Tag: Socialist Women

Hellraisers Journal: Sensation Created in Utah As Joe Hill Fires His Attorneys and Mrs. Stephen Arrives to Assist Defense

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Joe Hill, Poor Ragged Tramp, Sing One Song, LRSB 5th ed, 1913—————

Hellraisers Journal – Monday June 22, 1914
Salt Lake City, Utah -As Joe Hill Fires His Attorneys; Mrs. Stephen Comes to His Aid

The State of Utah vs. Joseph Hillstrom

Virginia Snow Stephen

The Ogden Standard reports that “sensation after sensation piled up [Friday] in the Joseph Hillstrom murder trial.” These “sensations” were, apparently, the firing by Joe Hill of his attorneys, Scott and McDougall, along with the appearance in court of two women, “each shrouded in mystery.” The Standard was unable to identify one of the mysterious women, but the other was identified as Mrs. Virginia Snow Stephen, educator and “daughter of the late President Lorenzo Snow of the Mormon church.” Mrs. Stephen has become interested in the case of Joe Hill, believing him to be innocent of the crime of murder for which he is on trial for his life. Through the assistance of Mrs. Stephen, Attorney Soren X. Christensen will now be conducting the defense of Fellow Worker Joe Hill.

From The Ogden Standard of June 20, 1914:

SENSATIONS IN THE HILLSTROM
MURDER CASE IN IN ZION
———-

Salt Lake. June 20.-Sensation after sensation piled up yesterday in the Joseph Hillstrom murder trial before Judge M. L. Ritchie in the district court.

Hillstrom discharged his own attorneys, F. B. Scott and E. D. McDougall, in open court, declaring they were in league with the district attorney and that he could conduct his own defense better than they. He re-engaged them in the afternoon, and Soren X. Chrlstensen also was entered as associate counsel, representing Judge Hilton of Denver, the famous labor advocate.

Two women entered the case yesterday, each shrouded in mystery, which counsel for the defense could not or would not clear up.

One is Mrs. Virginia Snow Stephen who is prominent in educational, social and art circles. Mrs. Stephen, who is a daughter of the late President Lorenzo Snow of the Mormon church, has long been connected with the art department of the University of Utah, and stands exceptionally high as an instructor. Mrs Stephen, it is said, has never seen Hillstrom, but has become so firmly convinced of his innocence that she will endeavor, while taking her vacation in the east, to raise funds for his defense.

Convinced of Innocence

“The man who wrote the songs and composed the music that Joseph Hillstrom has, simply could not be guilty of so brutal a murder as the killing of the Morrisons,” Mrs Stephens told F B. Scott, of the defense, before she left for the east.

Discussing the interest that Mrs. Stephen has displayed in the case, Mr Scott said yesterday:

“Mrs Stephen came to my office some time ago and talked to me about the Hillstrom case. I did not know her until she introduced herself but she seemed greatly interested in Hillstrom’s defense. She said she had never seen Hillstrom but that she could not believe the man guilty from what she had read and heard of the case. She appeared eager to render any assistance in her power She told me that she was going east for her vacation and that she intended raising funds, if possible, while absent to assist Hillstrom in getting his case properly before the courts. At that time, I might add, we did not know that Hillstrom would be called for trial at so early a date.

“Mrs. Stephen also asked me if I would like to have assistance in the case and I told her I would. Having been informed that she intended stopping in Denver, on her way to the east, I suggested that she might see Judge O. N Hilton, the noted labor advocate in Denver who was associated with me in the Sorensen case. That she saw Judge Hilton is evidenced by the telegram which came to Soren X Christensen today.”

Attorney O. N Hilton, when interviewed in Denver last night regarding the connection of Mrs. Virginia Stephen with the Hillstrom murder case, said:

“I know nothing of Mrs Stephens further than that she stated to me that she represented the defense committee of the I W. W. She was anxious, she said, to see that Hillstrom secured justice, and in case he was convicted by a jury in the present trial she wanted to be assured that he would secure a new trial and, if necessary, carry the case to the highest court. I was unable, by reason of other duties, to represent Hillstrom, and recommended Attorney Soren X. Christensen of Salt Lake, who is now conducting Hillstrom’s defense.“

[Emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones, “The Angel of the Mines” by Nora Gillespie-“The Old She-Devil” to Owners and Operators

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones, WV Court Martial, No Plea to Make, Ptt Pst p3, Mar 8, 1913—————

Hellraisers Journal – Monday June 2, 1913
Mother Jones, “The Very Incarnation of Aggressive and Fighting Labor”

From the Huntington Socialist and Labor Star of May 30, 1913:

The Angel of The Mines.
———-

By NORA GILLESPIE.

