Tag: Metal Mine Workers Industrial Union No. 800

Hellraisers Journal: From The One Big Union Monthly: Butte Miners’ “Picket Line of Blood” by Ralph Chaplin

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote re IWW Martyr Manning ACM Massacre, BDB p1, Apr 26, 1920———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday June 10, 1920
Butte, Montana – Metal Miners’ Honor Picket Line of Blood

From The One Big Union Monthly of June 1920:

ACM Massacre Butte, by Ralph Chaplin, OBU Mly p9, June 1920

“The Richest hill in the world” has once more been stained with the blood of workers. Its arrogant industrial autocrats of Butte have again taken refuge in murder to shield themselves from the organized power of the union miners. The lynching of Frank Little has been paralleled by the massacre on Anaconda road. Butte-naked, barren, black—the city of gun-men and widows, of “sweat-holes” and cemeteries, stands out before the world today a blot on what we call civilization. Machine guns and searchlights command the city from the heights. Armed soldiers guard the approaches to the mines and gun-men loiter at every corner, or whiz up and down the streets at all hours of the day and night. There is one place on Anaconda road where everything in sight has been riddled with bullets. The blood of the dead and wounded has hardly dried in the dust. Miners have been told in unmistakable language that their constitutional right to picket means nothing and that the will of the copper trust is mightier than the law of the land. Bloody Butte! It is an ignoble title—ignobly won. But it is a fitting title.

The overlords of Butte will not permit their right to exploit to be challenged. Drunk with unbridled power and the countless millions profiteered during the war, with lying phrases of “law and order” on their lips, the blood of workingmen dripping from their hands and the gold of the government bursting their coffers they face the nation unreprimanded and unashamed—reaction militant, capitalism at its worst. The copper trust can murder its slaves in broad daylight on any occasion and under any pretext. There is no law to call a halt. In the confines of this greed ruled city the gun-man has replaced the Constitution. Butte is a law unto herself.

This huge mining camp is typical of the present stage of capitalism. The parasites of big business, furious with the realization of their approaching doom, are striking at the working class more blindly,more ferociously and more frequently than ever before. Even their most savage anti-labor laws are proving themselves inadequate to darken the rising sun of solidarity.

The gunman and lynch-mob are more and more replacing the law as measures of labor repression. The old maxim “whom the gods would destroy they first make mad” is finding daily confirmation.

Holy grove, Ludlow, Calumet, Everett and Bisbee still stand as grewsome monuments to the White Terror in America. Butte has been added to the list for a second time. Armistice Day in Centralia is only a few month past yet we can no longer refer to it as “yesterday” but the day before. Yesterday was the massacre on Anaconda road. Nobody knows where the blow will fall tomorrow. Things are moving rapidly these days.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The One Big Union Monthly: Butte Miners’ “Picket Line of Blood” by Ralph Chaplin” →

Hellraisers Journal: William F. Dunne of Butte Daily Bulletin: “Why Copper Is Red” -The Anaconda Road Massacre

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote re IWW Martyr Manning ACM Massacre, BDB p1, Apr 26, 1920———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday June 9, 1920
Butte, Montana – W. F. Dunne on the Anaconda Road Massacre

From The Liberator of June 1920:

Why Copper Is Red

By W. F. Dunne

ANOTHER crimson chapter has been added to the bloody history of Butte, Montana. It was written on April 21 when Winchester repeaters in the hands of gunmen of the Anaconda Mining Co;, poured their deadly loads of buskshot into a peaceful assemblage of striking miners.

Thomas Manning is dead, two more lie at the point of death, twelve more were wounded. Everyone of the victims was shot in the back.

ACM Massacre, Thomas Manning Death, BDB p1, Apr 26, 1920
The Butte Daily Bulletin of April 26, 1920

The miners struck on Monday, April 19. Their demands were as follows:

Release of all industrial and political prisoners. Six-hour day from collar to collar. Minimum wage scale of $7 a day for all workers in the mining industry. Abolition of the rustling-card. Abolition of contract and bonus and so-called efficiency system. Two men work together on all machines, and two men to work together in all workings.

