Tag: Socialist Party of America

Hellraisers Journal: Big Bill Haywood Speaks to Socialists at Brooklyn’s Congress Hall as National Tour Continues

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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We have no fight with capital.
All we want is the full equivalent for
the things which we produce.
Capital can take the rest.
-Big Bill Haywood

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Hellraisers Journal, Monday March 2, 1908
Brooklyn, New York – Haywood Speaks at Congress Hall

From The Brooklyn Daily Eagle of February 28, 1908:

W. D. HAYWOOD SPEAKS.
—–
Discusses Goldfield Strike and Labor and Capital,
and Finds Fault With the President.
—–

HMP, Haywood in Cell, Colliers, June 22, 1907

A meeting of the Socialist party of the Twenty-third Assembly District was held last night [Thursday February 27th] at Congress Hall, Vermont and Atlantic avenues. William D. Haywood of the Western Federation of Miners was introduced as the main speaker of the evening by Chairman Barnet Wolff of the local organization. In his opening remarks Mr. Haywood said that on account of having had to do so much talking up to this time he was so hoarse he would be unable to enter into a lengthy discourse on the principles of Socialism, but would try and favor the audience with as much information as to the present condition of the laboring classes as possible.

In speaking of the miners strike at Goldfield he said that the present situation was brought about in the beginning by the mine owners who were “tenderfeet,” who followed the “pioneers,” the laboring classes, to Goldfield, and gobbled up all the mines, and when the miners were in their power sought to reduce the wages of the workingman and practically starve them into submission or drive them to desperation.

The owners, Mr. Haywood said, also issued a script [scrip] payment, which they would not guarantee, and this, among others, was a cause of the present condition there.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Buffalo New Age: Kate Richards O’Hare, “Tribune of the People” Facing 5 Years in Prison

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Kate Richards OHare, Dangerous to war profiteers, ab Dec 1917

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Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday February 27, 1918
Buffalo, New York – Kate O’Hare to Speak on Thursday

From the Buffalo’s Socialist New Age of February 23, 1918:


Tribune of The People,
–Speaker at Music Hall
—-Faces 5 Years in Jail
—–

FIVE YEARS AWAY FROM HER CHILDREN
-KATHLEEN, JUST STANDING WHERE CHILD TURNS TO MAIDEN;
AFFECTIONATE, BROWN-EYED GENE, NOW NINE YEARS OLD;
KEEN, ALERT VICTOR, THE OTHER TWIN,
AND DICK, 14 THE ELDEST.
—–

Kate Richards O'Hare Bff New Age p1, Feb 23, 1918

Kate Richards O’Hare, who was considered the most powerful woman orator in the Socialist movement, and whose ability as a lecturer is comparable only with such men as Eugene V. Debs and William Jennings Bryan, will deliver one of her mastery addresses under the auspices of the Socialist Party in Elmwood Music Hall on the evening of Thursday, February 28th. Mrs. O’Hare is known throughout the length and breadth of the land as a most eloquent advocate of the cause of Socialism, and a fearless defender of the rights of the oppressed.

SENTENCED FOR
FIVE YEARS.

Recently she has been sentenced to five years in a Federal prison for alleged violation of the espionage law, in which she was accused of stirring up opposition to the draft in a speech delivered last summer in North Dakota. She is out on bail pending the appeal of her case.

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Hellraisers Journal: From the Montana News: “Ode to the Red Flag” by Mary F. Merrill

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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It well recalls the triumphs past,
It gives the hope of peace at last;
The banner bright, the symbol plain,
Of human right and human gain.
-Jim Connell

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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday February 18, 1908
The Red Flag: “Symbol of International Brotherhood.”

From the Montana News of February 13, 1908:

Red Flag Poem by Mary F Merrill, MTNs p3, Feb 13, 1908

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Hellraisers Journal: Statement of Ohio Socialist, Ruthenberg and Wagenknecht, Before Leaving for the Canton Prison

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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I am not conscious of having committed any crime.
The thing that I am conscious of is having endeavored
to inspire higher ideals and nobler lives.
If to do that is a crime in the eyes of the government,
I am proud to have committed that crime.
-C. E. Ruthenberg

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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday February 16, 1918
Canton, Ohio – Prison Doors Close Behind Ohio Socialists

The New York Evening Call of January 17th reported that the United States Supreme Court had affirmed the prison sentences of C. E. Ruthenberg, Secretary of Local Cleveland, Alfred Wagenknecht, State Secretary and Charles Baker, State Organizer, all of the Socialist Party of America. All three stand sentenced to serve a year in Canton prison by Federal Judge Westenhaver. The statements of Ruthenberg and Wagenknecht, made before they were taken to Canton, were published this month in the International Socialist Review:

NEWS AND VIEWS

From Ohio-As the prison doors at Canton, Ohio, open to receive our comrades, Ruthenberg and Wagenknecht, for one year, they send greetings and these words to the REVIEW and its readers:

WWIR, SPA, Ruthenberg, ISR Feb 1918

THE Supreme Court has decided we must spend a year in jail.

