Hellraisers Journal: John Reed Returns to USA to Face Federal Charges of Conspiracy to Obstruct the Draft Law

Share

The speculators, the employers,
the plutocracy…with lies and sophistries
they will whip up our blood until we are savage-
and then we’ll fight and die for them.
-Jack Reed

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday May 3, 1918
New York, New York – John Reed Facing Federal Charges

From Portland’s Oregon Daily Journal of April 29, 1918:

John Reed, Ogden Standard p12, Feb 19, 1918

John Reed, Writer For
“Masses,” Held
—–

An American [Atlantic] Port, April 29.-(I. N. S.)-John Reed, an American writer, bearing credentials from the Bolsheviki as consul general at New York, was detained aboard a Scandinavian steamer upon his arrival here Sunday.

Reed was one of the contributors to “The Masses” who were indicted by a federal grand jury for alleged conspiracy to defeat the draft law. He appeared in the federal court today and pleaded not guilty to the charge of conspiracy to obstruct the draft law.

—–

John Reed is a former Portland man, son of Mrs. Charles J. Reed.

———-

[Photograph added.]

From The Liberator of May 1918:
John Reed located and series on “Red Russia” continues-

John Reed Found, Liberator p3, May 1918

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: John Reed Returns to USA to Face Federal Charges of Conspiracy to Obstruct the Draft Law”

Hellraisers Journal: As Jury Selection Continues in Chicago, New York Tribune’s Full-Page Article Finds IWW Guilty

Share

The worst thief is he who steals
the playtime of children.
Join the I. W. W. and help put
the thieves to work.
-Big Bill Haywood

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday April 16, 1918
As Chicago Trial Continues, IWW Found Guilty by Kept Press

Today we offer Part One of the following article by Boyden R. Sparkes which appeared as a full-page spread in the April 14th edition of the New York Tribune. We will conclude tomorrow with Part Two.

THE I. W. W.: AN X-RAY PICTURE

Chicago Trial Shows Searing Sparks from the Anvil Where Industrial-Military Power is Being Forged Endanger Progress-
Sabotage, Malcontents’ Principal Weapon,
a Menace to Farm, Factory and Home.

THE I. W. W. PRINCIPLES AS SHOWN IN THEIR OWN CARTOONS

By Boyden R. Sparkes
Chicago, April 13, 1918.

WWIR, IWW, Sabotage Beware, NYTb p28, Apr 14, 1918

OUT in the hill country of Oklahoma last August a group of tenant farmers and oil field workers were just a little too quick on the trigger, and what Federal officials believe was intended to have been a country-wide uprising of American “Bolsheviki” against the draft law was quelled almost before it started.

At the hearing in the Federal court in Enid, Okla., it was developed that forty-eight organizations under the leadership of the Industrial Workers of the World had planned a nation-wide revolution. The anti-draft rioters in Seminole, Hughes and Pontotoc counties began shooting just a little too soon, and posses of patriotic citizens had put 500 of them under arrest before many persons had been killed.

WWIR, IWW, Sabotage Sabots, NYTb p28, Apr 14, 1918

The men arrested belonged to organizations affiliated with the I. W. W., chief among these being the “Working Class Union.” The government is still trying to find out where the money used to purchase arms for the rioters came from.

It is the opinion of government attorneys that these I. W. W. leaders believed they would receive the support of the American Federation of Labor. Naturally any such hope was doomed to disappointment. But the government is still picking up threads of evidence that strengthen the belief that the American Bolsheviki leaders were prepared and hoping for a reign of terror in America that would have far outdone the Bolsheviki uprising in Russia.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: As Jury Selection Continues in Chicago, New York Tribune’s Full-Page Article Finds IWW Guilty”

Hellraisers Journal: Appeal to Reason Defends Robert Hunter, Now Under Attack by Police Chief of New York

Share

Quote re Hunger March, Jewish Daily Forward of Mar 28, NYT p3 Mar 29, 1908

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

Hellraisers Journal: Monday April 13, 1908
New York, New York – Robert Hunter Blamed for Bombing

The unemployed, and those who stand up for them, are to blame for a bomb thrown by a murderous criminal unconnected with them, this according to the Police Force of New York City. The actual crime of the protesting unemployed men, women and children was, apparently, their failure to starve silently and in an orderly manner.

From the Appeal to Reason of April 11, 1908:

Robert Hunter.
—–

Robert Hunter, Painting by Sergeant Kendall, The Critic, Jan 1905

In his address to the public following the breaking up of the meeting of the unemployed in Union Square, New York, Police Commissioner Bingham assumed an insolent and pompous attitude toward the working class. He served notice that the was going to deal with such meetings hereafter with an “iron hand.” We have heard such talk before. There is nothing in it.

