Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for July 1901, Part II: Reportedly Visited Chicago as Freind of Servant Girls; Organizing Efforts Ongoing

10th August 202130th July 2021 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote re Mother Jones, None too low or high, Ipl Jr p3, Jan 21, 1901 —————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday August 10, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for July 1901, Part II
Reportedly Visited Chicago as Friend of Servant Girls

From the Washington Evening Star of July 6, 1901:

SERVANT GIRLS TO FORM A UNION.
———-
“Mother” Jones of Miners’ Strike Fame
the Organizer.

CHICAGO, July 6.-The Record-Herald says:

“Mother” Jones, who did so much to encourage the coal miners in their strike in Pennsylvania a year ago, holding meetings and addressing them wherever a few could be got together, and who since has assisted the striking silk workers in New Jersey and the carpet weavers in Philadelphia to stand out for their demands, has been in Chicago the past few weeks assisting the committee of the Women’s Trade Union Label League to organize the servant girls. As a result of the work done by the committee with the aid of “Mother” Jones, several hundred servant girls have signified their intention of becoming charter members of the first servant girls’ union of Chicago, which will be formed on Thursday night.

[Photograph added.]

From The Chicago Daily News of July 11, 1901:

COMES TO HELP DOMESTICS
———-
“Mother” Jones Will Lend a Hand
in Forming a Union.

Promoters of the Chicago Domestics’ union are surrounding their actions with an air of secrecy. “Mother” Jones, a union worker with a national reputation, who arrived in Chicago a short time ago, it is said, has rendered valuable assistance to the local organizers, and a meeting has been scheduled for tonight at the Masonic temple.

The promoters of the union, however, refuse to say just where the meeting will be held, and it is rumored it will not be at the temple, but at some secluded spot on the west side.

———-

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for June 1901, Part II: Found Described as “Servant Girls’ Friend” -Has Plans for Organization

10th July 20218th July 2021 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, re Servant Girls Organizing, Kvl TN Sntl p5, May 23, 1901 —————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday July 10, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for June 1901, Part II
Found Described as “Servant Girls’ Friend,” Plans to Organize

From Montana’s Great Falls Daily Tribune of June 10, 1901:

From the Great Falls Daily Tribune of June 11, 1901:

MOTHER JONES’ PLAN.

A dispatch in yesterday’s Tribune told us that “Mother” Jones was meeting with success in her efforts to organize the servants girls of New York into unions. Also that the movement was likely to spread all over the country.

It has been quite a common belief that the girls had things about their own way as it is, but the “Mother” Jones insists that it is a mistake, and she wants to improve their condition. Here are some of the changes she wants made:

Ten hours a day work and no more. An increase of the wages according to the size of the house and the work required. No one shall work for less than $3 per week. Cooks shall not act as ladies’ maids or take care of babies. Nurse girls shall not be required to act as cooks. It shall not be necessary to stay in at nights while the mistress goes out. If more than ten hours work shall be required a double shift must be employed. An amusement room shall be furnished so that the girls shall not be compelled to sit in the kitchen. Visitors shall be allowed to call on them any night they are off duty. Wages shall be paid every week.

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for June 1901, Part I: Victorious Scranton Silk Mill Strikers, “Gave Their Masters a Good Hammering”

9th July 20218th July 2021 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, St L Lbr, Apr 13, 1901 —————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday July 9, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for June 1901, Part I
Found Describing Victory of Scranton Silk Mill Strikers

From the International Socialist Review of June 1901:

The silk weavers’ strike at Scranton, Pa., which was directed by Mother Jones, and which has been pending for many months, was won by the workers, while the strike at Paterson, N. J., was lost, owing largely to the fact that the courts issued an injunction against the women and children, and the police assaulted them for attempting to persuade scabs to refuse to work. “Mother,” besides organizing for the unions, is now putting in some spare time in forming unions of domestic servants.

—————

We have just received the following letter from “Mother Jones,” which we must again offer in place of the promised article. We feel sure that our readers will appreciate the reason for the delay:

Dear Comrades:

I owe you an apology for not writing to you before. You know I had a strike of 4,000 children on my hands for three months and could not spare a moment. If that strike was lost it meant untold oppression for these little helpless things. They came out victorious and gave their masters a good hammering. I could not write a thing for June, but will for July.

I have had a very hard winter’s work, but have done just as much for socialism as if I were writing articles. One very cheering feature is that the cause is growing everywhere. I have been landing plenty of literature In the hands of the boys.