The “crime” of which we are convicted is truth-telling.

We believe in certain principles. We fought for those principles. We go to jail.

Ostensibly we are convicted of inducing a certain Alphonse Schue not to register. The charge is merely the excuse. Neither of us knew Schue. Neither of us heard of him until his name appeared in the indictment against us.

The ruling class is always able to find a Judas. Schue was induced to say he heard our speeches and had been influenced thereby not to register, by the promise of his freedom.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for January 1908, Found Supporting the Unemployed in Chicago

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You, you miserable policemen!
What business have you here?
Your presence is and insult to
the honest workingmen
who are attending this meeting.
-Mother Jones

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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday February 15, 1908
Mother Jones News Round-Up for January 1908:
-Found Speaking with Lucy Parsons in Chicago

On the evening of January 17th, at a meeting for the Unemployed at Brand’s Hall in Chicago, Mother Jones and Lucy Parsons were both found making passionate speeches which were most unfavorably reported by the kept press.

From Indiana’s Fort Wayne News of January 18, 1908:

THE ANARCHISTS WERE RESTRAINED
—–

LUCY PARSONS THE LEADING FIGURE IN LAST
EVENING’S DEMONSTRATION IN CHICAGO.
—–

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

CHICAGO, Jan. 18.-The presence of a score of policemen and an equal number of plain clothes men prevented anarchy from ruling the meeting of the “unemployed” and others at Brand’s hall last night, but there was enough of it to make the occasion lively and cause J. H. Drake, who acted as chairman, to give up in disgust and leave the hall.

Not over 800 persons in all answered the call for the turnout, but it was decided to mass the unemployed next Thursday and march on the city hall to demand work. It was suggested, if no other means presented themselves, to tear down the city hall to furnish the desired work.

Mrs. Lucy Parsons, widow of the noted anarchist, Ben L. Reitman, who makes a comfortable living out of the Brotherhood Welfare association, and “Mother” Jones all took the opportunity to air their opinion of President Roosevelt and capitalists.

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs on attacks against Socialist Party: “anti-patriotic, seditious, traitorous…”

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

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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday February 12, 1918
Eugene Debs Defends the Socialist Party of America

From the Chicago Eye-Opener of February of 9, 1918:

The Campaign This Year.

by Eugene V. Debs

EVD by LS Chumley, ISR Jan 1916

The Socialist Party is emerging from another struggle crowned with victory.

When the party declared its attitude toward war at the St. Louis convention [April 7-14, 1917] it was fiercely attacked from within as well as without as an anti-patriotic, seditious, traitorous organization. The chairman of the committee that framed the war resolution was indicted and sentenced to penitentiary for a term of five years. The National Secretary [Adolph Germer] was arrested upon one charge, indicted and tried upon another, and is still under bail pending further trial.

Hundreds of the party’s speakers and organizers were arrested and jailed, and hundreds of others forcibly prevented from speaking. Halls for meeting purposes were denied our lecturers, secret service agents dogged the heels of our comrades, while rowdies and strong-arm men, including not a few in the uniform of United States soldiers and sailors, were incited to raid our local headquarters, sack our offices, and break up our meetings. The party’s papers were either suppressed outright or sorely hampered by the authorities.

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Hellraisers Journal: General Defense Committee of Industrial Workers of the World Organizes Despite Persecution

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Is there aught we hold in common with the greedy parasite
Who would lash us into serfdom and would crush us with his might?
Is there anything left to us but to organize and fight?
For the union makes us strong
-Ralph Chaplin

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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday February 10, 1918
I. W. W. Prepares for Greatest Labor Trial in History

From the International Socialist Review of February 1918:

The General Defense Committee of the I. W. W.

