Tag: November 1919

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for November 1919, Part II: Not Afraid of Federal Judge in Washington, D. C.

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Quote Mother Jones in WDC re Great Coal Strike, Lebanon Dly Ns p1, Nov 14, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday December 29, 1919
Mother Jones News for November 1919, Part II
Found in Washington, D. C., Not Afraid of Judge Anderson

From the Lebanon Daily News of November 14, 1919:

Great Coal Strike, Mother Jones v Jdg Anderson, Lebanon PA Dly Ns p1, Nov 14, 1919Great Coal Strike, Mother Jones v Jdg A, Lebanon PA Dly Ns p1, Nov 14, 1919—–

(Special to News by United Press)

Washington, Nov. 14.-With the government acting as mediator, mine operators and representatives of the United Mine Workers came together here today in an effort to settle the dispute over wages and hours which caused the recent coal strike.

As the delegates assembled for this “peace conference,” it appeared there would be a deadlock from the very outset.

The union representatives were prepared to enter the conference at 2:30 this afternoon determined to hold out for an uncompromising victory. Less than complete triumph, they feared, will give the extreme radical element control of the miners-the men will lose faith in their conservative leaders. Acting President Lewis was expected to insist on full compliance with the men’s demands of a 50 hour week and wage increases ranging up to sixty per cent.

Operators were solidly in favor of refusing to surrender anything to the workers, according to early indications. They stood pat on the “Washington wage agreement,” contending it runs until the end of the war, and that the war is not ended. Some of them were disposed to emphasize that comparatively few of the miners have returned to work in obedience to their leaders instructions, and it was expected the union chiefs would be asked about this at the outset of the meeting.

Secretary of Labor Wilson, who called the conference, has invited Dr. Harry A. Garfield, Fuel Administrator, to participate in the hope that if an agreement cannot he reached within a reasonable time the government may be able to offer a compromise. Any compromise will probably carry with it an increase in the price of coal to the consumer, so the operators will have increased revenue to pay higher wages.

Garfield, who is in charge of coal prices, was in a position to give expert advice on just what a raise in pay to the workers will mean to the coal market.

That Lewis and his colleagues will not be left in doubt as to how radical labor stands on the miners’ case, “Mother” Jones, of Colorado fame, and Andy Furuseth, head of the Seamen’s union, are here to let them know. Both are emphatic in their disapproval of Lewis’ compliance with Federal Judge Anderson’s order to end the strike.

“The strike should never have been called off,” said Furuseth. “The miners won’t return to work, and I approve of it.”

[Mother Jones Defies John L. Lewis.]

[Said Mother Jones:]

This is a free country, but it would starve people. This is what Judge Anderson’s order means to the miners who are fighting for their freedom and a living.

Next Monday I am going down into West Virginia and urge the miners to stay out until they win. I am not afraid of Judge Anderson. He can send me to jail or he can hang me, but he will have to do it.

Overhearing “Mother’s” remark, Furuseth exclaimed:

Lewis wears pants, but he ought to wear petticoats; Mother, you wear petticoats but you ought to be in Lewis place.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for November 1919, Part II: Not Afraid of Federal Judge in Washington, D. C.” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for November 1919, Part I: Found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D. C.

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Quote Mother Jones, Raise Hell in Jail, Gary IN Oct 23, NYT p2, Oct 24, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 28, 1919
Mother Jones News for November 1919, Part I
Found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Washington, D. C.

From The Survey of November 8, 1919
-taken from “Closed Towns” by S. Adele Shaw:

GSS, Mother Jones, WZF, Organizers, Survey p64, Nov 8, 1919

———-

[One] evening I went to a meeting of strikers [held in Braddock, Pennsylvania]. All was quiet as I made my way toward the river. Down a poorly lighted street, so dark I could scarcely see the curb, I found the men standing, filling the vacant lot before the door of the hall which was packed, and on the sidewalks and street, but not blocking either. There was neither noise nor excitement. “Mother Jones goin’ to speak.” “Come on, lady.” And the men held up their arms to open a passage for me. The hall was jammed. Sweat stood on every forehead.

