Hellraisers Journal: News from the Great Paterson Silk Strike: Philips Russel on the Arrest of Bill Haywood and Adolf Lessig

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Quote BBH re Capitalist Class, Lbr Arg p4, Mar 23, 1911—————

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday May 4, 1913
Paterson, New Jersey – The Arrest of Bill Haywood and Adolf Lessig

From the International Socialist Review of May 1913:

The Arrest of Haywood and Lessig
By Phillips Russell

Paterson Police at Haledon Line, ISR p789, May 1913

DETERMINED that the 25,000 silk strikers of Paterson, N. J., should not listen to William D. Haywood on Sunday, March 30, the guardians of Paterson’s law and order, seized Haywood and Adolph Lessig on their way to Haledon and, in the interests of the mill owners, secured Haywood’s conviction and sentence to six months at hard labor, and Lessig to six months.

No single act or process in the proceeding had the least semblance of legality, and no attempt to make even a show of legality was made. The mill owners are represented on Paterson’s Police Commission by one of themselves. They appointed as Recorder one James F. Carroll, notorious in the city as a bar room politician. They wanted Haywood and Lessig out of the way; they had them seized by their police; they put them behind the prison bars, and intended them to stay there.

A mass meeting had been called for Sunday, March 30, in Lafayette Oval, which had been secured for the purpose by the strikers. On the preceding Saturday Police Chief Bimson issued an order prohibiting the meeting, but partly because of the lateness of the order’s appearance, but more largely because they believed they had the rights of free assemblage and free speech, the strikers ignored the order, and at the appointed hour began to pour in thousands down the roads leading to the meeting place.

In the meantime, a squad of special police detailed for special duty, namely, to prevent the meeting and disperse the crowd, held up Haywood and Lessig a block before they reached the Oval. The police informed Haywood that no meeting would be allowed, and that if he attempted to speak he would be arrested, whereupon the strikers within hearing distance shouted “On to Haledon!”

The cry was taken up by the thousands assembled, Haywood assenting: “All right we’ll go to Haledon,” and he began to walk the two miles beyond which lies the little Socialist municipality, followed by the strikers who had just learned that in Paterson they had no rights.

Paterson Chief Bimson n Bulls, ISR p790, May 1913

The crowd was perfectly orderly, although without any formation, but when it had got within half a block of the city’s limits the patrol wagon thundered through the mass of men, women and children to where Haywood and Lessig were walking in front. Motorcycle police had noted the general direction of the crowd and had rushed for the wagon, which was hooted and jeered by the strikers as it dashed directly for Haywood and Lessig.

Police Sergeant Ryan jumped out of the wagon, pointed at Haywood, saying, “You’re under arrest!” and grabbed Lessig, at the same time shouting, “Get Tresca!” Carlo Tresca, however, had dropped behind. As the wagon dashed by on its way to Haywood, some friends seized Tresca and hurried him into the house of a friend from whence he smiled pleasantly at the police who came to seize him.

After Haywood and Lessig were under arrest, the police, in a frantic effort to drive back the crowd, met with one who refused to be hurried. This was Messari, who was arrested and later arraigned on the same charges as the two principal defendants, some of the police conveniently swearing he was with them, as the amended charge required three defendants to make it legal.

“Have you a warrant?” asked Haywood of the policemen who rode with him in the wagon.

“I have,” answered one of them.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: News from the Great Paterson Silk Strike: Philips Russel on the Arrest of Bill Haywood and Adolf Lessig”

Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: “The Rip in the Silk Industry” by Bill Haywood, Part II

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Quote BBH re Capitalist Class, Lbr Arg p4, Mar 23, 1911—————

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday May 3, 1913
Paterson, New Jersey – Bill Haywood on the General Strike of Silk Workers, Part II

From the International Socialist Review of May 1913:

The Rip in the Silk Industry

By William D. Haywood
———-

[Part II of II]

The Red Badge of Toil

Paterson Strike, EGF, ISR p786, May 1913

In this connection it is worth while to relate an incident-one of the most dramatic of the strike. The Paterson bosses lost no time in injecting the “patriotic” issue after the fashion of Lawrence, Little Falls and Akron. The red flag, they howled, stood for blood, murder and anarchy-the Star Spangled Banner must be upheld, etc., etc. Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was on the platform at a big strike meeting one day explaining the significance of the red flag when a striking dyer sprang up from the middle of the audience crying:

“I know ! Here is the red flag!”

