Hellraisers Journal – Sunday October 24, 1920
Mother Jones News for September 1920, Part II Found in Stone Cutters’ Journal: Los Angeles Speech of March 7th
From The Stone Cutters’ Journal of September 1920:
Mother Jones Speaks in Los Angeles.
Los Angeles Times March 11, 1920
Mother Jones spoke to the workers in the Labor Temple in Los Angeles recently. She said in part:
Fellow Workers:-I came here to rest, but I never allow rest to interfere with an opportunity to spread my religion among the workers. First of all, I want to say to you secret service men, get out your books and pencils and come right up here on the platform, and listen closely to every word I say. You might learn something for your own good-some new ideas might percolate through your thick skulls, and you might form a desire to lead a cleaner, better, more useful life.
Fellow workers, you are today in a most critical position. You are either facing liberty and emancipation or else if you don’t wake u , you are going into the blackest, most abject slavery ever known by man in the history of this world.
We whipped the Kaiser abroad and all his autocrats; now, let’s clean ’em up at home.
The inhuman way in which the workers were dealt with in, the steel strike is a fair example of the Prussianism of big business. They tell you that the steel strike was lost, but I say to you that the steel strike was one of the greatest victories ever won by labor in this country—great, because 350,000 workers of all nationalities, and different tongues, stood shoulder to shoulder, and demonstrated what “solidarity” means. They paralyzed one of our strongest industries, and the supply of steel will not be normal for six months yet.
There’s a great cry going up now to Americanize these foreigners—that’s the trouble with them now, they are Americanized. Most of them were imported here 20 years ago or more by those patriotic profiteers, Carnegie, and Gary, to act as scabs during the Homestead strikes— they scabbed then, and broke that strike, but they’re Americanized now and there’s no scabs in their families any more. You can bet on that.
They have learned what true “Americanism” means, and they want it; they want freedom and decent working conditions and they’ll get it some day.
They’ve been slaving 12 and 14 hours a day, with a 24-hour shift every other Sunday. That’s not Americanism, and that’s why they struck. They are not machinery or animals; they’re human beings and they want a square deal.
Hellraisers Journal – Friday May 14, 1920
Harlan County, Kentucky – Company Gunthugs Shoot Down Miners
From the United Mine Workers Journal of May 1, 1920:
Reports which have reached the Journal indicate a terrible condition of affairs in the Harlan coal field of Kentucky. Gunmen and thugs in the employ of the coal companies run wild in that section, without fear or hindrance. They are shooting down innocent and helpless miners and members of miners’ families. Three members of the United Mine Workers were shot down in cold blood by these ruffians and murderers on March 20 at the Banner Fork Coal Corporation Mine No. 2. The following are the names of the victims:
K. S. TAYLOR, instantly killed. Leaves a widow and seven children without any means of support.
JAMES BURK [John Burkes], deputy sheriff, fatally wounded. Died the next day in a hospital at Harlan, leaving a widow and family without support.
GENERAL GIBSON, fatally wounded. Died on an operating table in a hospital at Harlan, leaving a family without support.
One of the gunmen, Jim Hall, was severely wounded and was sent to a hospital at Harlan [has since died]. Banner Fork Local Union No. 3319 has adopted resolutions of condolence to the families of the deceased brothers, all of whom were good men and highly respected. They gave their lives to uphold the principles of the United Mine Workers of America.
Since the shooting the membership of Banner Fork local union has reached 100 per cent, and the coal company has locked out its employes.
According to reports from Harlan county, Jim Hall, the thug, beat up and disfigured a young son of K. S. Taylor, afterward locking him up in a boarding house. When attempting to give bond for the release of his son the father was shot down. The thugs suddenly appeared from the office of the coal company and ordered the miners to throw up their hands. There was a hailstorm of bullets for ten minutes. Hall is said to boast that he kills a miner a month. He and five other thugs are said to receive $10 a day for their bloody work. Hall wore a steel breast plate as a protection against bullets, but it did not save him.
Following the shooting, the sheriff searched the company boarding house and another house and found three machine guns and two cases of high-power rifles with an ample supply of ammunition ready for instant use.
[One of the reports said:]
This is what they use on American citizens whose only offense is their effort to protect themselves and their families. Everything is peaceful at present, but the miners are greatly stirred up over the outrage.
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday May 8, 1920
-Mother Jones News for March 1920, Part II
Found in Denver Conferring with Local Labor Leaders
From The Denver Post of March 27, 1920:
3 MINES EXTEND CONTRACTS
UNTIL AGREEMENT COMES
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“Mother” Jones on Way to Denver
to Speak to Laboring Men.
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A temporary extension of the contract with the United Mine Workers of America until contracts have been signed in the central competitive district has been announced by officers of the International Fuel company operating the Evans mine at Evans; the Natural, near Louisville; and the National mine in Routt county.
These three mines employ about 300 men. Final action on the renewal of the contract will not be taken until conditions have been agreed upon in the central competitive field.
President John McLennan of District 15, United Mine Workers of America, has returned from Utah. Retiring President John Nigro, who has been in Denver for several days, and Vice President “Mike” Livoda returned to Pueblo Saturday. No decision has been reached yet whether a suspension of work will follow the refusal of many of the operators to renew or extend union contracts April 1.
