung”

Janet RayeFrank Little
Share

We’ll remember you, Frank Little!
…We’ll repeat your name
And remember that you died for us.
The red flag that you dropped
A million hands will carry on.
-Phillips Russell

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday September 3, 1917
Butte, Montana – Organizer Frank Little Remembered

From the International Socialist Review of September 1917:

“To Frank Little” by Phillips Russell

To Frank Little by Phillips Russell, ISR Sept 1917

—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: Poem for Frank Little, “The Man That Was Hung”” →

Hellraisers Journal: From the Northwest Worker: A Song for Striking Lumberjacks

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share
You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday September 1, 1917
A Song to Honor the Striking Lumberjacks of #500

From The Northwest Worker of August 24, 1917:

50,000 Lumber Jacks, NW Worker, Aug 24, 1917

__________

From the Industrial Worker of August 25, 1917:

IWW Logger & Lumber Baron, Swenson, IW Aug 25, 1917

———-

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

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Northwest Worker: A Song for Striking Lumberjacks” →

Hellraisers Journal: Idaho National Guard Invades Washington, Arrests IWW Lumber Strike Leaders at Spokane Union Hall

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Don’t worry, fellow-worker,
all we’re going to need from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday August 31, 1917
Spokane, Washington – Local Leaders of I. W. W. Held by Military

From the Great Falls Daily Tribune of August 30, 1917:

Spokane, Aug. 29.-[…..]

James Rowan, district secretary of the I. W. W. for the northwestern states, who ordered a general strike, is still held as a military prisoner in the county jail with 11 other alleged I. W. W. They were arrested here by Major Wilkins August 19, the day before the strike was to have become effective.

—–

From the International Socialist Review of August 1917:

https://archive.org/stream/ISR-volume18#page/n45/mode/1up

—–

General Strike of Lumber Workers

AS we go to press a telegram brings the news of a general strike of all lumber workers west of the Mississippi river. It reads as follows:

Seattle, Wash., July 17. General strike has been called by Lumber Workers’ Industrial Union No. 500 of the I. W. W. Thousands responding to call. Solidarity fine. No scabs so far. John Martin.

The lumber trust and its henchmen, the state officials, county and city officials, with the aid of the militia, are resorting to the most ruthless methods to break the strike. Halls have been closed, strikers by the hundreds arrested and thrown in jails, or herded in stockades, but still the spirits of resistance grows. The lumber jacks have made up their minds that they are tired of the rotten conditions, and the long hours, and they will simply not tolerate them any longer. They are out to win this fight, and the $500,000 defense fund raised by the Lumbermen’s Association will not stop them. If the Lumbermen’s Association can raise half a million dollars to defend their profits, then the “jacks” say that the Lumbermen’s Association can raise half a million more dollars to increase the pay of the lumber jacks. Late reports state that the authorities are backing down and the halls are being reopened. The September Labor Day edition of the REVIEW will have an illustrated article covering the strike which we hope to call—How the Lumber Jacks Won!

[Drawing by Robert Minor added to article.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Idaho National Guard Invades Washington, Arrests IWW Lumber Strike Leaders at Spokane Union Hall” →

Hellraisers Journal: “Frank Little was an agitator, he made the people think..” -Whitewash by Emma Little

Janet RayeFrank Little
Share

Emma Little Quote, Whitewash, Sol Aug 11, 1917

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday August 30, 1917
Fresno, California – Sister-in-Law of Frank Little Pens Poem

Emma Little, staunch supporter of the Industrial Workers of the World, lives in Fresno with her husband, Fred, brother of our martyred Fellow Worker, Frank Little. Emma and Fred have three children: Walter, Lawrence and Victoria.

Fresno was the scene of the famous Free Speech Fight of 1910-1911 in which Frank Little, along with Fred and Emma, played active and heroic roles.

From Solidarity of August 11, 1917:

ISR Doodle, 614, Apr 1917
Frank Little Whitewash by Emma, Sol Aug 11, 1917
ISR Doodle, 614, Apr 1917

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “Frank Little was an agitator, he made the people think..” -Whitewash by Emma Little” →

Hellraisers Journal: Federal Government Passive as Miner Owners Establish Industrial Despotism in Bisbee

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday August 28, 1917
Bisbee, Arizona – Deputized Company Gunthugs Control City

From the Appeal to Reason of August 25, 1917:

The Truth About Bisbee

—–

Bisbee Deportation Miners and Supporters July 12, 1917

—–

Bisbee, Ariz., has not formally seceded from the Union, but the mining companies of that district have set up an independent sovereignty-an industrial despotism-in utter defiance of American laws and the rights of American citizens. In the presence of this organized outlawry of capitalism, the great government of the United States remains passive and idle. Official Washington has virtually ignored the situation in Bisbee, just as it ignored the outrages in West Virginia and in Colorado and in a score of other places where capitalistic despotism sought to crush the workers. In connection with the Bisbee trouble it is interesting to note that one of the leading mining corporations of that district is the Phelps Dodge Company, and to recall that Cleveland H. Dodge, vice president of the Phelps Dodge Company, was a heavy contributor to the Democratic national campaign fund. A full and disinterested account of the happenings in Bisbee is given by the San Francisco Bulletin in a personal interview with Thomas McGuinness, a real estate dealer of Bisbee. The following is Mr. McGuinness’ story:

—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Federal Government Passive as Miner Owners Establish Industrial Despotism in Bisbee” →