And aloft he held his right hand-stained a permanent bloody crimson, gnarled from years of toil, and corroded by the scarlet dye which it was his business to put into the fabrics worn by the dainty lady of the capitalist class as well as by the fawning prostitute.

For an instant there was silence and then the hall was rent by cries from the husky throats as all realized this humble dyer indeed knew the meaning of the red badge of his class.

Ribbon weaving is largely done by men and women. In this department the bosses have developed a speeding up system with reductions in pay, overlooking no opportunity to introduce improved machinery. Thus they increase production, at the same time they lowered the pay, until the workers are now demanding a scale which 19 years ago was imposed upon them! That is, the weavers now ask a wage that prevailed two decades ago

The significance of this demand makes it plain that in the evolution of industry and the introduction of new machinery the workers have obtained no benefit, while the bosses have reaped ever increasing profits. 

Many children are employes in the silk industry, most of them being between the ages of 14 and 16. However there are few violations of the child labor law, not because. the manufacturers care anything about either the law or the children, but because the making of high grade silk requires the careful and efficient work that only adults can give. However the Paterson capitalists have begun to set up plants in the southern states as well as in the mining regions of Pennsylvania, installing there new style looms which can be operated by girls and children.

Meeting For Children

Paterson Child Strikers, ISR p787, May 1913

One of the best and most enthusiastic meetings held during the strike was that for the benefit of the children of the mills. They packed Turner Hall and listened eagerly and with appreciation as speakers outlined to them the development in the manufacture of silk from the cocoon to the completed fabric lying on the shelves of the rich department store.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: “The Rip in the Silk Industry” by Bill Haywood, Part II”

Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: “The Rip in the Silk Industry” by Bill Haywood, Part I

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Quote BBH Corporation Soul, Oakland Tb p11, Mar 30, 1909—————

Hellraisers Journal – Friday May 2, 1913
Paterson, New Jersey – Bill Haywood on the General Strike of Silk Workers, Part I

From the International Socialist Review of May 1913:

The Rip in the Silk Industry

By William D. Haywood
———-

[Part I of II]

Paterson Doherty Mill Workers, ISR p783, May 1913

WHEN the broad silk weavers in Henry Doherty’s mill in Paterson, N. ]., left their machines last February they inaugurated what has proved to be the closest approach to a general strike that has yet taken place in an American industry.

They revolted against the 3 and 4 loom system which until recently has been confined to the state of Pennsylvania. This system is restricted to the lower grades of silk, messaline and taffeta.

There are almost 300 silk mills in Paterson. Doherty was the first manufacturer to introduce this system there and later it was carried into 26 other mills. The silk workers soon realized that unless this scheme for exploiting them still further was checked, it would in time pervade the entire industry in the Jersey city.

The silk workers of Paterson are the most skilled in the United States and the employers thought that if there was anywhere in the country where this system could be successfully adopted it was in Paterson. They thought that their workers would stand for it. The workers themselves were not consulted, as the manufacturers afterward realized to their sorrow, when a general strike was called embracing the industry in all its branches and extending to all states where silk is manufactured.

At present no less than 50,000 silk workers are on strike in New Jersey, Pennsylvania, New York and Connecticut, including those in the preparatory processes, the “throwster” mills, dye houses, broad silk making in all grades, as well as in nearly all the ribbon mills.

In many respects this strike is hardly less significant than that at Lawrence. It involves nearly as many workers and the conditions are just as bad. But the Paterson revolt has attracted less public attention than did the woolen fight. This is due to several reasons.

