Tag: United Mine Workers of America

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for June 1918, Part I: Found Organizing in West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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You can’t build a great nation
on a starved and cursed working class.
The workers are the bone and sinew of the nation.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday July 23, 1918
Mother Jones News for June 1918, Part I: Found in West Virginia

Mother Jones, Ft Wy Jr Gz p3, Dec 17, 1917

Mother Jones was found in mostly in West Virginia during the month of June giving fiery speeches to the miners of that state who are now being rapidly organized into the ranks of District 17 of the United Mine Workers of America. For example, on Sunday June 9th, at Haywood Junction, West Virginia, she declared:

Don’t let the Kaiser know that we have men in West Virginia who will let their bosses kick them around and let their children open the doors in the mines for mules to pass….

There are old fellows around here living in the candle age still. There is a change in the thought of the world but these poor fellows can’t see it. This nation can make dollars any time it wishes but men and women cannot be turned out so easily and it takes nourishment, training and character to produce them. The clouds are breaking and the sun is beginning to shine for the workers. Labor went into this war to bring democracy to the world. You can’t build a great nation on a starved and cursed working class. The workers are the bone and sinew of the nation.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for June 1918, Part I: Found Organizing in West Virginia” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for May 1918, Part II: Found in St. Louis, Missouri and Grafton, West Virginia

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Let me see you wake up and fight.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday June 23, 1918
Mother Jones News for May 1918, Part I: Gives Long Interview in St. Louis

From the St Louis Post-Dispatch of May 13, 1918:

Mother Jones Interview, St L Pst Dsp p3, May 13, 1918

Valiant Champion of the Workers Pink of Cheek
at 88 and Wears a Fussy Little Bonnet.
—–
Objects to Women Doing Heavy War Time Work;
Opposes Suffrage, Knitters Rile Her.
—–

BY MARGUERITE MARTYN.

Mother Jones Drawing St L Pst Dsp p3, May 13, 1918

I WOULD like to have had a union card to show. I was glad I was conversant with the after-the-war platform of the British Labor Party as voluminously printed in the Post-Dispatch, and that I could profess full faith in the justice of trade unionism, when I went to call on Mother Jones. As it was, I came out of the interview with the valiant little 88-year-old labor champion comparatively unscathed, though I sat meekly silent while her scorching tongue excoriated many institutions I have at least looked upon with toleration.

Women in war industries supplanting men, she had little patience with.

[She said:]

I see them climbing over engines with their oil cans. I see them pumping levers on street cars; I see them pushing heavy trucks of munitions, and I think, what of the future generation? Woman’s nervous organism is not equal to such work. One of the principles of trade unionism is that women shall work under conditions that will safeguard to the utmost their bodily welfare.

Woman suffrage she dismissed with equal scorn.

Women vote in Colorado and what have they done to improve industrial conditions? After the riots at Trinidad and 20 women and children were laid out in the morgue, committees of ladies came and looked over the scene, and they said, “Too bad, too bad!”

They knew the murder of these innocents, whose men were fighting only for the right to work and earn their bread, had been authorized by the [Democratic] Governor they had helped to put in power. They did not criticise the Governor and some of the women were in the militia that committed the crimes.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for May 1918, Part II: Found in St. Louis, Missouri and Grafton, West Virginia” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for May 1918, Part I: Found Supporting Strikers in St. Louis

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Let me see you wake up and fight.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday June 22, 1918
Mother Jones News for May 1918, Part I: Found in St. Louis

Mother Jones, DRW small, St L Pst p3, May 13, 1918

Mother Jones was first found missing from the May Day celebration in Springfield, Illinois. It appears she was called to an unspecified strike in Quincy, Illinois.

We next found her in Washington, D. C. where the May 1st edition of The Washington Times stated:

“Mother” Jones, noted labor leader, arrived here today to appear before the National War Labor Board and plead with former President William H. Taft, in the interest of commercial telegraphers demanding the right to organize.

On May 10th and 11th, we find Mother in the pages of the St. Louis, Missouri, newspapers where her efforts on behalf of the men and women on strike against the Wagner Electric Manufacturing Company are well covered.

We will pick up the story of Mother Jones in St. Louis in Part II of our Mother Jones News Round-Up for May 1918.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for May 1918, Part I: Found Supporting Strikers in St. Louis” →

Hellraisers Journal: From United Mine Workers Journal: Mary Petrucci Unveils Ludlow Monument on Memorial Day

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mary Petrucci, Joe's Little Hammer, NY Tb p7, Feb 4, 1915
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday June 7, 1918
Ludlow, Colorado – Magnificent Monument Unveiled on Memorial Day

The unveiling described:

Mary Petrucci, on tour, May 1914

Mrs. Mary Pertucci [Petrucci], who lost three of her children in the massacre, unveiled the monument while the great crowd of miners and sympathizers paid their silent respect to the memory of the dead.

