Tag: Leonard Abbott

Hellraisers Journal: Latest News from Spokane Free Speech Fight by Fellow Worker Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Part I

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, Compliment IWW, IW p1, Nov 17, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday March 3, 1910
Spokane, Washington – Gurley Flynn Reports from Free Speech Fight, Part I

From the International Socialist Review of March 1910:

Latest News from Spokane
—–

ELIZABETH GURLEY FLYNN.
—–

[Part I of II.]

Letter T, ISR p828, Mar 1910HE agitation of the I. W. W. and free speech fight in Spokane, Washington, if it brought no other effects has been valuable in that it has forced the officials to take action against the employment agencies. In the beginning of the difficulty they were admitted by Judge Mann to be the cause of all the trouble. Since that time Mayor Pratt has frankly admitted refunding thousands of dollars to working-men who had been sold fictitious jobs by the employment agencies. There were about thirty-one in the city of Spokane but the licenses of all but twelve of these were revoked.

IWW Spk FSF, EGF, ISR p828, Mar 1910

The following statement from Mayor Pratt explains this action: “On the whole we have found that the larger agencies have not been causing so much trouble. Some of the larger men have made a study of the business, understanding human nature, and have been successful. In some cases we find that men who do not understand the business have engaged in it nevertheless and have made a little money and have held on to every dollar that has come into their possession whether they were entitled to it or not.”

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for December 1909, Part II: Found in Philadelphia Speaking to Shirtwaist Makers

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones to Philly Shirtwaist Makers Dec 19, NY Call Dec 21, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday January 10, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for December 1909, Part II:
-Found in Philadelphia Speaking to Shirtwaist Makers

On Sunday evening, December 19th, Mother Jones spoke to shirtwaist makers of Philadelphia at meetings held at the Labor Lyceum and Mercantile Hall. By unanimous vote and to deafening cheers, a strike was declared and set to begin at 9 a. m. on December 20th.

From The New York Call of December 21, 1909:

[Mother Jones Speaks.]

Mother Jones, Elkhart IN Dly Rv p2, Crpd, July 19, 1909

The action of Director Clay in forbidding the holding of a meeting in the Arch Street Theater, last night, to declare the strike was severely criticised by Mother Jones, in her speeches. She denounced the city administration as roundly as she denounced the bosses, who, she declared, had become wealthy through the toil of the girls before her.

[She said:]

They have an Independence Hall down here on Chestnut street; I wonder what it means to those who, for some deep political purpose, prevented you from having independence in the way of having a meeting to assert your rights? Tomorrow morning I hope every girl in this hall will walk out of the shops and let the employers make the waists themselves. Walk out at 9 o’clock, and don’t wear your Sunday-go-to-meetings clothes.

Let the people see you. Let them see that you are going to strike the shackles of slavery off your body. Get the spirit of revolt and be a woman. It’s not a Mrs. Belmont or an Anne Morgan that we want, but independent workers who will assert their rights.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Missoula Police Relinquish Attempt Against Free Speech; IWW Defeats City Council”

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
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Quote EGF, My Aim in Life, Spk Rv p7, July 8, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday October 22, 1909
Missoula, Montana – City Council Defeated by I. W. W Free Speech Fighters

From the Socialist Montana News of October 21, 1909:

Missoula FSF, Victory, EGF Held, MT Ns p1, Oct 21, 1909

EGF, IW p1, Oct 7, 1909

The city council of Missoula has proved another exemplification of the proverb that “discretion is the better part of valor”, and completely retreated from the fight against the I. W. W. speakers, and the constitutional right of Free Speech. In the midst of the clubbing arresting beating and ether police outrages against the union workers the council held a meeting. They found themselves confronted by jury trials by the score, immense sums of court expense, an enraged populace, and fresh speakers coming in on every train as candidates for free berths at the city expense. In fact they saw no end to the “radau” [racket] that the Industrial Workers were precipitating upon their heads, and wisely concluded that they would stop bucking the United States constitution.

The council had previously made a conciliating concession that the workers might speak on a by-street. But the Workers were standing upon their legal rights to speak where they please so long as they were injuring no one, and continued their work with fresh recruits after thirty-five had been arrested in one evening.

When the telegram went into New York telling of the attempt to suppress Free Speech in Missoula a meeting of the Free Speech League was called, sad Leonard D. Abbott and others went to preparing plans to preserve the American right of Free Speech. Abbott said, “Free Speech must be maintained no matter what the cost may be. We are prepared to carry the fight to a finish.”

Principal Derby of the Morris High school, where Miss Flynn attended was also much interested in the progress on the fight.

The latest word is that Miss Flynn is held for trial, the council expecting to make a test case out of her arrest.

[Emphasis added. Photograph added from Spokane Industrial Worker of October 7th.]

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