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Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday October 25, 1911
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1911
Found at Greensburg, Pennsylvania, Where Miners Meet to Call Off Strike
From Pennsylvania’s Latrobe Bulletin of July 3, 1911:
The Calling Off of the Strike Is
Declared To Be In Sight
———-Greensburg the Scene of Special Convention.
Ten Delegates Are Present From the Local Union
Behind closed doors, with Francis Feehan presiding, with Mother Jones, Van Bitner and others prominently identified with the strike present, the convention of miners is now on in full swing in Tonkay’s hall, at Greensburg…
The Greensburg Tribune claims to have received authentic information from Indianapolis to the effect that the executive board decided that the strike should end.
Mother Jones, who is at the convention, was in attendance at the International board meeting, last week, and it is said that she made a plea for the strikers…..
[Photograph added.]
From the Pittsburgh Gazette Times of July 6, 1911:
The long and bitter labor struggle of the coal miners in the Irwin-Greensburg field for recognition of the union was brought to a close yesterday. Locals of the United Mine Workers of America met and adopted a resolution to return to work. This action was taken under instructions from the international executive board of the United Mine Workers, which held a special meeting last Monday that resulted in the decision to call a meeting of the locals and order the return to work.
It is believed the miners welcomed the instructions from their executive board. They had been idle for 16 months, during which time many hardships were endured. When notice was served that the payment of strike benefits would cease next week, the men realized that their cause was lost and the struggle hopeless…..
The abrupt ending of the long strike resulted in a divided sentiment among union miners. When it became known yesterday that the locals had concurred in the action of their international executive board, the following circular was sent out to the various locals, signed by Robert Gibbons, Abe Kephart and Andrew Puskar of the miners’ organization of District No. 5:
The miners throughout the Irwin-Greensburg fields today held local meetings at which in every case a vote was taken to call off the strike which has lasted for 16 months. This was compulsory for these poor, misguided brothers, as the International Executive Board in session at Indianapolis headquarters last week voted to discontinue paying strike benefits to them and directed Francis Feehan to call their leaders and arrange to have the strike terminated without recognition or concessions whatever.
Meeting of Leaders.
A meeting of these leaders was held in Greensburg on Monday. International Board Members A. R. Watkins of Ohio, George Dagger of Western Pennsylvania, and Thomas Haggerty of Central Pennsylvania had been delegated to represent the International Union. Mother Jones told the International Board at Indianapolis that it had been a lost cause since last summer. But it was continued until there had been the loss of 18 lives and the useless expenditure of a $1,000,000 of the miners’ money, besides large donations from many of our people and others in sympathy……
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—————–![From The Progressive Woman of July 1911:The above picture includes most of the delegates to the Unity Convention of 1901 the convention where the Socialist party came into existence. It was held at Indianapolis, Indiana, beginning July 29. The picture was taken on the east front of the state capitol. A number of the faces will be familiar to many readers.There were about one hundred and twenty-five delegates present, among whom were the following women: Corinne S. Brown, Martha A. Biegler, Margaret Haile, Elizabeth H. Thomas, Sula Lowrie, Mrs. Max S. Hayes, Martha H. McHugh and Carrie Rand Herron.The Unity Convention was called for the purpose of attempting to unite the various Socialist parties of the country. The largest of these were the Social Democratic Party and the Springfield wing of the Socialist Labor Party. The other wing of the Socialist Labor Party did not take part in the convention. State parties in Iowa, Kentucky and Texas, not affiliated with any national organization, were represented.The various factions that united in calling the convention had patched up their differences sufficiently to support the same ticket the year before. Animosities were very bitter, however. Had it not been for the withdrawal of various local and state organizations from the national organizations, thus decreasing their membership, it is hardly probable that the two national organizations could have been persuaded to consent to try to form an organic union.The main actions of the convention were the adoption of a national constitution, a national platform, a resolution on Socialism and trade unionism, a resolution on injunctions, and a resolution on the negro question.The platform came in for a hot discussion, especially the immediate measures. As adopted, it contained, among others, a provision for "equal civil and political rights for women."The resolutions were also warmly discussed. In fact, everything was warmly discussed. Socialists are always very earnest in their debates, and the bitter feelings which the delegates brought along made them especially earnest at that convention.But the great debate came on the constitution. Hot does not begin to express it. It was scalding, vitriolic. All the rancor in the hearts of the delegates was poured out in blistering words. At times it seemed to the most optimistic that unity was hopeless, and that we must disperse and go back to our several locals with the doleful confession that we had failed in our mission. But, out of it all came agreement-agreement on the famous Section Four of Article Twelve. Get out your national constitution and read it. It is historic. It is the state autonomy provision. Around it raged the battle as to whether we could organically unite. Its adoption made unity possible.Then came better feelings and a great relief. We went home with joy in our hearts, because we bore the glad tidings of a solidified Socialist Party-united-facing the enemy.---------------[Emphasis added.]](https://weneverforget.org/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Delegates-to-Unity-Founding-Convention-of-SPA-July-Aug-1901-Prg-Wmn-p3-July-1911.png)