Tag: October 1917

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1917, Part II: Claude G. Bowers, “She is not afraid of man or devil.”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday November 23, 1917
Mother Jones News for October, Part II: Claude G. Bowers on Mother Jones

Mother Jones, Colorado Military Bastile, March 1914

Claude G. Bowers, journalists, spent a few hours with Mother Jones while she was traveling from Colorado to Indianapolis sometime around October 19th (see Mother Jones News for October, part 1), and writes about that meeting for his column, “Kabbages and Kings.” Bowers notes that Mother “is not afraid of man or devil,” and as an example tells of her experiences in Colorado during the Colorado Coalfield Strike of 1913-1914. During that struggle, Mother was held for almost one month in the “Military Bastile,” a cold cellar cell which had already claimed the life of a miner held prisoner there. She counseled “her boys” not to attempt a rescue, “Maybe I can do some good in the bull pen,” she said.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1917, Part II: Claude G. Bowers, “She is not afraid of man or devil.”” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1917, Part I: Found in West Virginia, Washington D.C. and Colorado

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday November 22, 1917
Mother Jones News for October, Part I: Up Against the West Virginia Gunthugs

Mother Jones Fire Eater, Lg Crpd, St L Str, Aug 23, 1917

During the month of October 1917, we find Mother Jones in Raleigh, West Virginia, once more facing the Baldwin-Felts gunthugs. Lawrence Dwyer, organizer for the United Mine Workers of America, described the encounter:

So Mother Jones, accompanied by District President Gilmore, Lawrence Dwyer and other representatives, went to the meeting in an automobile, and as the meeting was assembling alongside of the county road, three shots were fired from a rifle on the hillside and sixty gunmen came from the hills, each having a high-powered 30-30 rifle. They swarmed around Mother Jones and the officials with her and they all having their rifles pointing at Mother Jones, and they said they would “shoot her damned head off,” but Mother Jones didn’t appear to scare at all; in fact, when they threatened to shoot her she told them back, “Oh, no you won’t.” In fact, I know I felt more uneasy than Mother Jones did.

Mother was also found in Washington, D. C., and in Colorado during the month of October 1917.

From The Beckley Messenger of October 2, 1917:

MINERS HOLD MEETING

A large number of miners from Raleigh and intermediate mines met in Beckley Sunday afternoon and held a meeting at the court house. Plans looking to the betterment of working conditions were discussed. “Mother” Jones was present and expressed the wish that the coal companies might dispense with the services of armed guards, wherever they were employed.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1917, Part I: Found in West Virginia, Washington D.C. and Colorado” →

Hellraisers Journal: “The slaves are given arms to bear, some other slaves to kill.” -Ralph Chaplin

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

He leaves his wife or mother,
He learns to march and drill,
For wise men say, “Ah, haste the day
When you can stab and shoot and slay-
God bless you while-YOU KILL!”
-Ralph Chaplin

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday October 31, 1917
A Rebel Verse from Ralph Chaplin

WWI, Ralph Chaplin, Slaves to SlaughterWWI, Ralph Chaplin, Slaves to Slaughter, 2

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “The slaves are given arms to bear, some other slaves to kill.” -Ralph Chaplin” →

Hellraisers Journal: The Harvest Worker and a Poem for the I. W. W.

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, Sunday October 28, 1917
From the International Socialist Review: The Harvest Worker

Harvest Worker, ISR Cover, Oct 1917

From The Masses of October 1917:

IWW Poem by Donald M Crocker, Masses, Oct 1917

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: The Harvest Worker and a Poem for the I. W. W.” →

Hellraisers Journal: Suffragist Picket Now in Prison & Susan B. Anthony Remembered by Eugene Debs

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
Share

EVD Quote, Susan B Anthony, Pearson's Mag, July 1917

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday October 25, 1917
Occoquan Workhouse, Virginia – Photograph of Abby Scott Baker

From Indiana’s Richmond Palladium of October 22, 1917:

Suffragists, Abby Scott Baker, Prison, Rmd IN Pldm, Oct 22, 1917

Here are shown two photographs of Mrs. Abby Scott Baker, one of the most prominent women members of army set in Washington, recently arrested with other militant suffragists outside the White House and sentenced to six months’ imprisonment in the workhouse at Occoquan.

