Tag: The Labor World

Hellraisers Journal: Minnesota Senate Passes Anti-IWW Bill; Is Expected to Pass State House of Representatives

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, Tuesday January 30, 1917
From the Duluth Labor World: “I. W. W. Bill” Passes State Senate

I. W. W. BILL IS PASSED
BY STATE SENATE
—–
Amendment Limits It to Two Years-Fund
of $50,000 for Governor
—–

MN Miners Strike, Get Out IWW, Cartoon

The I. W. W. bill, which was introduced in the state legislature for the purpose of providing means for the suppression of the activities of that organization in the northern part of the state, passed the senate Wednesday morning with only Senators Rockne and Andrews casting negative votes.

The bill was amended in two particulars from the original draft. Instead of the emergency fund of $50,000 a year made available for the governor being perpetual with annual accountings and returns to the general fund, it was provided for two years, until the next meeting of the legislature; and another amendment provided that all deputies employed during similar trouble shall be residents of the state.

Expected to Pass House.

It is claimed that the bill will not have as easy sailing in the house as it did in the senate, although it is expected to pass. It came up in the upper house Wednesday morning on the calendar and was passed under suspension of the rules.

———-

[Cartoon from Duluth News Tribune added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Minnesota Senate Passes Anti-IWW Bill; Is Expected to Pass State House of Representatives” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Coming to Seattle to Assists 74 Fellow Workers Jailed in Everett

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
Share

Prison bars do not frighten when
one has truth and right
deep in the heart.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday January 15, 1917
Seattle, Washington – Miss Flynn, of Mesabi Fame, Coming Soon

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn has barely had time to visit her family and her little son in New York City since the long struggle up on the Mesabi Range of northern Minnesota came to a close, when now comes the call from the fellow workers of Washington state for assistance to save the 74 imprisoned free speech fighters locked behind the bars of the Snohomish County Jail on charges of first degree murder. She is preparing to answer that call, and her arrival in the the city of Seattle, where the Everett Prisoners Defense Committee is headquartered, is expected soon. This story and further news regarding the Everett situation can be found below.

From The Seattle Star of January 12, 1917:

ELIZABETH GURLEY FLYNN
WILL SPEAK HERE
FOR I. W. W.

Everett Massacre, EGF Coming, Stt Star, Jan 12, 1917

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, the well known I. W. W. leader, and reputed the best woman labor speaker in America, is coming to Seattle to assist in the campaign for the defense of the 74 men in jail in Everett. Miss Flynn has just concluded a long campaign in Minnesota in connection with the strike of the iron ore miners on the Mesaba Range.

One of the usual subriquets applied to Miss Flynn by her admirers is that of “the Joan of Arc of the Labor Movement.” She has been a speaker in the working class movement since her 15th year and has since become prominent thru her activities in the Lawrence strike, the Paterson, N. J., strike and other great labor upheavals.

Miss Flynn is billed to speak at a meeting at Dreamland on Sunday, the 21st.

A dance in the evening will be given to raise funds for the defense of the accused.

———-

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Coming to Seattle to Assists 74 Fellow Workers Jailed in Everett” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for December 1906: Articles Found in Appeal to Reason and Labor World

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 January 10, 1907
Mother Jones Found Featured in Socialist and Labor Press

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

As to the actual whereabouts of Mother Jones during the month of December 1906, we could find very little. However, we were able to find her featured in an article in the Appeal to Reason and as the author of an article in the Duluth Labor World. The article in the Appeal details the campaign, last fall, of William Dettrey in Pennsylvania where he ran as the Socialist candidate for the U. S. House of Representatives from Luzerne County. The article notes the hard work done by Mother Jones during that campaign and the lack of interest shown by the two most famous union leaders in the American labor movement.

From the Appeal to Reason of December 1, 1906:

DETTREY’S CAMPAIGN IN PENSLYVANIA.
—–

BY ONE OF THE BOYS.
—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for December 1906: Articles Found in Appeal to Reason and Labor World” →

Hellraisers Journal: Judge Hilton Defends Plea Deal in Mesabi Cases, Lauds IWW Men and Praise Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

MN16, ON Hilton speech, LW, Dec 23, 1916

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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday December 23, 1916
Mesabi Range, Minnesota – Plea Agreement & Vindication Meeting

Today’s Duluth Labor World discusses the issues of Justice surrounding the plea agreement reached last week which led to the release of I. W. W. organizers Tresca, Scarlett, and Schmidt:

MN16, Tresca Scarlett Schmidt Released, LW, Dec 23, 1916

OTHER DEFENDANTS DRAW
INDEFINITE TERMS
———-

Tresca Scarlett Schmidt, ISR, Nov 1916

Tresca, Scarlett and Schmidt are freed. Last Friday they were let out of the dingy, over-crowded St. Louis county jail and given their liberty.

