Hellraisers Journal – Thursday April 20, 1911 News from California – “Solidarity Wins in Fresno” by Press Committee
From the International Socialist Review of April 1911:
BECAUSE we tried to organize the workers in Fresno, the authorities denied us the streets for agitation meetings. After persecuting our members for their activity; after throwing them into jail and subjecting them to the greatest brutality and passing a city ordinance denying the rights of free speech, the authorities have turned around and granted us all these things for which we have been fighting. Hereafter we shall be permitted to speak on the streets unmolested and unrestricted.
Spokane Industrial Worker of March 9, 1911
How was this victory accomplished? The answer is simple. Two hundred workingmen, roused by acts of violence against the organization of which they were members, moved on to Fresno from various points on the Pacific Coast to fight the Capitalist enemies. They realized that if our organizers were not to be permitted to speak and agitate, they would be seriously hampered in the work of organization for the great approaching conflict. From first to last both sides of the struggle clearly recognized Class Lines and freely admitted them. One of the most intelligent members of the opposition stated in an early stage of the struggle that this was a skirmish in a great war.
Antiquated methods were generally abandoned. It was decided that no money should be wasted on lawyers to expound the meaning of the first amendment to the Constitution of the United States. However, the court was used effectively for propaganda. Trial after trial was held and each time our position was presented to a crowded court room, by some member of the group on trial. Incidentally about 500 residents of Fresno, chiefly business men, were summoned to serve on juries. Not one of these was so disloyal to his class as to “hang a jury.” Workingmen were promptly challenged by the prosecuting attorney. They might not have been so pliable.
The antagonism with the local press with its malicious misrepresentation, perfectly reflected the attitude of the employing class in Fresno. But our appeals for aid, made only to the working class, found a ready response. Perfect discipline was maintained inside the jail. Things were kept in a sanitary condition. Educational work was carried on systematically. The fight was directed throughout by the men in jail. The outside work was executed by an outside committee, also directed by the imprisoned men. Funds contributed were spent economically and to the best advantage.
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday March 18, 1911 Fresno, California – Gag Law Against I. W. W. Laid to Rest
From the Spokane Industrial Worker of March 16, 1911:
THE CLOSING SOUNDS OF THE FRESNO FIGHT
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HOW THE FIGHT WAS WON-
FRESNO FIGHT IS NOW HISTORY. SOLIDARITY WINS IN FRESNO. —–
Fresno, Cal., March 5, 1911.
After denying the I. W. W. the streets for agitation meetings (because of our attempt to organize the workers of Fresno), after persecuting our members for their activity; after throwing them into jail and subjecting them to the greatest brutality; after passing a city ordinance denying the right of free speech, the authorities of Fresno now allow us to speak on the streets unmolested and unrestricted.
How was this accomplished? Less than 200 working men, roused by the acts of violence against the fighting organization to which they belonged, moved, from various parts on the pacific coast, on the Fresno representatives of their enemies (the capitalist class). They recognized that a defeat at this point would retard the important work of organizing the workers for the near approaching great conflict. From first to last, the fight here was carried on upon the strictest class lines, both sides recognizing and freely admitting fact…..
On February 22, 1911, the leading citizens of Fresno assembled to seriously consider the situation. After full discussion of ways and means of ending the struggle a committee of five was appointed with power to investigate the whole situation, ascertain our terms of settlement and report back to them.
Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday February 14, 1911 Fresno, California – 94 Free Speech Fighters in Bullpen, 47×28 Feet
From the Appeal to Reason of February 11, 1911:
Court Crookedness in Fresno ———–
Some time ago the APPEAL printed a story about the fight on free speech at Fresno, signed by Mrs. W. F. [Emma] Little, a comrade of that city. The story resulted in Mrs. H. H. Roberts, of Connecticut, getting trace of a relative who had engaged in the fight and who was in jail at Fresno. F. W. Boyle, of Humboldt, Kan., and A. F. Boyle, of Dunneweg, Mo., also discovered that their cousin, Frank Little, was one of the prisoners of the free speech fight. The result has been a protest from various sections of the United States. It would be well for all acquainted with these parties and others to write to the chief of police and the police judge and the mayor of Fresno protesting against the imprisonment of these people. Following are some further facts furnished the Appeal relative to the fight by Comrade Mrs. Little:
Before the I. W. W. was organized at all the chief of police told my husband, “You mustn’t organize the common workers, for we have a raisin crop here that must be handled cheap. A painter belonging to the painters’ union here gets $4 a day and works eight hours. A man digging a ditch or picking raisins gets $1.50 to $2 a day and work ten hours. Both are out of work a good deal of the time.
In spite of the chief of police and his cheap raisin crop, my husband did his best to organize the common workers in the I. W. W., and shortly after a small local was formed. For some reason the chief of police got the idea into his head that the workers wouldn’t join the I. W. W. anyway, so he graciously allowed us to speak on the street. The chief was mistaken, and our local grew from fifteen to over a hundred in a couple of weeks. Then the chief took our permit to speak on the streets away from us. He informed my husband that he knew where his bread and butter came from.
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.
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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.
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