The first photograph depicts her in evening dress, and the second shows her in the coarse uniform given her after she had begun serving her sentence. This uniform consists of underwear made of ticking, thick cotton socks, man’s size shoes with the soles worn through, and a blue gingham apron held at the waist with a string that also served as a corset. In the pocket of the apron she carried a comb and tooth brush, given her by the officials of the workhouse.

———-

DEBS REMEMBERS SUSAN B. ANTHONY

While the suffragists picketing the White House in Washington D. C. are being dragged off to jail, we offer this remembrance of Susan B. Anthony, whose long and unrelenting struggle for full citizenship these brave women carry on. The fond memorial tribute to Miss Anthony is gleaned from an article by Eugene V. Debs which appeared in the July 1917 edition of Pearson’s Magazine. (We urge our readers to seek out the entire article):

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Suffragist Picket Now in Prison & Susan B. Anthony Remembered by Eugene Debs” →

Hellraisers Journal: From The Masses: Art Young Pens Opinion on Wartime Profiteering

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

I have no country to fight for;
my country is the earth,
and I am a citizen of the world.
-Eugene V. Debs

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday October 24, 1917
From The Masses: “Control of Industrial Profits” by Art Young

WWI, War Profits by Art Young, Masses, Oct 1917

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The Masses: Art Young Pens Opinion on Wartime Profiteering” →

Hellraisers Journal: Conditions of “Economic Indecency” Commonplace Today in Nation’s Capital

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday October 23, 1917
Washington, D. C. – Report on Poverty from U. S. Department of Labor

Bitter Cry, Spargo, Little Tenement Toilers, Feb 1906

—–

The nation was shocked in 1906 when John Spargo’s Bitter Cry of the Children revealed shocking details of the lives of millions of American children who then lived in conditions of abject poverty (such as those pictured above). A recent report from the Labor Department’s Bureau of Labor Statistics, demonstrates that conditions of “economic indecency” are yet commonplace among the American working class.

From the Appeal to Reason of October 20, 1917:

Bad Living Conditions In the
Nation’s Capital

Everybody knows-and mostly from painful personal experience-that living conditions are shockingly miserable as a result of high prices. But when confronted with the cold facts and figures, such as the Appeal has been running regularly for several weeks past, one realizes the truth even more terribly. We do not believe any one can read the following report of the federal bureau of labor statistics on living conditions in the city of Washington, which appears in the Weekly News Letter of the American Federation of Labor, without agreeing that it affords “a shocking example of economic indecency”:

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Conditions of “Economic Indecency” Commonplace Today in Nation’s Capital” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for September 1917, Part II: Found in Illinois & Washington D. C.

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

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

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday October 19, 1917
Mother Jones News for September, Part II: Attends Root-Gompers Meeting

After her speech supporting the street car strikers in Springfield, Illinois, Mother Jones was blamed for a “riot” in that city. On September 15th, Mother attended a pro-war mass meeting in Chicago where the featured speakers were Elihu Root and Samuel Gompers.

From The Decatur Herald of September 5, 1917:

SPRINGFIELD IS CAUTIOUS AFTER RIOT
—–
People Warned, Troops Ready,
“Mother” Jones, Boose and Burnette Blamed.
—–

Mother Jones, IL State Rgstr p2, Springfield, Sept 1, 1917

SPRINGFIELD, Sept. 5-As a result of rioting here Monday night [September 3rd], which resulted in the wrecking of 6 street cars, the riddling with bricks of the front of the car companies office building and the arresting of 20 rioters, Mayor C. T. Baumann last night following a conference of city, county and military officials with assistance of Ajt. Gen. Richings J. Shand at the state house, issued a proclamation ordering all citizens of Springfield to keep off the streets as much as possible and forbidding all gatherings in the streets or public places under penalty of arrest and imprisonment. Mayor Baumann’s action was a direct result of Monday night’s trouble and reports that there would be further organized out breaks, with possible attacks in force on street car company property.