Months ago The Labor World made the prediction that the cases against these men would never come to trial; that as soon as the trouble on the ranges blew over these men would be let go. Our prediction was correct, although we have no inclination to claim the virtues of a prophet.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Judge Hilton Defends Plea Deal in Mesabi Cases, Lauds IWW Men and Praise Elizabeth Gurley Flynn” →

Hellraisers Journal: Plea Deal Reached in Iron Miners’ Cases; Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Bids Mesabi Range Good-Bye

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
Share

I loved the people on the Range…
the blond children of the Finnish workers,
with their rosy cheeks…
the dark-eyed Italian children,
trying to be friends.
-Elizabeth Gurley Flynn

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday December 22, 1916
Mesabi Range – Three Strikers to Be Sent to Prison

From the Bemidji Daily Pioneer of December 16, 1916, we learn the sad news that three strikers will be sent to the state penitentiary in Stillwater as a result of plea deal reached in Duluth:

THREE SENT TO “PEN” FOR
KILLING SHERIFF*
—–

[*Note: the so-called “sheriff” in the title of this article was actually a deputized company gunthug who committed an illegal and violent raid upon the Masonovich home.]

Masonovich-P. & M. & Boarders, ISR, Sept 1916

Duluth, Dec. 16.-Three of the eight persons indicted for the murder of Deputy Sheriff Thomas James C. Myron during the strike trouble at Biwabik on July 3 last appeared before Judge Cant in district court here and pleaded guilty to charges of manslaughter in the first degree. They were each sentenced to terms of not more than 20 years in the state penitentiary at Stillwater.

The prisoners who pleaded guilty to manslaughter in the first degree were:

Philip Masonovich, 35; Joe Cernagorcevich, 37, and Joe Nickich, 22.

The murder charge against two others, one a woman, was dismissed and the defendants were given their freedom.

In the three remaining cases which are those pending against the Industrial Workers of the World organizers Carlo Tresca, Sam Scarlet [Scarlett], and Joe Schmidt, continuances were ordered. These three were given their freedom in the mean time.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Plea Deal Reached in Iron Miners’ Cases; Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Bids Mesabi Range Good-Bye” →

Hellraisers Journal: From the Duluth Labor World: Mother Jones on the Iniquities of Child Labor in the South

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
Share

Mother Jones, Stand with Working People, LW, Dec 15, 1906

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday December 19, 1906
From The Labor World: Young Lives Ground Up for Profit

Mother Jones March of the Mill Children, 1903, with text

Mother Jones has never forgotten the cruelty of Child Labor since the summer of 1903 when she led the mill children of Philadelphia on a march to Oyster Bay. They made the long trek in the summer heat in order that they might tell President Roosevelt about the hardships of their lives spent at work instead of in school. The President refused to meet with the children and Mother takes a few jabs at the “Great Prosperity” President in the following article on the subject of Child Labor in the American South.

BABY WAGE-EARNERS IN
SOUTHERN MILLS
—–

“Mother” Jones Writes Stirring
Article on Iniquities of
Child Labor in South.
—–
Cotton Mills Produce a Type of
Children Easily Recognized
As Most Puny.
—–

(By “Mother” Jones.)

After thirteen years of absence I returned to see what improvements had been made in the industrial conditions of the mill workers of the sunny south.

I found that there had been marvelous progress made as far as the mills and machinery were concerned. Looking at the advancement in that line, one would think that the day of rest for the workers must be near. Instead of bringing rest and leisure to the workers, however, this perfected machinery brings only a more merciless exploitation than was ever practiced before. With the advancement in machinery has come a corresponding advance in the methods of exploitation. That is all the difference the improvements have made upon the workers.

I stood one morning in the early dawn and I watched the slaves as they entered the pen of capitalism. I could see the shadows of the slaves passing along in the brush to the mill at twenty minutes to six in the morning. Children, roused from the heavy sleep of youth, left their beds reluctantly and entered the institution of capitalism to create wealth for others to enjoy.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the Duluth Labor World: Mother Jones on the Iniquities of Child Labor in the South” →

Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Slams Murderous Biwabik Editor; Judge Hilton Arrives on Mesabi Range

Janet RayeElizabeth Gurley Flynn
Share

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday December 14, 1916
The Mesabi Range – Miss Flynn Fired Up; Famous Attorney Arrives

MN Iron Range Strike, Tresca Scarlett Schmidt Button, 1916

The Duluth News Tribune, which newspaper seems to approve of the black-hearted Biwabik editor who advocated Everett-style murder against the iron range strikers, nevertheless disapproves when Elizabeth Gurley Flynn wonders aloud why that same editor doesn’t go right on ahead and “start something.”