The first speaker was J. G. Brown of the Pittsburgh strike committee. I had heard him the summer before in the mill towns telling the men what the eight-hour day would mean for them and their families, urging them to take out their papers and become citizens, and never failing to impress upon them the necessity of obeying the laws of the town, state and the country. Then came the deep clear voice of a woman, filling every corner of the hall. I stood on tiptoe and saw the grey hair of Mother Jones, the woman agitator of the mining districts of Colorado and West Virginia, who with the rough speech and ready invective of the old-time labor spell binder, has exerted a powerful influence over the striking steel workers. At her first words there was complete silence. Though practically all were foreigners, not a man in the hall appeared to miss a word.

[Mother Jones said:]

We’re going to have a hell of a fight here, boys. We are to find out whether Pennsylvania belongs to Gary or to Uncle Sam. If it belongs to Gary we are going to take it away from him. We can scare and starve and lick the whole gang when we get ready…The eyes of the world are on us today. They want to see if America can make the fight…Our boys went over there. You were told to clean up the Kaiser. Well, you did it. And now we’re going to clean up the damned Kaisers at home…They sit up and smoke seventy-five cent cigars and have a lackey bring them champagne. They have stomachs two miles long and two miles wide and we fill them…Remember when all was dark in Europe and Columbus said, “I see a new land,” they laughed. But the Queen of Spain sold her jewels and Columbus went to it…He died in poverty, but he gave us this nation and you and I aren’t going to let Gary take it from us…If he wants fourteen hours he can go in and work it himself…We don’t want guns. We want to destroy guns. We want honest men to keep the peace. We want music and play grounds and the things to make life worth while…Now, you fellows go on out. I want to talk to the other boys.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for November 1919, Part I: Found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D. C.” →

Hellraisers Journal: Anna Louise Strong on Seizure of the Seattle Union Record and Arrests of Ault, Strong, Rust, and Listman

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Quote Anna Louise Strong, NO ONE KNOWS WHERE, SUR p1, Feb 4, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Monday December 15, 1919
Seattle, Washington – Union Record Editor and Staff Arrested

From The Nation of December 13, 1919:

A Newspaper Confiscated—And Returned

By ANNA LOUISE STRONG

[Part II of II.]

SUR Seizure, Red Rags to Die, Spk Rv p3, Nov 15, 1919
Spokane Spokesman-Review
November 15, 1919

Meantime [as more facts came to light concerning the Centralia outrage] The Record had been seized. Two hours before the seizure the other competing newspapers knew of it, and proclaimed it on the streets. Reporters, camera men, and moving-picture men accompanied the deputies. The editor, and the president and secretary of the board of trustees, were arrested and later released on bail. The employees were cleared out of the building which was then searched. Much material was carted away. The seizure occurred while the presses were turning out the regular home edition, and their work was stopped. The staff was told, rather vaguely, that the place was closed. Later in the evening the proprietors again obtained possession of the plant, with the assurance that there was no intention of holding it. However, on the following day, when the main edition was on the press, the marshal again arrived, stated that the plant was indefinitely closed, and gave the employees half an hour to clear out. The first act of one of the deputies was to take down the telephone, call up a competing newspaper, and announce “We’ve shut her down tight.”

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Anna Louise Strong on Seizure of the Seattle Union Record and Arrests of Ault, Strong, Rust, and Listman” →

Hellraisers Journal: Anna Louise Strong on Seizure and Return of the Seattle Union Record Following the Centralia Outrage

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Quote Anna Louise Strong, NO ONE KNOWS WHERE, SUR p1, Feb 4, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 14, 1919
Seattle, Washington – Union Record, Confiscated and Returned

From The Nation of December 13, 1919:

A Newspaper Confiscated—And Returned

By ANNA LOUISE STRONG

[Part I of II.]