IWW GDC Doree Chumley Wilson Farley, ISR Feb 1918

IWW GDC Law Payne Hardy, ISR Feb 1918

—–

THE conspiracy of the Owners of American Industry to put the One Big Union out of business by legal procedure will come to a showdown during the coming I. W. W. trials in Chicago, about the 25th of February.

It may be the greatest labor trial in the history of these United States, resulting in the conviction of the 106 workers, or the trial itself may turn into an indictment of the profit system, which will shake the thrones of the fat copper and lumber profiteers. For as Prof. Roger W. Babson points out in the Magazine of Wall Street: “There are two wars in progress today. One is between nations and the other is between classes.”

At the present time, over one thousand members of the I. W. W. are in jails across country, but there are away over one hundred thousand members on the outside. The faster they jail them the faster they grow. Tomorrow there will be more of them than today. There will never be enough jails to go around!

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Hellraisers Journal: Eugene Debs in New York City to Boom Haywood for President, Plans to Unite Two Socialists Parties

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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The people will ultimately see that
socialism is their only hope
-Eugene Victor Debs

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Hellraisers Journal, Saturday January 25, 1908
New York, New York – Debs Calls for Nomination of Haywood

From the New York Tribune of January 23, 1908:

DEBS HERE TO BOOM HAYWOOD.
—–
Says President Roosevelt Is Aiding Spread
of Socialism-May Unite Factions.

SPA, SLP, emblems buttons

Eugene V. Debs was in New York yesterday to help along the plan to amalgamate the two warring factions, the Socialist party and the Socialist Labor party, the latter representing the De Leon socialists. He said he was for William D. Haywood, secretary of the Western Federation of Miners, as the Socialist candidate for President.

A conference will be held to-day between Debs, the leaders of both parties and Haywood, at which a slate will be informally selected. The leaders on both sides said yesterday that it is practically certain that the amalgamation will take place.

[Debs said last night:

This financial crisis will end in an international crisis such as this world has not seen in our time. Then socialism will have its best chance.

President Roosevelt has done more to further the spread of the socialist propaganda than any man I know of. His policy, or lack of policy, whichever way you take it, along with his currency and tariff views, is paving the way for socialism. The more he says the longer the bread line will grow, and the people will ultimately see that socialism is their only hope. When the international crisis comes socialism will spread all over the world.

———-

[Photograph added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Thunder of Cheers Greets Bill Haywood at Brooklyn Labor Lyceum: “Socialism Is My Religion”

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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We have no fight with capital.
All we want is the full equivalent for
the things which we produce.
Capital can take the rest.
-Big Bill Haywood

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday January 24, 1908
Brooklyn, New York – Haywood Speaks at Labor Lyceum

BBH, SF Call p17, Dec 8, 1907

On the afternoon of Sunday January 19th, Big Bill Haywood was greeted with cheers from thousands of men and women when he arrived at the Brooklyn Labor Lyceum. The hall was packed and thousands were turned away. Haywood declared himself a man of the west who always went armed and then produced two cards, one his union card and the other his Socialist Party card. Haywood said:

By the economic power of this gun, the working class is going to win political power.

At the conclusion of the speech, Haywood was taken upstairs for a meeting with delegates of the Brooklyn Central Labor Union whom he thanked for their assistance in saving himself, Moyer and Pettibone from being railroaded to the gallows by the Mine Owners of Colorado and Idaho.

Earlier in the day, Haywood had met with delegates of the New York City Central Federated Union where he announced that he would accept the nomination for President of the Socialist Party should such be offered him.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for December 1907, Found Attacking Roosevelt in Chicago

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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I long ago quit praying and took to swearing.
If I pray I will have to wait
Until I am dead to get anything
But when I swear I get things here.
-Mother Jones

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Mother Jones, Tacoma Times, Sept 19, 1904Hellraisers Journal, Saturday January 11, 1908
Mother Jones News Round-Up for December 1907:
-Found Speaking before Chicago Federation of Labor

During the month of December 1907, Mother Jones was first found in the pages of the Appeal to Reason regarding a planned tour of the state of Texas as an organizer for the Socialist Party of America. She was next found speaking at a meeting of Chicago Federation of Labor where, according to The Inter Ocean, she used “a choice selection of profanity” and attacked Roosevelt for sending troops to quell the Goldfield miners’ strike. We also found a trip planned to the city Milwaukee on behalf of George Pettibone who was then facing trial in Boise, Idaho. And lastly, we found the city of Dallas, Texas, looking forward to visit from Mother Jones sometime in the January.

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