Bingham goes on to defend the police. Of course. The police acted under his orders. Thousands of eye-witnesses declare that the police acted with unspeakable brutality in riding rough shod over the people and clubbing them without mercy. Hundreds who were unable to escape from the crowd bear the marks of the outrageous and unprovoked assaults of the police hirelings. Of course the police were not to blame, and of course Bingham comes to their rescue and defends them. The police were the mere tools in the hands of such politicians as Bingham.

Among other things, Bingham took occasion to misrepresent Comrade Robert Hunter and place him in a false light before the people. We happen to personally know Comrade Hunter and to have known him from his childhood. There is no gentler, kindlier, more considerate soul. Nor at the same time one more courageous. His heart throbbed in sympathy with the thousands of the unemployed. With all the passion of his noble nature he yearned to serve them, to comfort them. And so he was to speak to them on that fateful day when the blue-coated Cossacks swooped down upon the hungry hordes and scattered them with as little mercy as if they had been so many tarantulas. Robert Hunter did not speak. He had no chance to speak. But he was blamed for the trouble because he sympathized with the unfortunates; because he did not have a heart of stone.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Appeal to Reason Defends Robert Hunter, Now Under Attack by Police Chief of New York”

Hellraisers Journal: Rose Schneiderman: “Working Sisters..Organize! You Will Need No Laws to Save You.”

Share

Working sisters, fix your own hours of labor!
Organize!
You will need no laws to save you from coming
to work before 6 and leaving after 9.
-Rose Schneiderman

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday March 27, 1908
Stirring Appeal to “Working Sisters” by Rose Schneiderman

As the Women’s Trade Union League continues its work on behalf of working women (see below), we pause to recall a fiery speech by one of our favorite union organizers.

From The Pittsburgh Press of June 30, 1907:

Quote Working Sisters Organize, Ptt Prs p16, June 30, 1907

From The Pittsburgh Press of July 19, 1907:

NY WTUL officers, Ptt Prs p14, July 19, 1907

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Rose Schneiderman: “Working Sisters..Organize! You Will Need No Laws to Save You.””

Hellraisers Journal: From The Liberator: Art Young on the Heresy of Charles M. Schwab, IWW Sends Overalls

Share

To Charles M. Schwab,
It is our aim to enlighten all members of the human family
in regard to the new order of things…
We wish to assist you in every way and to prepare you,
and your class for industrial democracy.
-Big Bill Haywood

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday March 25, 1918
The Liberator on Schwab’s Heresy by Art Young

Case of Heresy Schwab by Art Young

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The Liberator: Art Young on the Heresy of Charles M. Schwab, IWW Sends Overalls”

Hellraisers Journal: The Harp, “A Literary Journal of the Irish Working Class in America”

Share

The cause of labour
is the cause of Ireland,
the cause of Ireland
is the cause of labour.
-James Connolly

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday March 18, 1908
The Harp, Organ of the Irish Socialist Federation

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of March 14, 1908:

The Harp, Irish Socialist Federation, IUB p4, Mar 14, 1908

———-

The Harp, Irish Socialist Federation, IUB p2, Mar 14, 1908

———-

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: The Harp, “A Literary Journal of the Irish Working Class in America””

Hellraisers Journal: From The Liberator: “Red Russia-The Triumph of the Bolsheviki” by John Reed

Share

In the relations of a weak Government
and a rebellious people
there comes a time when every act of the authorities
exasperates the masses,
and every refusal to act excites their contempt.
-Jack Reed

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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday March 16, 1918
From The Liberator: John Reed on the Russian Revolution

Correspondent John Reed was in Russia with his wife, Louise Bryant, during the amazing events of October and November 1917. In the latest edition of The Liberator is published Reed’s account of what he witnessed, and which we republish, in part, below:

Liberator Cover, Russian Revolution by John Reed, Mar 1918

RED RUSSIA-
The Triumph of the Bolsheviki

I.

THE real revolution has begun. All the swift events of the last eight crowded months–the sudden debacle of Czarism in February, the brief inglorious attempt of Miliukov to establish a safe and sane bourgeois republic, the rise of Kerensky and the precarious structure of hasty compromise which constituted the Provisional Government–these were merely the prologue to the great drama of naked class-struggle which has now opened. For the first time in history the working-class has seized the power of the state, for its own purposes–and means to keep it.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The Liberator: “Red Russia-The Triumph of the Bolsheviki” by John Reed”

Hellraisers Journal: From The Ohio Socialist: “Negro Comrades Establish Magazine” -The Messenger

Share

Nothing counts but pressure, pressure, more pressure,
and still more pressure through broad,
organized, aggressive mass action.
-A. Philip Randolph

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday March 13, 1918
New York, New York – Announcing a New Socialist Magazine

From The Ohio Socialist of March 10, 1918:

NEGRO COMRADES ESTABLISH MAGAZINE

The Messenger, NYC, Eds Randolph and Owen, Jan 1918

A journal that will fill a long felt want is now published in New York. It is “The Messenger,” a Socialist monthly. Brilliantly edited by our colored comrades in New York city, A. Philip Randolph and Chadler [Chandler] Owen. The negroes of America are to be congratulated in having such able men in charge of their first revolutionary journal.