Meanwhile the famous labor attorney, Judge Orrin N. Hilton has arrived on the Range and is honored to be on the defense team of those charged with murder in connection with a lawless raid on a miner’s home in Biwabik during the miners’ strike last summer. Judge Hilton was the attorney for Joe Hill during the appeal of his murder conviction in the state of Utah. Hilton delivered the Memorial Oration at the Chicago funeral of our Martyred Rebel Songwriter, and that oration so offended the state of Utah that the Judge was formally disbarred in that state on July 1st of this year.

From The Duluth News Tribune of December 11, 1916:

GURLEY FLYNN TAKES “SLAM”
AT PUBLISHER
—–

Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, Reno Gz-Jr, July 12, 1916

HIBBING, Dec. 10.-Elizabeth [Gurley] Flynn, speaking here this afternoon at Workers’ hall in the interests of the I. W. W. members to be tried at Virginia for alleged murder, asked the editor of the Biwabik Times “why he doesn’t start something.” Miss Flynn directed that question from the platform to the absent editor after she had referred to his recent editorial in which he suggested that the best way to treat the I. W. W. on the range was to take an example from the vigilantes of Everett, Wash., where five members of the organization were killed and 52 wounded.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Slams Murderous Biwabik Editor; Judge Hilton Arrives on Mesabi Range” →

Hellraisers Journal: Biwabik Times Advocates Everett-Style Murder for the Miners of Mesabi Should They Dare to Strike Again

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, Tuesday December 5, 1916
Minnesota Mesabi Iron Range – Bullets for Striking Miners?

The Duluth Labor World recently addressed the grave concern displayed by the Biwabik Times for the poor picked-upon Steel Trust. The Times believes that the Lumber Trust of Washington set a good example on the care and treatment of labor agitators when their deputized company gunthugs committed mass murder on Everett’s Bloody Sunday.

From The Labor World of December 2, 1916:

BIWABIK TIMES ADVOCATES MURDER!

MN Miners Strike, Get Out IWW, Cartoon

The Biwabik Times in its issue of Nov. 24 openly
advocates murder!

Think of it! That staunch defender of the poor unprotected steel trust!

It, advocates and even urges the citizens of Biwabik to take human life!

The Times is really worried over the plight of the poor unprotected steel trust. It isn’t fair to call another strike. So naturally the Times has its first convulsion when it learns that a strike of miners will be called on April 1, 1917.

Here is their recommendation:

“To the Times there is apparently but one way to stop this outrage, and that is to just as did the citizens of Everett, Washington.”

The Everett tragedy, contrary to the statements made by the Biwabik Times, is a sad commentary upon the characters and names of the Everett business men who promoted it.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Biwabik Times Advocates Everett-Style Murder for the Miners of Mesabi Should They Dare to Strike Again” →

Hellraisers Journal: How the Steel Trust Gained Control of the Mesabi Iron Range Without Spending a Single Dollar

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, Wednesday November 29, 1916
Minnesota’s Mesabi Iron Range – Under the Rule of the Steel Trust

MN Iron Range Strike, Tresca Scarlett Schmidt Button, 1916

Harrison George, in an article for the November 25th edition of the Duluth Labor World, describes how the Steel Trust came to rule the Mesabi Iron Range of northern Minnesota. This is same Steel Trust which steadfastly refused to bargain with its employees and now seeks to frame-up organizers for the Industrial Workers of the World who have stood with the iron miners and their families in their struggle for justice.

Harrison George says of this plot:

This is the firm that backs with its grimy millions, the persecution of brave men; the firm who desires the conviction on a framed-up murder charge of Carlo Tresca, Sam Scarlett and Joe Schmidt-organisers,-who brought their loyalty to labor into the miner’s strike and who are guilty of no other crime.

From The Labor World of November 25, 1916:

STEEL TRUST GRABS RANGE
WITHOUT COST
—–

By HARRISON GEORGE.

Special Investigator for The Labor World.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: How the Steel Trust Gained Control of the Mesabi Iron Range Without Spending a Single Dollar” →