The picket lines were sent out and by Tuesday evening, as they say in Butte, “the hill was clean.” The hoisting of ore ceased. The strike was called on Sunday, April 18, by Local 800 Metal Mine Workers Industrial Union of the Industrial Workers of the World, at two meetings attended by over 2,500 miners. For several weeks miners had been leaving Butte by the dozens, dissatisfied with the contract and bonus system instituted by the mining companies. Men were forced to take contracts and if they made more than a day’s pay received but a fraction of their increased earnings in their envelopes; if they failed to break enough rock, at the price per cubic foot paid, to equal a day’s pay, they were fired. At the Sunday meetings some speakers urged postponement of action until June but were greeted with silence. The miners wanted to strike and strike at once. The demands were drawn up, the strike declared and a committee appointed to close all of the boot-legging joints to eliminate trouble as far as possible. Between forty and sixty illegal places were closed on Monday evening by the miners committee but they were immediately told to open up the following morning by the authorities, and did so.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: William F. Dunne of Butte Daily Bulletin: “Why Copper Is Red” -The Anaconda Road Massacre” →

Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Worker Thomas Manning Laid to Rest in Butte as Thousands March in Funeral Procession

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote Butte Striking Miners re ACM Massacre Butte, BDB p1, Apr 28, 1920———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday April 29, 1920
Butte, Montana – Fellow Worker Thomas Manning Laid to Rest

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of April 28, 1920:

ACM Massacre Butte, Manning Laid to Rest, BDB p1, Apr 28, 1920———-

FIRST OF VICTIMS OF A. C. M. MURDERERS
TO DIE SHOWN LAST HONOR
———-

This morning, a week to the day, since Thomas Manning fell on Anaconda road, riddled with bullets fired from guns in the hands of the notorious Roy Alley and his gang of hired murderers of the Anaconda Copper Mining company, the mortal remains of that martyr to the cause of the rights of workingmen were laid at rest in Holy Cross cemetery. And though his mangled body lies beneath six feet of cold earth, the dauntless spirit which impelled Manning, unarmed except with the conviction that he was in the right, to face the hordes of killers on the hill last Wednesday [April 21st], is still with his fellow workers and fellow victims.

In Ireland, an aged father waits in vain for the return of his son from America-reputed land of the free, where justice is supposed to dwell and where the workingman is presumed to have equal rights with the millionaire.

In Ireland, also, a loving wife, who as yet does not know that she is a widow, waits patiently for the letter from her man whom she thinks is working in this land of unexampled wealth to amass the nest-egg on which her husband and herself will be enabled to keep the wolf from the door. And, perhaps, she is awaiting that letter which will tell her that Tom has saved up enough money to bring her to the United States to make anew their home in glorious, free America.

It is also possible that Mrs. Manning, as she hears of the killings and riotings in British-ruled Erin breathes a silent prayer that her loving Tom is in America, where British soldiery with their guns are now unknown, and where, as she mercifully believes, such despicable creatures as armed company gunmen have no existence.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Fellow Worker Thomas Manning Laid to Rest in Butte as Thousands March in Funeral Procession” →

Hellraisers Journal: FW Manning Dies, Was Wounded in Massacre Inflicted Upon Miners by Anaconda Company Gunthugs

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Quote re IWW Martyr Manning ACM Massacre, BDB p1, Apr 26, 1920———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday April 27, 1920
Butte, Montana – Fellow Worker Thomas Manning Dies

From The Butte Daily Bulletin of April 26, 1920:

ACM Massacre, Thomas Manning Death, BDB p1, Apr 26, 1920—–

M’CARTHY AND SULLIVAN HOVERING ON BORDER
OF DEATH IN LOCAL HOSPITAL
———-

In the early hours of yesterday morning the spirit of Thomas Manning, first of the victims of the bloodlust of the Anaconda Copper Mining company’s gunmen as evidenced in the massacre of last Wednesday on Anaconda Road, fled to join the spirits of those who at Ludlow, and at other industrial centers of the United States have offered up their lives on the altar of devotion to the cause of the wage slaves.