Mother Jones, Cora Older, at Military Bastile WV, Colliers p26, Apr 1913

Seventy-three years ago there fled from Ireland a political refugee, with a little girl of eight, taking refuge in the land of freedom. Thus the spirit of rebellion and revolt is the heritage of the most noted and talked-of woman in the U. S. today. Mother Jones has stood for so many years as the very incarnation of aggressive and fighting labor, that it is very hard to picture her as a school teacher, and as a busy wife and mother fulfilling her domestic duty in the home. Yet she was all of these. She had a good education and taught school for several years before she married a worker, a staunch union man, and she, soon began organizing other workingmen’s wives into an auxiliary realizing even at that early stage the value of organization for the workers whether they be men or women.

Four children were born to her in rapid succession, and the wives of workingmen will understand what her life was for six years, when the great tragedy took place, which changed her from the mother of four to the mother of the working class.

An epidemic [of yellow fever] broke out in the town [Memphis, 1867] where she lived and in the space of seven days she saw death take from her one after another, her husband and four children. It was overwhelming and the average woman would have succumbed utterly. But not Mother Jones of the great heart and rebellious spirit. All the love, devotion and self-sacrifice she would have bestowed upon her own dear ones became transmuted into a declaration for the cause of labor. Here is heroism for you in comparison with which DYING for a cause seems insignificant. To determine to LIVE for a cause, when your own life is shattered and your whole being pleads-that is the very flower of heroism.

Since that time the story of Mother Jones has been the story of the labor war that goes on and must go on in every country where workers are exploited to make profit for shirkers, and always has she taken her place on the firing line. Neither the bullpen nor the jail have held any terrors for her and she [has] known the inside of both.

“The Angel of the Mines” has other names, one of which is “the old she-devil,” which the owners of the earth and the fullness thereof apply to her. This is a good example of the difference in classes.

[Photograph, paragraph breaks and emphasis added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Progressive Woman: Socialist Women of Chicago Stand With Striking Garment Workers

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Rose Schneiderman Quote, Stand Together to Resist Mar 20, NY Independent p938, Apr 1905———-

Hellraisers Journal – Thursday January 12, 1911
Chicago, Illinois – Socialist Women Stand with Striking Garment Workers

From The Progressive Woman of January 1911:

Chg Garment Workers Strike, Socialist Wmn Com, Prg Wmn Cv, Jan 1911Chg Garment Workers Strike, Socialist Wmn Com Names, Prg Wmn p2, Jan 1911

———-

The Chicago Garment Workers’ Strike

ANNA A. MALEY

Workers of the world, unite! This is in deed the golden rule of labor—a rule that in the fullest application will give us one day a united workers’ world

Working class need is the great unifier; and so in the Chicago garment makers’ strike there stand 41,000 workers, comprising nine nationalities. The branches of the trade included are cutters, trimmers, coat makers, pants makers, vest makers and buttonhole makers. Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From The Progressive Woman: Socialist Women of Chicago Stand With Striking Garment Workers” →

Hellraisers Journal: Speech by May Wood Simons at Socialist Party Convention Brings Delegates to Tears

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Women of the World, Unite.
You have double chains to lose
and you have the world to gain.
-May Wood Simons
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday May 31, 1908
Chicago, Illinois: City of the Impoverished Men, Women and Children

From the Montana News of May 21, 1908:

Montana News, Women's Clubs, MTNs p3, May 21, 1908

Socialist Party of America Button

Extracts from the speech of May Wood Simons at the opening of the Chicago convention:

When his auditors had come back from he heights to which Wanhope had lifted them, it remained for May Wood Simons to take them down into the Valley of the Shadow. It is safe to say that such a stirring appeal to the heart of an American audience was never made before. Before Mrs. Simons had spoken for five minutes there was hardly a dry eye in the house.

The sobs of women resounded through the vast auditorium. In one of the front seats William D. Haywood, who came through his great persecution and trial at Boise without batting an eyelash-the man who did not even pale before danger and death when they menaced him and his-was crying openly.

At the press table the hardened reporters, who have seen misery in all its many forms time and again, until their very souls were calloused, were coughing suspiciously and unbidden tears were falling on the shorthand notes of the speech. It was a masterpiece of pathos, that simple description of “The State of Things as They Are.”

Plain Little Recital.

And yet there was nothing theatrical about the little statement. It did not savor of the dramatic in the least. It was just a plain little recital of fact. That was all. And yet a big six-footer just behind the writer of this article was blubbering like a baby. And he was a magazine writer, too. Not for a small magazine, but for one of the most prominent in America.