Paterson Socialist Editor Scott, ISR p784, May 1913

In the first place, the manufacturers, through their control of outside newspapers, were able to bring about a general conspiracy of silence. The New York papers, for example, after the first few days in which they gave prominence to the strike, were warned through subtle sources that unless there was less publicity they would be made to suffer through loss of support and advertising. Then the Paterson strikers were fortunate in having among them several trained veterans in the labor movement, such as Adolph Lessig, Ewald Koettgen, and Louis Magnet, who had been members of the I. W. W. since 1906, and knew what to do towards putting the strike on an organized basis. For a time they were able to take care of themselves without relying much on outside help. Besides, the authorities kept their hands off for a time, after their first fright in which they threw Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Carlo Tresca and later Patrick Quinlan and Alex Scott, the Socialist editor, into jail. These organizers got on the job instantly and have done excellent work.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: “The Rip in the Silk Industry” by Bill Haywood, Part I”

Hellraisers Journal: John Reed Arrested at Paterson for Refusing “Move On” Order, Gets Twenty Days in Passaic County Jail

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Quote John Reed, Rebellious People, Ten Days, 1919—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday April 30, 1913
Paterson, New Jersey – John Reed Sentenced to 20 Days in Passaic County Jail

From The New York Times of April 29, 1913:

WRITER SENT TO JAIL.
———-
John Reed of the American Magazine
Among Strike Victims.
———-

John Reed to Jail at Paterson, Eve Ns p9, Apr 28, 1913
The Paterson Evening News
April 28, 1913

John Reed, a writer and a member of the staff of the American Magazine, was arrested in Paterson yesterday on a charge of disorderly conduct in the silk workers’ strike. He was arraigned before Recorder James F. Carroll, who, after hearing the evidence, sentenced Reed to twenty days’ imprisonment in the Passaic County Jail. Reed gave his address as 42 Washington Square, and according to some of his friends was in Paterson getting “local color” for a magazine story dealing with the silk workers’ strike.

Reed was at the corner of Cross and Ellison Street yesterday in the centre of the strike zone, talking to three men strikers. Policeman McCormick came along and ordered the men to disperse. The strikers said they lived in the house in front of which they were standing. 

“Well, get inside then,” said McCormick.

“But I don’t live in there,” said Reed.

“Well, move on, then,” said McCormick to the magazine writer.

Reed started to obey and then changed his mind and went back to where McCormick was and demanded his number.

An argument between the policeman and Reed followed which ended in the arrest of Reed on a charge of disorderly conduct. He was immediately taken to court and arraigned before Recorder Carroll.

“What’s your business?” asked the Recorder.

“Poet,” answered Reed.

“What’s your business here?” the Recorder asked again.

“None; I am a bystander,” Reed replied.

McCormick then testified that Reed had refused to move on when ordered to do so, and had insisted on questioning his authority.

The Recorder took McCormick’s view of the case and sentenced Reed to jail. 

John S. Phillips, editor of The American Magazine, was asked last night if the management of that publication would interest itself in the affairs of Mr. Reed and attempt to have him released from jail on appeal or by suing out a writ of habeas corpus. Mr. Phillips replied that he did not know of any contemplated action by the magazine management and that he did not care to discuss the matter.

[Newsclip and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: 25,000 Striking Textile Workers of Paterson Establish Central Relief Station at Turn Hall Headquarters

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Quote Make Cp Suffer Pocket Book, GS by BBh, ISR p681, May 1911—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday March 19, 1913
Paterson, New Jersey – General Strike Committee to Establish Relief Station

From The Paterson Evening News of March 18, 1913:

HdLn Paterson Silk Strikers Relief Com, Pt Ns p1, Mar 18, 1913

Realizing that the ultimatum of the manufacturers and their decision not to confer with the strikers in any way, means either a defeat for the present strike movement or a long fight, the General Strike Committee of the Textile Workers of Paterson has decided to begin at once raising funds for the purpose of caring for the needy workers and their families in order that those now on strike may be able to live until the manufacturers awake to a realization of the fact that the mills are going to remain closed until the strikers get some recognition of their demands.