On a cot in St. James hospital James Sullivan, with his spine shattered by a bullet from one of the company assassins and the lower part of his body paralyzed, lies awaiting the call of the Angel of Death. On another cot in the same institution, John McCarthy, his lungs riddled with shot fired by the murderers of Manning, also awaits the call and is hourly expected to join Manning in the Great Beyond.

Manning joined the ranks of the labor martyrs, sent to their deaths by the greed of the corporate interest who never hesitate to use the riot gun, the machine gun, the rifle and the bayonet to perpetuate the enslavement of the workers, at about 1:30 o’clock yesterday morning. Despite the severity of his wounds and the frequency of internal hemmorhage the merciful administration of opiates by the hospital authorities made his last hours on comparatively painless, although his tortured body tossed and turned in the delirium of approaching death.

The name of Manning, first of the martyrs of Wednesday, the twenty-first, has been emblazoned on the scroll of organized labor in Montana and from reports reaching Butte from the various organizations of workers throughout the state, “Manning!” will be the shibboleth around which the wage slaves will rally to end forever the reigns of the copper, the lumber, the power and the railroad kings in Montana.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: FW Manning Dies, Was Wounded in Massacre Inflicted Upon Miners by Anaconda Company Gunthugs” →

Hellraisers Journal: Vanderveer to Butte Reporter: Did you ever try to find out who the occupants of that car were?

Janet RayeFrank Little
Share

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday May 29, 1918
Chicago, Illinois – Vanderveer for the Defense

Today we feature the cross-examination by George Vanderveer of one of the copper-collared reporters who testified for the prosecution, on the 23rd of May, against members of the I. W. W. now on trial in the Windy City for alleged violation of the U. S. Espionage Act.

May 23, 1918 – A. W. Walliser, reporter for the Butte Evening Post,
-cross-examined by Attorney Vanderveer:

Speculator MnDs, HDLN 2, Dly Missoulian, June 10, 1917

VANDERVEER: What is the attitude of your paper on the labor issue in Butte? Did it support the strikers during the recent strike?
A. Oh no, sir, no.
Q. Who reported the fire in the Speculator Mine?
A. There were three or four of us. I was up there.
Q. Did you report in your paper that there were concrete bulkheads in that mine with no manholes and it trapped the men and were responsible for their deaths, to the number of about two hundred [168]?
A. No, sir.
Q. You did not?
A. No, I did not.
Q. You never colored anything you wrote to fit what you understood to be the policy of the paper?
A. I might have colored things. I might have toned down things, and I did repeatedly.
Q. Did you ever hear that the bodies that were taken from the mine were sold for twelve dollars and a half apiece?
A. No, sir.
Q. Did you, ever publish any such story?
A. No, sir.
Q. Would you, if you had heard it and verified it?
ATTORNEY FOR GOVERNMENT: I object. That is not proper cross-examination.
JUDGE LANDIS: Objection sustained.
Q. Did you attack the bulkheads in the mine?
A. No, sir,
Q. Did your paper?
A. Not that I know of, no, sir.
Q. Did you attempt to place responsibility for the murder of those two hundred men or more-260 men?
A. It was not my business.
Q. It was not your business?
A. No, sir.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Vanderveer to Butte Reporter: Did you ever try to find out who the occupants of that car were?” →

Hellraisers Journal: Even in Death, Not Allowed to Rest in Peace: FW Frank Little at Issue in Chicago IWW Trial

Janet RayeFrank Little
Share

Even in death they did not let him rest in peace.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday May 28, 1918
Chicago, Illinois – Copper-Collared Reporters Testify for Prosecution

The copper collar upon the neck of Montana’s so-called “free” press was on full display this past week during the federal trial of officers and members of the Industrial Workers of the World. The following article presents the prosecution’s case, while giving short shrift to Vanderveer’s cross-examination for the defense. Tomorrow, Hellraisers will make up for that deficiency.