SEATTLE has a way of making labor history. The third week in November saw not only the confiscation and later the return of the property of The Seattle Union Record, the mouthpiece of organized labor in that city, but produced as by-products several actions new in the history of unionism. The newspaper’s plant was seized without warning by the United States Attorney, held throughout a week’s time through various court delays, and at last returned on order of the court, which stated that it was illegally held. The mailing of the paper was held up for over a week by the local postmaster on the ground that he was “in doubt” concerning its mailability.

SUR Seizure, Stt Str p1, Nov 13, 1919
The Seattle Star of November 13, 1919

Meantime, the labor movement of the city, which was obviously expected by the authorities to indicate its anger in some storm or upheaval, remained calm and self-controlled, and began voting a day’s pay per member for “a bigger, better Union Record.” Several unions displayed spontaneously the extent to which solidarity of feeling has transcended in Seattle the actual craft lines of organization. The union teamsters, sent to The Union Record office to haul away the confiscated files, records, and papers, obstinately refused to handle them until the marshal appealed to the secretary of The Union Record’s board of control, whom he had just arrested. Mr. Rust then went out and told the teamsters “It’s all right, boys; go ahead.” And they went ahead.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Anna Louise Strong on Seizure and Return of the Seattle Union Record Following the Centralia Outrage” →

Hellraisers Journal: Big Bill Haywood for The New Solidarity on the Lynching of Wesley Everest at Centralia, Washington

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Quote Wesley Everest, Died for my class. Chaplin Part 15———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday November 27, 1919
William D. Haywood on Lynching of Wesley Everest at Centralia, Washington

From The New Solidarity of November 25, 1919:

HdLn Tragedy in Centralia, New Sol Extra p1, Nov 25, 1919

Hanging W. Everest, Nw Sol p1, Nov 25, 1919
[Lynching of Wesley Everest by Maurice Becker]

———-

WILL YOU HELP NOW?
[-by William D. Haywood]

Hanging W. Everest, crpd, Nw Sol p1, Nov 25, 1919

Another member of the Industrial Workers of the World has been murdered. Wesley Everest was lynched at Centralia, Washington [Armistice Day, November 11th]. He was hung to a bridge, the body riddle with bullets. The corpse was afterwards cut down and by the murderers dragged back to the jail and thrown in among the many fellow workers who had been imprisoned after the [illegal] raid on the I. W. W. hall. Four of them under an armed guard were escorted with the body of their dead fellow worker out into a yard where they were compelled to dig a grave and bury the dead.

Fellow Worker Everest, the murdered man, was an overseas veteran. He fought for the United States of America against the Imperial German government. When he returned from the war he took up his membership in the Industrial Workers of the World, beginning again the battle against the lumber trusts of the Northwest.

When the I. W. W. hall was raided several of the aggressors were killed, but this in no way justified the un-American, unlawful, inhuman murder of their comrade who had fought with them in the trenches of Flanders.

The Centralia outrage was followed by many others all over the country. Halls were raided, furniture destroyed, literature confiscated, and it is reported that over a thousand men have been arrested,-that is, thrown into prison without warrant, and denied the privilege of seeing friends or lawyers.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Big Bill Haywood for The New Solidarity on the Lynching of Wesley Everest at Centralia, Washington” →

Hellraisers Journal: President of Bogalusa Trades Council and Two Carpenters Shot to Death Defending Leader of Negro Union

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Quote Messenger p2 editorial, Bogalusa Massacre, Feb 1920———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday November 26, 1919
Bogalusa, Louisiana – White Union Men Shot Down Defending Black Labor Leader

From The Shreveport Times of November 23, 1919:

Bogalusa Massacre of 1919, HdLn, Shreveport Tx p1, Nov 23, 1919

Bogalusa, La., Nov. 22.-Three white men were shot to death and two wounded in a fight at a garage here today in which several men attempted to prevent special police [company gunthugs] from arresting a negro labor leader, suspected of inciting negroes, and two white men who had carried shotguns to protect him while parading him down the main street of the city.