The following circular is being mailed broadcast to labor organizations throughout the country and it is expected that by the beginning of the week funds will commence flowing in.

———-

“AN INJURY TO ONE IS AN JURY TO ALL.”

SILK STRIKERS STRIKE AND RELIEF FUND.

HEADQUARTERS, TURN HALL, PATERSON, N. J.

TO ALL WAGE EARNERS AND FRIENDS OF LABOR:

Over 25,000 silk workers in Paterson are out on strike today for better conditions and a living wage. We are struggling against the manufacturers in a fight for living conditions. Our fight that we must win if we are to be able to live and to provide for our wives and children.

The Manufacturers’ Association of Paterson is a wealthy organisation, stacked by wealthy interests. It is a fight of the workers against the bosses and against unlivable conditions.

We have no one to appeal to for help except our brother workers, and those outside interests who believe in fair play for the workingman and we now make that appeal,

Every dollar that is raised will feed some hungry mouth and strengthen some willing worker to keep up the fight against unfair conditions.

To all workingmen and to all lovers of the square deal we make this appeal. The time to answer it is NOW. We need your help, WILL YOU GIVE IT.

SIGNED,
RELIEF COMMITTEE.

GENERAL STRIKE COMMITTEE
TEXTILE WORKERS OF PATERSON, N. J.

———-

In addition to this a subscription will be taken locally and food and money will be gratefully received, donations may be made outright or subscriptions made to pay any desired amount a week during the progress of the strike.

The News will acknowledge receipt of all monies sent in and also other donations.

The General Relief Committee is headed by Frederick Jenny as chairman, and they have established permanent headquarters in Turn hall.

The announcement is made that the strikers expect to be able to take care of all those who are in immediate need.

[…..]

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Hellraisers Journal: Paterson’s Silk Bosses Declare March 17th “Flag Day”-Silk Strikers Answer: “We Won’t Scab Under This Flag”

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We Won't Scab Under The Flag, Lumberjack p1,  July 24, 1913—————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday March 18, 1913
Paterson, New Jersey – Silk Strikers Will Not Scab Under The Flag

From the Paterson Evening News of March 17, 1913:

HdLn Silk Strikers Will Not Scab Under Flag, BBH Arrives, Pt Ns p1, Mar 17, 1913

The patriotic demonstration of the manufacturers of Paterson [for their self-declared “Flag Day”] proved rather disappointing in its result this morning, for when the whistles blew at all of the mills represented in the manufacturers’ association, the expected rush of workers to get back to their loom did not occur.

Saturday afternoon, a huge flag was stretched across Market street, near Paterson, with the legend under it: “We Live Under This Flag, We Work Under This Flag and We Will Defend This Flag.”

The Socialist retorted by stretching a flag to the wind in front of their headquarters bearing the words: “We Won’t Scab Under This Flag.” and the I.W. W. distributed a number of small buttonhole flags to the workers bearing the same words and instructed the pickets at the mill to show the flag to any of the workers who wanted to go back.

[…..]

 Display of American Flag Not Very General.

While nearly all the mills hung out the American flag, the appeal to patriotism did not meet with very much success, as far as the strikers returning to work was concerned. The request that merchants display the National colors, disclosed the fact that only two American flags were hung to the breeze along Market street. At the Socialist headquarters on Main street an American flag has been hung and beneath a sign bearing this inscription was hung: “Dont Scab Under This Flag.” This is the slogan that has been adopted by the strikers in answer to the call of the manufacturers.

[…..]

Efforts of Strikers to Prevent Break In Strike
is Successful.

