Tag: September 1910

Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review: “Working Class Politics” -Speech by Debs at Riverview Park, Chicago

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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Quote EVD, Socialists n IU, Chg Sept 18, ISR p258, Nov 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday November 2, 1910
Chicago, Illinois – Eugene Debs Speaks on Working Class Politics

From the International Socialist Review of November 1910:

EVD ISR p257, Nov 1910

THE campaign of the Socialist party of Cook county, Illinois, was formally opened on September 18th, Eugene V. Debs being the principal speaker. A vast concourse of people were assembled at Riverview Park where the meeting took place. Below will be found some extracts from the speech of Debs, in which he emphasized the necessity of industrial unity as the only means of effective political action. Said Debs: 

We live in the capitalist system, so-called because it is dominated by the capitalist class. In this system the capitalists are the rulers and the workers the subjects. The capitalists are in a decided minority and yet they rule because of the ignorance of the working class.

So long as the workers are divided, economically and politically, they will remain in subjection, exploited of what they produce, and treated with contempt by the parasites who live out of their labor.

The economic unity of the workers must first be effected before there can be any progress toward emancipation. The interests of the millions of wage workers are identical, regardless of nationality, creed, or sex, and if they will only open their eyes to this simple, self-evident fact, the greatest obstacle will have been overcome and the day of victory will draw near.

The primary need of the workers is industrial unity and by this I mean their organization in the industries in which they are employed as a whole instead of being separated into more or less impotent unions according to their crafts. Industrial unionism is the only effective means of economic organization and the quicker the workers realize this and unite within one compact body for the good of all, the sooner will they cease to be the victims of ward-heeling labor politicians and accomplish something of actual benefit to themselves and those dependent upon them. In Chicago where the labor grafters, posing as union leaders, have so long been permitted to thrive in their iniquity, there is especially urgent need of industrial unionism, and when this is fairly under way it will express itself politically in a class conscious vote of and for the working class.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for September 1910, Part II: Found Speaking in Cincinnati and Columbus, Ohio

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Corporations Wreck n Maim, Cnc Pst p9, Sept 26, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 15, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for September 1910, Part II:
-Found in Ohio Speaking in Cincinnati and Columbus

Mother Jones, WDC Tx p5, June 18, 1910From the Wilkes-Barre Evening News
of September 23, 1900:

“Mother” Jones after recuperating her health in Hazleton, returned to Cincinnati, Ohio, today.

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From The Cincinnati Post
of September 23, 1910:

‘MOTHER JONES’ TO BE SPEAKER
AT OUTING
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“Mother Jones,” known as the “Angel of the Miners,” will address the Woman’s Union Label League at an outing at Chester Park Sunday. Mrs. May Wood Simons, one of the editors of the Chicago Daily Socialist; E. L. Hitchens, Wm. Tateman and Mrs. Etta Knatt Behrman also will speak.

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[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for September 1910, Part I: Found in Pennsylvania Denouncing John Mitchell

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Union Card n Pious Christian, Shenandoah Eve Hld p1, Aug 27, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday October 14, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for September 1910, Part I:
-Found in Pennsylvania Denouncing Former U. M. W. President Mitchell

From the Mount Carmel Daily News of September 1, 1910:

“MOTHER” JONES ATTACKS MITCHELL
——-

Mother Jones, John Mitchell, TLL, Detail, LW p1, Apr 16, 1910

Addressing a mass meeting of mine workers at Shenandoah, “Mother” Jones denounced John Mitchell, former head of the United Mine Workers, and ex-President Roosevelt, and declared that Mitchell was a traitor to labor.

“Mitchell and Roosevelt,” she fairly shrieked, “are the two biggest bluffs at large.”

“Mother” Jones’ attack on Mitchell gained her few sympathizers, as Mitchell has a devoted following among the miners of this region. She said that Roosevelt’s recent visit to the hard coal region was for political purposes and that he “doesn’t care a rap” for the workers except to further his consuming ambition.

Prominent mine workers declared that her denunciation of Mitchell will hurt the United Mine Workers’ organization, as she is sent here on missionary work by President [Tom] Lewis, who is an inveterate foe of his predecessor in office.

—————

[Photographs added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From International Socialist Review: Class War in Irwin Coal Field by Thomas F. Kennedy, Part II

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Brutal Ruling Class, Cnc Pst p7, May 31, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Friday September 23, 1910
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania – Cossacks Terrorize Irwin Coalfield Strike

From the International Socialist Review of September 1910:

PA Miners Strike, HdLn Class War by TF Kennedy, ISR p141, Sept 1910

Cossacks vs. “Black Hundreds.”

Brutal as the state constabulary have shown themselves on numerous occasions the testimony on all sides is overwhelming that compared with the thugs and bums engaged as deputies by the coal companies the State Police are gentlemen.

