Hellraisers Journal: From The Industrial Union Bulletin: J. H. Walsh with Hobo Army Riding the Rails to Chicago

23rd September 201827th August 2018 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Quote J H Walsh, Revolution in the Streets, IUB, Sept 19, 1908
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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday September 23, 1908
Adventures of the Overall Brigade Enroute to Chicago

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of September 19, 1908:

[J. H. Walsh on the I.W.W’s Red Special, Part II of II.]

In Seattle we held several good meetings and then departed for the east. We met a very nice train crew apparently, out of Seattle. They claimed to all be union men, but they proved to be cheap dogs of the railroad. Fearing such a large bunch, they telegraphed ahead to Auburn Junction for a force to take us off. When we arrived at the junction we were surrounded by a band of railroad officials-the papers stated there were 25-when we were covered by guns and told to unload. We were marched to jail and held over night. In the morning the writer was separated from the bunch, but finally we were all turned loose. Being separated, we did not learn until evening where each and all were. However, all except the writer had gotten back to Seattle, and secured the services of Attorney Brown, to take up the case, should it become necessary. It was not necessary. The boys held a street meeting in Seattle, and part started from there for Spokane, over one road, and the rest over another road.

We continued our work of propaganda without missing a single date, and all re-united at Spokane, where we held several good meetings. Leaving Spokane, we took in Sandpoint, Idaho, and then rambled into Missoula, Montana, where we had some of the best meetings of all the places along the route.

We put the “Starvation Army” on the bum, and packed the streets from one side to the other. The literature sales were good, the collections good, and the red cards containing the songs sold like hot cakes.

At Missoula, Mont., we have completed two full week’s work on the road. We left Portland with 20 members. We lost 4 of them, but we picked up one at Seattle, and two at Spokane, so our industrial band is practically the same as when we started.

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Industrial Union Bulletin: J. H. Walsh, “I.W.W. ‘Red Special’ Overall Brigade, On Its Way”

22nd September 201827th August 2018 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

The morning is bright and all
are sleeping on the jungle grass,
with our arms for pillows,
and coats for covers.
-J. H. Walsh
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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday September 22, 1908
Adventures of the Overall Brigade Enroute to Chicago

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of September 19, 1908:

[J. H. Walsh on the I.W.W’s Red Special, Part I of II.]

In my last article to the Bulletin, I concluded just as we were ready to get to the railroad yards, to take our “Special” en route to Chicago.

Well, we’re in the yards, gathered together at the water tank. In order to know if all are present, we have numbered ourselves. The numbers run from one to nineteen, Mrs. Walsh making twenty. A switchman is seen and he informs us where our “Special car” will be found. The train is late however, and we are delayed a few hours. “Fly Cops” are pretty busy in the yards. They are watching their master’s property that some hobo may not break a sacred seal and pile into a car where valuable merchandise is stored.

Two blasts of the locomotive whistle are heard and the train is starting on it’s journey, and simultaneously nineteen men, all dressed in black overalls and jumpers, black shirts and red ties, with an I. W. W. book in his pocket and an I.W. W. button on his coat, are in a “cattle car” and on our way.

In a short time a glim (lantern) appears and the breakman jumps into the car. His unionism is skin-deep. He belongs to the B. of R. T., but never heard of the class struggle. He is unsuccessful, however, in the collecting of fares, and we continue are journey.

Our first stop, where we expect to hold a meeting is Centralia, and when about half way there, “our car” is set out. There is only one now left in the train to ride on. It is an oil car, so nineteen men will be found “riding” on that car as soon as the train starts. Being delayed for a few hours again, while the train is being transferred across the ferry, we are hovered around the first campfire toward the wee sma’ hours of morning. At last two short blasts of the whistle are heard, and all are aboard. It is only a short distance to our destination and the train is whirling along at passenger speed. The morning is turning cold and spitting a little rain, but all are determined to stick to the car, when again, appears the brakeman and tells us we cannot ride since daylight has come, but he is informed that we must get to Centralia. He insists we’ll get off at the next stop, but we fail to get off, and in a few minutes we arrive at our first stop.

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Hellraisers Journal: Socialist Montana News Editor Finds J. H. Walsh and His Hobo Army Encamped in Billings

21st September 20182nd November 2018 Janet RayeHellraisers Journal

Am I to die, starving in the midst of plenty?
Or shall I die fighting?
For my part, a thousand times over,
I’ll die fighting before I’ll die starving.
-J. H. Walsh
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Hellraisers Journal Monday September 21, 1908
Billings, Montana – Mrs. Hazlett Encounters Walsh and His Army

From the Socialist Montana News of September 17, 1908:

On Mrs. Hazlett’s trip to Red Lodge, where the Labor day committee refused to let her speak after having engaged her, she spoke Saturday night at Billings. She had to combat a patent medicine doctor, another street fakir, and J. H. Walsh was there also with his industrial army. This “army” is a curious development of the unemployed protest. It will be remembered that J. H. Walsh was the first editor of the Montana News. He has since been a national organizer for I. W. W., and has been speaking along the coast, and through the western country. He has recently organize this hobo army of twenty, and they are on their way to the convention of the Industrial Workers of the World at Chicago.

They hobo it through the country and camp out. Mrs. Walsh goes through on a Pullman and he takes the baggage. They sing songs of the red flag and revolution, sell literature and take collections. They do not talk for socialism, but only for industrial unionism. Walsh does not believe in political action at all, but only in “direct action.” At the same time he says their propaganda is addressed to the large ranks of the unemployed, floaters, who are disfranchised because of no place to stay. Such work as the “hobo army” does may arouse the spirit of revolt in this class made miserable by society’s injustice, and so teach the only possible remedy for these terrible evils-the ownership by all mankind of the means of life.

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