Many who have been following the strike carefully believed that a break would occur this morning in many of the mills of all those out on strike. A committee meeting of the ribbon weavers held in Helvetia Hall, yesterday afternoon, indicated the fact that this branch of the industry are standing more firm than ever before. Practically every delegate who was present stated that the strikers had expressed the sentiment that unless the manufacturers granted them some demands they would not return to work. This is practically the same feeling that exists among the greater majority of the broad silk weaver and dyers. They are all determined to remain firm in their stand and will not return to work until the manufacturers have made some counter compromise.

[…..]

Haywood Arrives at Turn Hall.

[As Miss Flynn was addressing the strikers, meeting] Haywood arrived from New York city. He was met at the depot by Organizer Koettgen. There was no police escort this time to take him to police headquarters, so he continue to Turn Hall without interference. He listened attentively to Miss Flyn who continued her remarks […..and] followed with an address…which was well received and which will be printed in The News tomorrow.

[…..]

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journals: Arturo Giovannitti Addresses Mass Meeting of Silk Strikers at Turn Hall, Paterson, New Jersey

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Quote Giovannitti, The Walker, Rest My Brother—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday March 6, 1913
Paterson, New Jersey – Giovannitti Speaks to Silk Strikers at Turn Hall

From the Passaic Daily News of March 5, 1913:

Arturo Giovannitti Speaks at Paterson, Ps Dly Ns p1, Mar 5, 1913

The first move toward a settlement of the silk strike in Paterson came last night, when, at a meeting of delegates from dyers and broad silk weavers, demands were formulated for presentation to manufacturers today. These demands, in brief, are:

Abolition of the four-loom system and and eight-hour day at the same price now paid per week for the dyers…..

Arturo Giovannitti, I. W. W. leader, who was recently tried and acquitted in Lawrence, Mass., on a charge of murder in connection with the strike riots in that city, arrived in Paterson this morning shortly after 11 o’clock. He went at once to Turn Hall where he addressed nearly 5,000 strikers, speaking first in Italian and then repeating his speech in English. 

Giovannitti urged the strikers to stand by their action in walking out, saying that they were bound to receive their rights and that their demands would be granted. He was received as a hero of the “cause,” with much applause. He was introduced by Carlo Tresca, the I. W. W. leader who was arrested last week with Elizabeth Gurley Flynn and Patrick Quinlan. He did not advocate violence.

[…..]

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Big Bill Haywood Will Be Jailed Whenever He Arrives in Paterson Is Threat of Chief of Police Bimson

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Quote BBH re Capitalist Class, Lbr Arg p4, Mar 23, 1911—————

Hellraisers Journal – Friday February 28, 1913
Paterson, New Jersey – Chief of Police Bimson Threatens Arrest of Haywood

From The Boston Evening Globe of February 27, 1913:

Paterson NJ to Jail BBH, Bst Glb p2, Feb 27, 1913

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Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Released on Bail; Tresca and Quinlan Kept Behind the Bars of the Paterson Jail

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Quote EGF, Work for Justice Despite Hardships, Tacoma Tx p7, Dec 29, 1909—————

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday February 27, 1913
Paterson, New Jersey – Miss Flynn Released; Tresca and Quinlan Remain in Jail

From the Passaic Daily News of February 26, 1913:

EGF Bailed Out, Ps Dly Ns p1, Feb 26, 1913

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Released on Bail; Tresca and Quinlan Kept Behind the Bars of the Paterson Jail”

Hellraisers Journal: Paterson Police Scatter Strike Meeting; Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Tresca and Quinlan Arrested at Turn Hall

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Quote EGF, Heaven n Hell, ISR p617, Jan 1910—————

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday February 26, 1913
Paterson, New Jersey – Police Invade Turn Hall and Arrest Strike Leaders

From the Asbury Park Evening Press (New Jersey) of February 25, 1913:

EGF Arrested, Asbury Prk Prs p1, Feb 25, 1913

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Paterson Police Scatter Strike Meeting; Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Tresca and Quinlan Arrested at Turn Hall”