One of the odd developments is the cordial dislike of the State Police for the deputies. The State Police are not backward about declaring that practically all of the rioting and killing has been caused by the deputies. You must understand that economic interests are at the bottom of this feeling of these two forces for each other. The rank and file of the Police get $60.00 a month and board, no matter what is doing. When all is quiet they get their pay for patroling some country road on a well groomed saddle horse. If there must be a strike they would much rather see a nice quiet orderly one where there are no riots.

But the deputies are in a different boat. If all were quiet they would have no occupation. So to make their jobs secure they must keep something doing all the time. They explode a charge of dynamite under the corner of an unoccupied house, fire a lot of shots some night or when they meet an unarmed striker on the highway slug him or arrest him. When there is any real duty to perform, when there is a batch of strike breakers expected who must be prevented from talking to the strikers the first thing they do is fill up with whiskey. At one hotel where a bunch of them stopped, six drinks of whiskey in their stomachs and a half pint in their pockets was the regular ration, before going out on any special duty.

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Hellraisers Journal: From International Socialist Review: Class War in Irwin Coal Field by Thomas F. Kennedy, Part I

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Brutal Ruling Class, Cnc Pst p7, May 31, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday September 22, 1910
Westmoreland County, Pennsylvania – Class War Continues in Irwin Coal Field

From the International Socialist Review of September 1910:

PA Miners Strike, Class War by TF Kennedy, ISR p141, Sept 1910

[Part I of II.]

Letter T, ISR p828, Mar 1910

HE Strike” are the words most appropriate to designate an article dealing with the situation in the Irwin coal field, because it is the strike of the year if not of the decade. There was nothing out of the ordinary about any of the other strikes that have occurred so far this year. The biggest strike in point of numbers and duration is that of the Illinois miners. It has been since its inception strictly orthodox, including the conflict of authority between the district organizations and the National Board and President Lewis. In Illinois both sides were, and had for years, been organized. All of the arts of diplomacy and bargaining were exhausted before the strike was declared. It is warm, pulsing stomachs against steel safes full of gold. 

The Irwin strike is rashly unorthodox. Excepting the formal declaration it has all of the characteristics of a violent revolution.

More persons have been killed, injured and taken prisoners than in many of the bloody uprisings in the Balkans or South America which are so regularly exploited on the front pages of the “Joinals.”

Fifteen persons, two of them women, have met violent bloody deaths. Some of these were killed in open conflict, others in skirmishes, but most of them were brutal, cold-blooded murder of men who dared to tell a prospective scab that there was a strike on.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for August 1910, Part II: Found Speaking to Miners at Shenandoah, Pennsylvania

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Union Card n Pious Christian, Shenandoah Eve Hld p1, Aug 27, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday September 18, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for August 1910, Part II:
-Found Speaking to Mine Workers at Shenandoah, Pennsylvania

From the Shenandoah Evening Herald of August 27, 1910:

MOTHER JONES WAS IN SCOLDING MOOD
—————

Mother Jones crpd, WDC Tx p5, June 18, 1910

“Mother” Jones was the big noise at the open air mass meeting of mine workers at Main and Centre streets last night, and despite her seventy-five years of terrestrial pilgrimage she was in excellent physical trim.

“Never felt better In my life,” she said to a friend who commented upon her fine appearance, and added,

You know I’m good for seventy-five more years. I don’t think I’ll ever die, so long as I want to live.

“Mother” Jones was in fine voice and the verbal lambasting she administered to John Mitchell, former head of the United Mine Workers of America, ex-President Roosevelt and President Taft caused her hearers “to sit up and take notice,” as the phrase goes when something surprising and unexpected is sprung on an unsuspecting audience. There were other speakers, but “Mother” Jones was the attraction, and she certainly furnished the necessary entertainment, but her denunciation of John Mitchell as a traitor to the cause of labor did not gain her many sympathizers. She excoriated Mitchell for hobnobbing with Roosevelt and declared that both Mitchell and Roosevelt were the “two biggest bluffs at large.” She found fault with Bishop Hobin, of Scranton, for a humorous reference of the Bishop’s at a dinner to Roosevelt and Mitchell that it was the first time he had the honor of sitting between two presidents. She was quite emphatic in utterance and her oratory was attended by the usual gesticulations so familiar during the troublous times of some years ago.

She was more rabid of utterance last night than on any former occasion in this region, and she waved red-flag sentiments with defiance.

Speaking of the State Police she declared they were patterned after the Irish Constabulary.

[She fairly shrieked:]

I was six years old when I was driven from home at the bayonet point by the constabulary in Ireland, and I have never forgot it, and never shall.

I’d sooner go to heaven with a union card as a passport than as a pious Christian of the employer class who have accumulated their millions by grinding the lives out of the down trodden women and children.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for August 1910, Part I: Found Speaking to Miners of Hazleton District, Pennsylvania

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, Brutal Ruling Class, Cnc Pst p7, May 31, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday September 17, 1910
Mother Jones News Round-Up for August 1910, Part I:
-Found in Hazleton Coal District Addressing Miners’ Meetings

From the Pittston Gazette of August 3, 1910:

“Mother Jones.”