From the Phoenix Arizona Republican of May 24, 1918:

WWIR IWW Chg Trial, re Frank Little, Arz Rpb -1, May 24, 1918

DEPORTATIONS AT BISBEE ARE TRIAL FEATURE
—–
Reporter Tells of Threat Made to Arizona Governor
by I. W. W. Leader Who Afterwards Was Lynched
—–

(Republican A. P. Leased Wire)

Frank Little Martyr, Truth About Butte Tompkins, 1917

CHICAGO, May 23.-Activities of the I. W. W. in attempting to organize the miners at Butte, Mont., and the strike and violence which followed culminating in the lynching of Frank H. Little August 1, 1917, were graphically described today at the trial of 112 I. W. W. leaders before Federal Judge Landis by Charles L. Stevens, A. W. Walliser and Harold W. Creary [Crary], who were employed in Butte as reporters when the trouble occurred. Creary now is a student at the officers’ training field at Camp Johnson, Jacksonville, Fla., and appeared in uniform.

Little Seditious Talk

Walliser told of an open air mass meeting of miners in Butte July 19 at which Frank H. Little, member of the general executive board of the I. W. W. and others delivered seditious addresses. The witness said Little attacked the national and state governments, the capitalistic class and referred to soldiers as “Uncle Sam’s uniformed scabs,” “Pershing’s yellow legs,” and “Thugs.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Even in Death, Not Allowed to Rest in Peace: FW Frank Little at Issue in Chicago IWW Trial” →

Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review “Labor Notes,” Show IWW Still Active Despite Arrests of Leaders

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Howard’s camp at Alder Creek is also working eight hours.
Twelve men from this camp donated $47 for the Idaho cases.
The camp is 100 per cent organized.
-Fellow Worker Fred Hegge

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday November 9, 1917
“Labor Notes” from the International Socialist Review

If the Plutocrats, fat on war profits, believe the ongoing round-up the leaders of the Industrial Workers of the World will put an end to the work of the One Big Union on behalf of the underpaid and overworked common laborers of the nation, the following report from the Review should disabuse them of that notion.

Labor Notes

Labor Notes, ISR Nov 1917

Agricultural Workers

THE convention of the A. W. I. U. No, 400 convened at 9:30 a. m. October 15 with about 150 members present, and adjourned October 17, 1917. Mat K. Fox was chairman of the proceedings and M. G. Bresnan recording secretary. C. W, Anderson was elected secretary-treasurer. Mat K. Fox, O. E. Gordon, M. Sapper, W. Francik, James Rohn, Louis Melis and M. G. Bresnan is the new organization committee. The convention sent greetings to all members of the I. W. W. and all class war prisoners. The A. W. I. U. No. 400 has pledged all support possible to those indicted on federal charges.

It has been suggested that all members of No. 400 donate one day’s wages toward the defense of the men in jail. Members in Chicago have already voted to do this.

From the Sacramento Valley comes the report that bumper crops are the expectation for the bean and rice growers. Shortage of labor is becoming acute. Wages are low according to the high cost of living. Workers are dissatisfied, discontent is becoming greater, and spontaneous strikes are accruing in numerous localities of these two industries. Delegates are needed by the hundreds to get into this field and organize the workers. Remember, one good man on the job is worth a dozen off the job. Everybody place your shoulder to the wheel and make this year the banner year for the agricultural workers in California. This harvest will last up to the rainy season of winter. Larger wages can be gotten by a little determination.

— C. W. Anderson, Sec’y-Treas., Minneapolis, Minn., Box 1776.

Butte and Anaconda Strike

LWIU, IWW Label, Lumber Rowan, ab 1920

FOUR months we have been on the firing line. It has been one of the greatest battles ever waged on the industrial field, and when we have won (which we will, and that shortly) the mine owners will know that they have been thru some battle. They will think twice the next time before trying to place their heel on the miner’s neck. They have run over this community for so long they thought it was theirs to do with as they pleased, without question.

Here’s to him of the hot-box, with the courage and strength to have rudely jarred and punctured their arrogant dream! To him is due a debt of gratitude for having questioned the right of the plutes to run over this community and state rough-shod; out of it is going to issue not only betterment for ourselves underground, but social and political betterment for the community and state.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review “Labor Notes,” Show IWW Still Active Despite Arrests of Leaders” →

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: 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” →