On the barren plain where once stood the humble tent colony of the Ludlow strikers, the monument towers, an impressive landmark. Down through the years that are to come it will mark the scene of a dastardly crime. More eloquently than any spoken word it will tell the tragic story of the poor murdered women and the innocent babes of Ludlow who died for democracy.

[Photograph added.]

United Mine Workers Journal of June 6, 1918:

Ludlow Memorial Dedicated, UMWJ, June 6, 1918

Details:

Ludlow Memorial Dedicated, Detail, UMWJ, June 6, 1918

—–

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Hellraisers Journal: Magnificent Monument Dedicated at Ludlow; Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller Appear, Uninvited

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Quote Frank Hayes, Here on Ludlow Field, UMWJ June 6, 1918~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday June 2, 1918
Ludlow, Colorado -United Mine Workers Remembers the Martyrs

From The Fur Workers of June 1, 1918:

MONUMENT AT LUDLOW

Ludlow, Col.,-A magnificent monument was dedicated here May 30, by the United Mine Workers in honor of the 33 men, women and children who were killed by a detachment of the Colorado state militia on April 20, 1914. The militia were gunmen imported into the state by the Colorado Fuel and Iron company, a Rockefeller subsidiary.

The miners and their families had been evicted from their homes by the coal company and were living in tents when they were fired upon by the thugs, who afterwards burned the tents. The United Mine Workers later purchased the site of the tent colony and erected the monument.

At the base of the monument is the figure of a worker, upstanding and resolute, while beside him is the figure of a woman clutching a babe. On the monument is this inscription:

In memory of the men, women and children who lost their lives in freedom’s cause at Ludlow, Colorado, April 20, 1914. Erected by the United Mine workers of America.

———-

Ludlow Monument, UMWJ -p6, May 16, 1918

———-

Ludlow Monument, Inscription, Sharp

[Emphasis and photographs added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Magnificent Monument Dedicated at Ludlow; Mr. and Mrs. Rockefeller Appear, Uninvited” →

Hellraisers Journal: Charles G. Bowers Writing “Life of Senator Kern” with Assistance of Mother Jones

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones fr Military Bastile to Sen Kern, May 4, [1913]
Mother Jones – 1913
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday May 21, 1918
“Heroine of Paint Creek” Recalls the Miners’ Friend, Senator Kern

From The United Mine Workers Journal of May 16, 1918:

NOTICE TO LOCAL UNIONS

John W Kern 1913, Life by Bowers, 1918

When Senator John W. Kern introduced his resolution in the United States Senate calling for an investigation into the conditions of the Paint Creek and Cabin Creek regions of West Virginia all the special interests in the country became active in an effort to defeat it.

A Wall street representative who had known Senator Kern in other days called him on the phone and begged him to drop the resolutions. “I’ll see you in hell first,” replied Kern, hanging up the receiver.

A more bitter battle has seldom been waged in the Senate, and for the first time in history in a straight fight between the powerful and the workers the workers won—through Kern’s gallant fight.

And that was in keeping with Kern’s battles for labor all his life.

The story of the ten-year battle for the unionization of miners in West Virginia is told fully and graphically in the

Life of Senator Kern,

which is being written by Claude G. Bowers, who was intimately associated with him.

Mother Jones, the “heroine of Paint Creek,” has furnished much data to the author for this chapter—the longest in the book.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Charles G. Bowers Writing “Life of Senator Kern” with Assistance of Mother Jones” →

Hellraisers Journal: Memorial Monument to Be Unveiled This Decoration Day on the Hollowed Ground at Ludlow, Colorado

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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I can’t have my babies back.
But perhaps when everybody knows about them,
something will be done to make the world
a better place for all babies.
At least, I like to think so.
It is the only thing which gives me any comfort.
-Mary Petrucci

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Hellraisers Journal, Monday May 20, 1918
Ludlow, Colorado – Monument to be Unveiled on Hollowed Ground

Let it be recorded in the annals of organized labor that those who perished on Ludlow field on the 20th day of April, 1914, died for a great cause, and let us who now do honor to their memory, so live and act that they may not have died in vain.

From the United Mine Workers Journal of May 16, 1918:

IN REMEMBRANCE

Ludlow Monument, UMWJ -p6, May 16, 1918

On the 20th day of April, 1914, the darkest chapter in the industrial life of America was written.

On the field of Ludlow, Colo., a tented city had been erected by the United Mine Workers of America to house the striking miners and their families after they had been evicted from their homes by the coal company gunmen at the commencement of the great strike in the southern coal fields.