Mother Jones crpd, WDC Tx p5, June 18, 1910

“Mother Jones,” the miners’ friend, is spending some time in the Hazleton district, recuperating from a severe illness, and nearly every evening addresses a meeting of mine workers.

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[Photograph added.]

From the Pottsville Republican of August 4, 1910:

Socialists to Observe Labor Day.

At a meeting of the Socialists of Pottsville held last evening in the barber shop of C. F. Foley arrangements were made to hold a big celebration here on Labor Day. Fred Warren, editor of the Appeal to Reason, will be the speaker of the occasion. Mother Jones will also be in attendance. The meeting will be held at Schuettler’s grove at the western end of Pottsville. Dancing will be one of the attractions of the day. Mr. Foley announced that his declination to run for lieutenant governor had been favorably acted. upon.

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From the Shenandoah Evening Herald of August 12, 1910:

Will Go to Dubois Next.

“Mother” Jones the United Mine Workers organizer, who is stopping at Hazleton with Mr. and Mrs. Charles Gildea, will go from Hazleton to Dubois. She expects to stay at Hazleton for several weeks yet, part of which time she will spend in the Panther Creek sub-district.

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Hellraisers Journal: Industrial Worker: Boss’ Uniformed Clubbers (Thugs) on Labor Day and on Day After Labor Day

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Joe Hill, Murderers Slaughter Our Class, IW p3, Aug 27, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday September 14, 1910
Boss’ Uniformed Thugs on Labor Day and on the Day After

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of September 10, 1910:

Police AFL, Labor Day, Day After, IW p1, Sept 10, 1910

For years past it has been the habit of the A. F. of L. to allow the boss’ uniformed clubbers to lead the parade on Labor (?) Day. It is fitting that an institution of the boss, such as the A. F. of L., should be marshaled by the police, who are likewise of, for and by the boss. All nature is a paradox, but certainly none is more paradoxical than that men, presumably organized to fight the boss, organize to separate and to protect the boss’ property, and lastly be led in their line of march by the very force that is used to club them into submission when out on strike. It is a sign of the times that, through the efforts of a few militant members of the Cooks and Waiters, the police were eliminated from this year’s parade in Spokane. [Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Industrial Worker: IWW to Support Free Speech Fight-“Go to it, fellow workers of Fresno!”

Janet RayeFrank Little
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Quote Frank Little, Fresno Jails Dungeons, FMR p6, Sept 2, 1910———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday September 13, 1910
Fresno, California – Free Speech Fight Is On; Call Goes Out to Rebel Workers

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of September 10, 1910:

IWW Fresno FSF, All Aboard f Fresno, IW p1, Sept 10, 1910

FREE SPEECH MUST BE WON IN FRESNO
——-

Industrial Worker:

F. H. Little sentenced before a perjured jury to 25 days in jail. A police conspiracy to get Organizer Little out of town. Police used three false witnesses against fellow workers. We have sworn out warrant against one for perjury. Jury composed of Bourgeois, cockroaches and real estate grafters. Jury hung on two-fourth acquitted. Little in dungeon for refusing to work.

The above telegram received from Fresno, Cal., is conclusive evidence that Fresno is in need of a dose of the same medicine that was administered to Spokane last winter. It will be remembered that the lads from Fresno and California in general were among the foremost of the militant agitators and it is now up to the workers of the Northwest to go to Fresno and help to regain free speech. Many of the mistakes of the last fight will be avoided, as it is wise to profit by our past mistakes.

Furthermore, each man should operate on the principle of “let not your right hand know what your left is doing.” While all will work together, there will be no coughing up to the police. Remember, if cross-questioned in the sweat box, that “I forgot everything I ever knew.” Likewise, “I disremember, I don’t know.” No worker is obliged to cough up all he DON’T KNOW just because a courteous thug in brass buttons asks him how about it. And it is not a mark of nerve or bravery to boast of various things concerning the organization, but only of being used as a means of information by the gum shoe brigade. Give them a run for their money. If they want to know things, let them go to the trouble of investigating. Let them read our literature. Above all, let there be no compromise. A compromise with the boss is always a surrender of points that do not need to be surrendered. If the boss has the upper hand, he will not compromise, and if he does not hold the best cards let us play the hand out. Why compromise when the boss is ready to compromise? If he will compromise, he will surrender. Let us MAKE HIM SURRENDER.

Go to it, fellow workers of Fresno! The whole national organization , every rebel in the country, the power of the workers’ press, all are with you. We can’t lose-for we have nothing to lose. We will win, for we will play on their pocket book and their dislike for publicity.

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[Emphasis added.]

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