The dead are:

L. E. Williams, president of the allied trades council of Bogalusa and owner of the garage.

J. P. Bouchillon and Thomas Gaines, carpenters. They were shot by the officers.

[The wounded are:]

S. J. O’Rourke, carpenter and one of the men for whom a warrant for arrest had been sworn, and Jules Leblanc, a special policeman and a former captain in the United States army.

Saul Dechus [Sol Dacus], the negro, is president of the Negro Union. He escaped from the garage with four white men during the shooting.

James Williams, brother of the slain leader, was arrested, charged with assault with intent to kill.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: President of Bogalusa Trades Council and Two Carpenters Shot to Death Defending Leader of Negro Union” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1919, Part II: Found in Indiana Encouraging Wives of Steel Strikers to Raise Hell

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Quote Mother Jones, Fight for Righteousness n Justice, Gary IN Oct 23, 1919, Ab Chp 24———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday November 21, 1919
Mother Jones News for October 1919, Part II
Found in Indiana Encouraging Wives of Steel Strikers to Raise Hell

From The Muncie Morning Star of October 29, 1919:

Elwood District Quiet

Mother Jones n WZF Couple of Reds, Chg Tb p120, Oct 26, 1919
Mother Jones with William Z. Foster

Harry B. Dynes, who is the state representative at Elwood, reported to the governor today that everything is going along nicely at Elwood. He said that there are many rumors, but little trouble. Mother Jones spoke there last night, but according to Mr. Dynes, “even the strikers were disgusted with her line of talk.”

Mr. Dynes sent the Governor quotations from her speech. The report said that she declared “this industrial war must be fought to a finish” and that she advised the women “to raise hell.”

[In fact Mother was loudly applauded by her audience, see below.]
[Photograph added.]

MOTHER JONES NEWS FOR OCTOBER 1919

From the Mount Carmel Item of October 16, 1919:

“MOTHER” JONES WILL BE 90 YEARS OLD NEXT MAY

“Mother” Jones, who took a leading part in the anthracite coal strikes here in 1900 and 1902 and is now assisting in the steel strike, will be ninety years old next May.

She made this statement to an audience of Bethlehem steel strikers in the Lyric Theatre at Allentown, where she spoke in support of the tieup.

Introduced as being a “better fighter at 83 than when she was 23,” Mrs. Jones corrected the Chairman and said that she was on the eve of four score and ten.

Approaching 90, she retains her mental and physical faculties to a remarkable degree and is as active as she was during the coal suspension before the Strike Commission put an end to labor troubles in that industry through northeastern Pennsylvania.

She has been in strikes all over the country and has been an organizer of the American Federation of Labor for nearly fifty years.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1919, Part II: Found in Indiana Encouraging Wives of Steel Strikers to Raise Hell” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1919, Part I: Found with Steel Strikers in New York, West Virginia, & Pennsylvania

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Quote Mother Jones GSS American Liberty, Bff Eve Tx p4, Oct 3, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday November 20, 1919
Mother Jones News for October 1919, Part I
Found with Steel Strikers of New York, West Virginia, and Pennsylvania

From the New York Daily News of October 1, 1919:

GSS Mother Jones, WZF, NY Dly Ns p2, Oct 1, 1919

From the Buffalo Courier of October 4, 1919:

USES DISCRETION IN HER UTTERANCES
AT LACKAWANNA
—–
‘Mother’ Jones Heeds Warning and
Refrains From Fiery Words.
—–

COUNSELS STRIKERS TO BE CALM
—–
Companies Say More Men Are
Reporting For Work.
—–

“Mother” Jones’ visit to Lackawanna yesterday afternoon was the occasions for a display of the police and state constabulary which watched all her movements and never let her get out of their sight.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1919, Part I: Found with Steel Strikers in New York, West Virginia, & Pennsylvania” →

Hellraisers Journal: The Nation: Mary Heaton Vorse on Civil Liberty, Steel Strikers and Pennsylvania Cossacks