“Mother” Jones, now en route from San Francisco to the east, will arrive in Denver at 8:20 o’clock Saturday night via the Denver & Rio Grande according to a telegram received by Secretary Edward Anderson of the State Federation of Labor. Arrangements probably will be made for a meeting at which she will be principal speaker. Labor leaders are without information as to the probable length of her visit in Denver.
Hellraisers Journal – Friday May 7, 1920
-Mother Jones News for March 1920, Part I
Found Supporting Shipyard Strikers of San Francisco and Vicinity
From The Los Angeles Times of March 11, 1920:
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“Mother”‘ Jones, one of the most widely known union labor agitator in the world, who has been resting in this city for the last week, will leave today for Oakland to lend her support to the shipyard strikers in the Bay cities, according to information given out yesterday at the oil workers headquarters, room 111, Central Labor Temple.
The aged agitator last night stated that she did not know whether she was going to Oakland today or not, and intimated that it was none of the newspaper’s business what she was going to do. But at the home of Frank Flaherty, 2759 Marengo street, where “Mother” is staying, it was announced that she would leave tonight.
A telegram also was sent to V. C. Doaslaugh, secretary of the Alameda county Metals Trade Council, yesterday, in which it was stated that “Mother” Jones would arrive there Friday. The message was signed by C. B. Harvey, vice-president of the local Oil Workers’ Union.
“Mother” Jones came to Los Angeles to recuperate from a nervous breakdown, it was said at the Central Labor Temple, yesterday. The elderly woman participated in the recent fiasco of the Pennsylvania Steel workers, and report indicate that the collapse of that strike brought on an attack of “nerves” which caused her to retire to this city.
During her stay in this city, “Mother” Jones has had only one opportunity to talk. Last Sunday [March 7th] she addressed a few union laborites at the Labor Temple.
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday March 24, 1920
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania – Steel Workers Offer Resolution of Heartfelt Thanks
From The Butte Daily Bulletin of March 20, 1920:
STEEL WORKERS THANK CLOTH UNION FOR HELP
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(By the Federated Press.)
New York, March 20.-As a mark of gratitude for the magnificent aid given by the Amalgamated Clothing Workers of America to the steel workers during the great strike of 1919, they have been sent a handsomely drafted resolution of thanks. The document, which is signed by John Fitzpatrick and William Z. Foster, respectively chairman and secretary-treasurer of the committee for organizing the iron and steel workers, thanks the amalgamated for their gift of $100,000 to the strikers’ defense fund.
The amalgamated’s solidarity with the steel workers has created a sensation all over the world. Their gift is the largest sum ever raised by any organization to aid workers in another industry.
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday March 17, 1920
Tacoma, Washington – Labor Jury Finds Centralia Defendants Not Guilty
From The Butte Daily Bulletin of March 16, 1920:
ASSERT EVIDENCE SHOWS GRIMM HAD CONSPIRED
TO ATTACK CENTRALIA HALL
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(Special to The Bulletin.)
Tacoma, Wash., March 16.-The “labor jury” composed of six representatives of various labor organizations on the coast who attended the trial of the 10 I. W. W. W. charged with the Centralia Armistice day killings, today announced the result of their deliberation. The “jury” found that:
There had been a conspiracy on the part of Centralia business men to raid the I. W. W. hall at Centralia.
That Warren O. Grimm was a party to the conspiracy.
That the defendants failed to get an impartial trial.
The members of the labor jury were appointed by labor organizations to sit at the trial as spectators and to place themselves in the attitude of fair and impartial jurors and to return a verdict of their findings as the result of the testimony offered at the trial. The jurors, now that they have made their decision, will report to their respective bodies. It can be stated the decision of the “labor jury” represents the official attitude of organized labor, whose accredited representatives the jurors were.
Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday March 16, 1920
Montesano, Washington – Seven Centralia I. W. W. Defendants Found Guilty
From The Butte Daily Bulletin of March 15, 1920:
(Special to the Bulletin.)
Montesano, Wash., March 15.-Ignoring Judge Wilson’s instructions that their verdict must be either acquittal or first degree murder, the jurors in the trials of the 10 I. W. W. charged with killing Warren O. Grimm during the rioting which resulted from the attack of a group of legionnaire paraders on the I. W. W. hall at Centralia last Armistice day, late Saturday night brought in verdicts of acquittal for Elmer Smith, Mike Sheehan and Loren Roberts and second degree murder in the cases of Britt Smith, Ray Becker, James McInerney, Bert Bland, Eugene Barnett, John Lamb and O. C. Bland. Robert’s acquittal was based on the grounds of insanity.
The verdict was the second returned by the jury in the case, the jurors having come in earlier in the evening with the announcement that they had found McInerney, Becker, O. C. Bland and Bert Bland and Britt Smith guilty of second degree murder, and Eugene Barnett and John Lamb guilty of third degree murder. On this occasion Judge Wilson refused to accept the verdict and ordered them to return and deliberate in accordance with his instructions, holding that a verdict of third degree murder was not permissable under his instructions.
Immediately after the last verdict was read to the prisoners and the court, Sheriff John Berry of Lewis county immediately rearrested all of them on charges of having murdered Arthur McElfresh, who also was killed during the Armistice day rioting.
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