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Hellraisers Journal: Appeal to Reason Announces Socialist Party Convention & Socialist Women Send A Message

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Women are tired of being “included,”
tired of being taken for granted.
They demand definite recognition,
even as men have it.
-Josephine Conger Kaneko

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday May 11, 1908
Chicago, Illinois – National Convention of Socialist Party of America

From the Appeal to Reason of May 9, 1908:

The Convention
—–

Socialist Party of America Button

The greatest political convention ever held in the interest of the working class in the United States will begin its deliberations on May 10th in the city of Chicago. This convention will represent every state and territory in the union and it will be the only political convention which will adopt a platform and name national candidates wholly in the name, and for the benefit of the working class.

Compared to the conventions of capitalist parties this will be a unique gathering. It will consist of both men and woman and its deliberations will be marked by the one unvarying purpose to faithfully express in political terms the economic interests of the working class….

The Appeal sends greetings to the delegates assembled at Chicago. It has full faith in their ability to clearly see the important duties which lie before them, and in their fidelity to discharge those duties with equal credit to themselves and the party.

———-

[Photograph added.]

From The Socialist Woman of May 1908:

ARE THE INTERESTS OF MEN AND WOMEN IDENTICAL?
A Suggestion to the National Convention
—–

Josephine C. Kaneko.

Josephine Conger Kaneko, 1904 as M Josephine Conger, Little Love and Nature Poems

It is an oft repeated phrase among Socialist agitators that the interests of men and women of the working class are identical, and therefore there should be no methods of education and appeal instituted for one sex alone; but that all efforts of this kind should be directed from one point, whether it be newspaper, pamphlet, street corner or platform, to all persons regardless of sex, creed or color.

And on this theory our educational work has proceeded, in this country at least, for the past quarter of a century. That is, we think we have proceeded on this theory. But it does not take very careful thought on the matter to discover that we have not acted in accordance with our theory at all, but have worked always as a matter of expediency along the line of least resistance with the male portion of humanity. It has never been very likely that we could reach the workingman in his wife’s kitchen or nursery, or her little parlor, and as it has seemed more expedient to work with him than with her, we have followed him to his lair—to the street corner, to the trade union hall, to the saloon. We have opened our locals in localities where he could be most easily reached, and have accommodated the environment to his tastes and needs. The little room at the rear of the saloon has not been so comfortable as his wife’s parlor or sitting room, and sometimes no larger. but he has felt more at ease in it when congregating with other men, so the locals have in some instances been established in the rear rooms of saloons, and frequently in other dreary, comfortless halls which are always obnoxious to women.

We have said, half-heartedly, that women could come to our locals in these dreary places. But they haven’t cared to come to any great extent, any more than the men would have cared to meet in the women’s parlors. It has been plainly a discrimination in favor of one sex above another. But it has always seemed a matter of expediency.

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Hellraisers Journal: From The Industrial Union Bulletin: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks for I. W. W. in Philadelphia

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

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday February 28, 1908
Philadelphia, Pennsylvania – Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Speaks

From The Industrial Union Bulletin of February 22, 1908:

Propaganda in Philadelphia

EGF, Girl Socialist, DEN, Sept 21, 1907

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn was the speaker at the regular Sunday night meeting of the I. W. W., February 9th, in Philadelphia. Every seat in the large hall was taken and extra seats had to be arranged to accommodate those who were anxious to hear the eloquent advocate of industrial unionism.

Miss Flynn’s subject was “Socialism from a Woman’s Standpoint.” She began by stating that there is no difference between the man’s standpoint and the woman’s, as industrial development had forced the woman into the same position as the man-wage slavery. In the course of her address she rapped the craft unions and the pure and simple political Socialists impartially, and pointed to industrial unionism as the salvation of the workers, the highest and most enlightened expression of Socialism as embodied in the I. W. W. Her points were generously applauded throughout the address.

The progress made in Philadelphia is most encouraging. There are now eight locals in that city, the latest acquisition being the Independent Union of French Textile Workers, who by unanimous vote, have joined the I. W. W.

———-

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for November 1907, Found Lauded in the Appeal to Reason

Janet RayeEugene Victor Debs
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EVD Quote re Mother Jones, AtR, Nov 23, 1907


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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday December 14, 1907
Mother Jones News Round-Up for November:
-Found Covered with Fond Tributes in the Appeal to Reason

From the Appeal to Reason of November 2, 1907

Texas SP Sec Bell, AtR, Nov 2, 1907

The Typewriter Fund.

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

As correspondents will have noticed, the state office is now in possessions of a typewriter as a result of the movement in that direction started by Mother Jones.

The entire fund for that purpose, however, has never been raise.

Seeing the great need for a typewriter, Comrade N. B. Hunt, unsolicited, tendered a loan of $20 for the purpose of getting the much-needed machine without delay.

A machine was purchased from Comrade C. L. Vincent for $35; $2 of the fund has been contributed by Comrade Vincent…

Amount to be raised to cancel loan…$16.25.

Let us have your contribution to this fund and wipe out the debt.

—–

[Photograph & emphasis added.]

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