[Drawing of Mother Jones added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review: Mother Jones and the Silk Mill Strike at Scranton, Pennsylvania

15th June 202115th June 2021 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, St L Lbr, Apr 13, 1901 —————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday June 15, 1901
Mother Jones Leads Silk Mill Strikers to Victory at Scranton

From the International Socialist Review of June 1901:

The silk weavers’ strike at Scranton, Pa., which was directed by Mother Jones, and which has been pending for many months, was won by the workers, while the strike at Paterson, N. J., was lost, owing largely to the fact that the courts issued an injunction against the women and children, and the police assaulted them for attempting to persuade scabs to refuse to work. “Mother,” besides organizing for the unions, is now putting in some spare time in forming unions of domestic servants.

—————

We have just received the following letter from “Mother Jones,” which we must again offer in place of the promised article. We feel sure that our readers will appreciate the reason for the delay:

Dear Comrades:

I owe you an apology for not writing to you before. You know I had a strike of 4,000 children on my hands for three months and could not spare a moment. If that strike was lost it meant untold oppression for these little helpless things. They came out victorious and gave their masters a good hammering. I could not write a thing for June, but will for July.

I have had a very hard winter’s work, but have done just as much for socialism as if I were writing articles. One very cheering feature is that the cause is growing everywhere. I have been landing plenty of literature In the hands of the boys.

[Drawing of Mother Jones and emphasis added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review: Mother Jones and the Silk Mill Strike at Scranton, Pennsylvania” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for May 1901, Part II: Found Organizing Servant Girls of Pennsylvania and Miners of West Virginia

12th June 202112th June 2021 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, re Servant Girls Organizing, Kvl TN Sntl p5, May 23, 1901 —————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday June 12, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for May 1901, Part II
Found Organizing in Pennsylvania and West Virginia

From The Muncie Daily Times of May 16, 1901:

SERVANT GIRLS’ UNION.
———-
Mother Jones’ Rules For Kitchen
and Nursery Work.

“Mother” Jones is preparing to organize a servant girls’ union at Wilkes-barre, Pa., as well as in Scranton and has drawn up these rules, says the New York World, which the union will enforce at each, “place:”

Ten hours’ work a day and no more.

An increase in wages according to the the size of the house and the work required.

No one shall work for less than $3 a week.

Cooks shall not act as ladies maids or take care of babies.

Nursegirls shall not be required to act as cooks.

It shall not be necessary to stay in nights while the mistress goes out.

If more than ten hours work a day shall be required, a double shift must be employed.

An amusement room shall be furnished for the girls so that they shall not be required to sit in the kitchen all the time.

Visitors shall be allowed to call upon them any night they are off duty.

Wages must be paid every week.

They shall have the privilege of putting their clothes in the family wash.

Their meals shall be the same as those of the family.

Bedchambers shall be large, airy and well heated.

—————

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for May 1901, Part I: Found Standing with Silk Mill Strikers and Servant Girls of Pennsylvania

11th June 202112th June 2021 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote Mother Jones, Child Labor Silk Mills, WB Dly Ns p1, May 11, 1901 —————-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday June 11, 1901
Mother Jones News Round-Up for May 1901, Part I
Found Standing with Silk Mill Strikers of Pennsylvania

From The Scranton Republican of May 2, 1901:

SILK MILL STRIKERS
———-
Girls at the Klotz Works
Back at Their Frames
-Mill at Taylor Still Idle.
———-

MOTHER JONES’ BIRTHDAY
———-

Today all is serene at the silk mills of Scranton. Klotz mill, the first to go on strike, resumed operations yesterday. The reason they did not start Tuesday was because the proprietor persisted in retaining Emily Mailet, a forewoman who was unsatisfactory to the strikers. A committee from the Klotz local waited on Mr. Klotz Wednesday afternoon with the result that he agreed to recognize the union, allowed them the 8 and 12 per cent. advance, and grunted the usual half holiday for five months of the warm weather. Besides this, he said that if the action of the forewoman in question should result in any further trouble he would investigate the matter thoroughly, and discharge her if the case so demanded.

[…..]

It is an interesting fact that yesterday marked a complete resumption of work among the Scranton silk mills, and it was also the birthday of “Mother” Jones, to whose vigorous efforts among the strikers this resumption is largely due. Yesterday marked the 58th milestone in her journey of life, and she said that before two years more shall have passed and she will have reached her 60th year, she expects to fight many another battle in the cause of labor. It is remarkable that a woman of her age, who has gone through so many excitable experiences, should be hail and hearty at the dawn of her 59th year and possess the vigorous mind that “Mother” Jones does.

Last evening she opened the entertainment of Harvey’s local in the “New hall” on Pittston avenue, and received hearty applause from the audience.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Tag: Mother Jones Organizing Servant Girls 1901