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Quote MHV Immigrants Fight for Freedom, Quarry Jr p2, Nov 1, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday November 18, 1919
Pennsylvania Cossacks, Steel Strikers, and Civil Liberty

From The Nation of November 15, 1919:

Civil Liberty in the Steel Strike

By MARY HEATON VORSE

GSS, PA Cossacks in Clairton, Lt Dg p10, Oct 4, 1919

THE steel strike has been marked by the orderliness of the strikers on the one hand, and on the other by the sweeping denial of their civil rights, and by the brutality of that extraordinary body of men, the State Constabulary of Pennsylvania. When one states that in Homestead, for example, there was a reign of terror, that men were beaten for no cause and chased down the street into strange houses; that men and women were arrested and fined for no cause and their fines remitted under promise that they would go back to work; and that posters fomenting race hatred are even now in current circulation in the steel mills, the statements sound fantastic. Let the documents, however, speak for themselves. One may choose almost at random from a wealth of material. The cases cited are not isolated; town after town had its own story of terrorism to tell.

In spite of Judge Gary’s statement to the contrary, men were persecuted and dismissed for union activities.

Not only were such methods used to discourage the men from organizing, but the rights of free speech and free assembly were denied them. No meetings were allowed in Farrell, Monessen, and Donora. In McKeesport people were arrested while attending a meeting and fined excessively. Rabbi Wise was refused a permit to hold a meeting in Duquesne, the burgess of this town remarking with naive truth: “Jesus Christ couldn’t hold a meeting in Duquesne.” Since September 22 [the date the Steel Strike began] no meetings have been allowed in Pittsburgh except at the Labor Temple. The strike in that city is unpopular with the authorities. Because the sheriff does not like Mr. Foster, he arbitrarily takes away the workers’ civil liberties, though at no time has there been even a suggestion of disorder in Pittsburgh.

Before the strike was actually in progress, the State Constabulary was called in and an extra police force of 5,000 was deputized in Allegheny County alone. Among these deputies were Negro strike breakers—in the towns of Donora and Monessen—and this during a time when an epidemic of race riots had swept the country.

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Hellraisers Journal: “Closed Towns” by S. Adele Shaw for The Survey: Pittsburgh Steel District Contrasted with Ohio

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Quote Mother Jones, Strikes are not peace Clv UMWC p537, Sept 16, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday November 13, 1919
Intimidation in Pittsburg Steel District Contrasted with Ohio

From The Survey of November 8, 1919:

Closed Towns

Intimidation as It is Practised in the Pittsburgh
Steel District:—the Contrast in Ohio

By S. Adele Shaw

[Parts III-V of V]

GSS, Mother Jones, WZF, Organizers, Survey p64, Nov 8, 1919

III

THIS interlocking of mill and town officials explains not only the ease with which normal civil rights have been shelved, but the ease with which, under the guise of law enforcement, deputies and troopers get away with reckless action in the streets and alleys, and with which the petty courts turn trumped-up grounds for the arrest of labor organizers and strikers into denials of justice.

In Allegheny county Sheriff Haddock had, according to his own statement on October first, deputized 300 men for service under control of his central office and 5,000 mill deputies. Newspapers placed the figure early in the strike at 10,000. The mill police who in ordinary times are sworn in under the state provision for coal and iron police for duty in the mills only, are, since the strike, sworn in by the sheriff at the request of the companies. They have power to act anywhere in the county. They are under the direction of the mill authorities. Companies are required to file a bond of $2,000 for each man so deputized and are responsible for his actions.

It is the state constabulary, however, who have set the pace for the work of intimidation in the mill towns of Allegheny county. Responsibility for calling them in is difficult to fix. Since last February squads had been stationed at Dravosburg within easy reach of the steel towns; and the Saturday before the strike patrols were brought down into them. The sheriff denies that he called on the state for the troopers. The burgess of Braddock and the chiefs of police in Homestead and Munhall professed ignorance of the responsibility for their coming.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “Closed Towns” by S. Adele Shaw for The Survey: Pittsburgh Steel District Contrasted with Ohio” →