We predict a great success for them in their noble work. They have a vast field to themselves to cultivate, and there is no doubt that under their able leadership the negroes of America will soon take their rightful place in the ranks of the revolutionary army.

One dollar for eight months, $1.50 a year. Published at 230 William street, New York city.-Arizona Bulletin.

The Messenger Cover, Jan 1918

—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The Ohio Socialist: “Negro Comrades Establish Magazine” -The Messenger”

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Free on $25,000 Bond; Attends Talk by Robert Bruere Defending IWW

Share

It’s great to fight for freedom
With a Rebel Girl.
-Joe Hill

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday February 20, 1918
New York, New York – Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Free on $25,000 Bond

In searching for the recent doings of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, we found her in the pages of the Chicago Tribune where we learned that she has posted $25,000 bond in the court of Federal Judge Landis. We next found her in New York City, where, according to the Buffalo New Age, she attended a lecture by Robert Bruere, one of the few defenders of the Industrial Workers of the World.

From The Chicago Daily Tribune of February 4, 1918:

I.W.W. LAWYERS READY TO
BEGIN DEFENSE TODAY
—–
Will Ask Landis to Quash Indictments
and Return Seized Papers.
—–

WWIR, Caroline Lowe IWW Lawyer, Chg Tb p13, Feb 4, 1918

Attorneys for the 116 alleged members of the I. W. W., already under arrest, will open their first great offensive today. They have been laying their plans for weeks.

They are to appear before Federal Judge Landis and ask demurers, make mentions to quash the indictments, and demand the return of all documents in possession of the government by attacking the writs under which the seizures of evidence were made.

Array of Legal Talent.

Charles E. Whiteside of New York, who represents a little coterie of indicted ones, including Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, alleged author of a book on “Sabotage”; Joe Ettor of Lawrence strike fame, and Arturo Giovanetti, will ask a severance for his clients. He arrived last night. These three on almost an instant’s notice produced cash bond of $25,000 each.

Prominent in the defense of the other I. W. W. members will be Miss Caroline Lowe of Seattle, a Socialist author. She is credited with having one of the keenest minds among the legal forces of the organization. George [F.] Vanderveer, also of Seattle, will lead in the fight…

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Free on $25,000 Bond; Attends Talk by Robert Bruere Defending IWW”

Hellraisers Journal: Honeymoon of Elizabeth Flynn & Jack Jones Halted, Will Rejoin Comrade Husband in Spring

Share

You ought to be out raising hell.
This is the fighting age.
Put on your fighting clothes.
-Mother Jones

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday February 14, 1908
New York, New York – Young Socialist Returns to Parent’s Home

For the past few weeks, the news of the arrest of the husband of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn has been published in newspapers across the nation. For example, we have this item from Alabama’s Centreville Press of February 13th:

Socialist’s Husband Arrested.

John A. Jones, husband of Elizabeth Flynn, the girl Socialist agitator, was arrested at Aurora, Minn., on a charge of incendiarism.

—–

At this time Elizabeth Gurley Flynn is in New York City and her husband, Jack Jones, is out of jail and has recently been interviewed by a reporter for the Duluth News Tribune.

From Mississippi’s Vicksburg Evening Post of February 3, 1908:

PRISON HALTS HONEYMOON OF GIRL
—–

EGF, DEN (ca) p 21, crpd, Sept 21, 1907

New York, Feb. 3.-With a romance written in suffering, a lifetime crowded into a few months, through which the divine fire of a cause gleams like a beacon light, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, the girl Socialist agitator whose words have at seventeen made her known across a continent, has returned ill and exhausted to her father’s home in New York City.

It is just two years ago since Miss Flynn, then a student in the Morris Heights High School, became affiliated with the Socialist movement. Gifted with a quick brain and a facile oratory, she seized upon the dramatic possibilities of the great struggle of labor and capital and spoke as one inspired.

The Flynns are New England folk, the father of a Bowdoin College man and civil engineer, whose difficulties with a company which refused him the money he had earned first aroused the thoughtful Elizabeth, eldest of a brood of four, to interest in the situation. When the Flynns left their Connecticut home to come to New York the girl, already deep in socialist literature, became associated with the leaders in this city. But she was a child, too young to become a member of the association, therefore she was permitted to speak from their platform only as an affiliated agitator.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Honeymoon of Elizabeth Flynn & Jack Jones Halted, Will Rejoin Comrade Husband in Spring”