Soldiers On Guard.

Although there have been only isolated instances of trouble, last night, such as the stoning of cars in remote sections of the city, soldiers with fixed bayonets patrolled the main business streets with sentries on every corner keeping the people moving and breaking up gatherings. Additional forces were held at the court house and state arsenal, with automobiles in readiness to rush them to any danger point.

Men arrested by the soldiers Monday night are being held at the county jail, which is guarded by soldiers. It is said that they will be turned over to the civil authorities Wednesday.

Mackie Assigns Cause.

“Mother Jones, Burnette and Bloomington booze” were the three causes of the Springfield riots of Monday night as assigned by general Manager Mackie of the Springfield Utilities company Tuesday.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for September 1917, Part II: Found in Illinois & Washington D. C.” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for September 1917, Part I: Found in Illinois and Kentucky

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Mother Jones Quote, 2x4 kaiser union recognition hell freeze over.

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday October 18, 1917
Mother Jones News for September, Part I: Speech in Springfield

From the Illinois State Register of September 1, 1917:

On the evening of August 31st, Mother Jones spoke in Springfield, Illinois, to striking carmen and their supporters. The speech was well-covered the next day by the Register.

MOTHER JONES ASKS AID
FOR CAR STRIKERS
—–
Tells Unionists to Unite in Fight
Against Street Car Company and Win
—–

4,000 HEAR SPEAKER
—–
Crowds Throng Court House Yard
and Cheer as Advocate of Labor Talks
—–

Mother Jones, IL State Rgstr p2, Springfield, Sept 1, 1917

Four thousand striking car men, members of allied labor organizations and curious outsiders last night on the court house square heard “Mother” Jones, self-confessed labor agitator and proud of it, urged the strikers and their sympathizers to disregard judges, courts, injunctions or any other power that might be invoked and to fight the street railway company until it is forced to meet the demands of the union.

Less extreme than she is reported to have been in other cities where labor troubles were in progress, “Mother” Jones did not directly urge the strikers to resort to violence in gaining their ends, but she demanded that every allied labor organization in Springfield take up the cause, have their meters removed and go out on “sympathy” strikes to tie up the city’s industries until pressure is brought to bear to force the utility company to admit itself beaten.

The meeting, advertised to be held in Carpenters’ hall, was transferred to the court house grounds, when it became evident long before the time set for “Mother” Jones to speak, that not one-third of those who wished to hear her would be able to get into the hall. Before half-past seven the hall was packed, and hundreds were thronging the street before the building seeking admittance. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for September 1917, Part I: Found in Illinois and Kentucky” →

WE NEVER FORGET: Oct 4, 1917, Butte, Montana, Fellow Worker Verner Nelson Murdered for Calling a Scab a Scab

Janet RayeWe Never Forget
Share

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

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

WNF, Butte MT, Verner Nelson IWW, Oct 4, 1917

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

Fellow Worker Verner Nelson
Martyr of the Industrial Workers of the World

On October 4, 1917, Fellow Worker Verner Nelson was gunned down on the streets of Butte, Montana. His crime was that he had called a scab a scab.

Nelson was about 26 years of age and a card carrying member of the Industrial Workers of the World. At the time of his death, his Red Card proved that his dues were paid up in full, and that he had joined the Agricultural Workers’ Union (IWW) of Larimore, N. D.

A note found on his body read: “In case of accident, notify Tom Nelson of Erie, Pa.”

From The Butte Daily Post of October 5, 1917:

NELSON INQUEST IS HELD TODAY
—–
Conflicting Evidence Over the Death
of I. W. W. Who Was Shot.
—–

Verner Nelson, the I. W. W. leader shot by Ziki Savichevich on South Arizona street yesterday afternoon after he had called the latter a “scab,” received the gunshot wound which caused his death while he was in flight from Savichevich, according to the testimony of Joseph Schellhorn before a coroner’s jury this afternoon.

Continue reading “WE NEVER FORGET: Oct 4, 1917, Butte, Montana, Fellow Worker Verner Nelson Murdered for Calling a Scab a Scab” →