Under the leadership of one E. K. Linderfeldt, a detachment of the Colorado state militia that had been recruited from gunmen imported into Colorado by the Rockefeller and other large coal corporations, deliberately planned the dastardly deed of shooting up and exterminating the peaceful tent colony at Ludlow. On Monday, April 20, 1914, the unspeakable crime was committed, and 33 men, women and children were brutally slain and their poor tented homes were burned to the ground.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Memorial Monument to Be Unveiled This Decoration Day on the Hollowed Ground at Ludlow, Colorado” →

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for April 1918, Part I: Found in West Virginia; Will Speak at Mooney Meeting in San Francisco

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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Quote Mother Jones re Tom Mooney and Courts, Dec 16, 1918~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Friday May 17, 1918
Mother Jones News for April 1918, Part I: Found in West Virginia

From The Wheeling Intelligencer of April 1, 1918:

Mother Jones Fire Eater, Lg Crpd, St L Str, Aug 23, 1917

MOUNDSVILLE
—–
Miners Here Today.

Miners from the mines in this section of the Ohio valley gather here today to participate in the miners’ convention, which is to be held in commemoration of the eight hour day for miners. The session will be held on the campground and the speaking in the camp ground auditorium Hon. James D. Parriott will preside. Two hands have been hired for the occasion and a street parade will held this morning previous to going to the camp grounds. Congressman M. M. Neely, Mother Jones, John Moore and William Roy are among the speakers. The Red Cross will have charge of the refreshments.

———-

[Photograph added.]

From The Wheeling Intelligencer of April 2, 1918:

BIG CELEBRATION BY MINERS
—–

With the speaking of “Mother” Jones, Congressman M. N. Neely, President William E. Roy of the district, members Fifth district coal miners, held their observance of the twenty-eighth anniversary of the “Eight hour law” yesterday at the Moundsville camp ground. The occasion was the largest celebration ever staged in the Mound City, and there were more than a thousand workers from all parts of Ohio and this state present.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for April 1918, Part I: Found in West Virginia; Will Speak at Mooney Meeting in San Francisco” →

Hellraisers Journal: Ludlow Monument Will be Dedicated on Decoration Day by United Mine Workers of America

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Sunday April 28, 1918
Ludlow, Colorado – Miners to Dedicate Monument to Honor Martyrs

From the United Mine Workers Journal of April 25, 1918:

DIST. NO. 15, COLORADO

Ludlow Massacre by Morris Hall Pancoast, Masses, June 1914

Frank Hayes, UMWJ p3, Jan 10, 1918

President Hayes has sent the following letter which is self-explanatory, to President Johnson of District No. 15:

Mr. Geo. O. Johnson, President,
District 15, U. M. W. of A.,
Pueblo, Colorado.
Dear Sir and Brother:

Just a few lines to advise that we expect to have the Ludlow Monument erected and in place by next Decoration Day, and we propose to hold dedication exercises at Ludlow on that date. In view of this fact, it might be well to postpone the anniversary demonstration until May 30th, at which time we expect to hold a great demonstration at Ludlow, which will be attended by all the members of the International Executive Board. I suggest that you notify your Local Unions as to our intention to hold dedication exercises on May 30th.

With all good wishes, I am,
Fraternally yours,
FRANK J. HAYES, President.

It may be stated here that owing to difficulties encountered in transporting material, the original arrangements to have the monument arrive at Ludlow in time to hold dedication services on the day of the anniversary of the Ludlow massacre, could not be carried out. The dedication and memorial exercises will be held on Decoration Day as set forth in the above communication.

All local unions of Dist. No. 15 are advised to make suitable arrangements to be represented at Ludlow on the 30th day of May, when it is expected that the miners of Colorado will foregather in a mighty demonstration to pay tribute to those who died that the United Mine Workers might endure in Colorado.

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Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for March 1918, Part I: Found in Kansas and Iowa Speaking at UMW District Conventions

Janet RayeHellraisers Journal
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She is the same dear little old Mother Jones
and if she has lost any vigor
in the past two years I can’t see it.
-An Iowa Miner, 1918

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday April 19, 1918
Mother Jones News for March 1918: Found in Kansas and Iowa

Mother Jones Fire Eater, Lg Crpd, St L Str, Aug 23, 1917

 

We begin our Mother Jones news round-up for March 1918 with a report of Mother listening to A. F. of L. President Samuel Gompers pleading for the Eight Hour Day before the Chicago Alschuler Hearings. We next find her speaking before district conventions of the United Mine Workers held in Kansas and in Iowa.

From Springfield’s Illinois State Register of March 1, 1918:

GOMPERS SAYS SHORTER DAYS WILL WIN WAR
—–
Long Hours and Low Wages Drive Men to Drink,
Is Plea of Labor Chief at Chicago
—–

MOTHER JONES LISTENS
—–

Chicago, Feb. 28.-Samuel Gompers, president of the American Federation of Labor made a stirring appeal today in behalf of an eight-hour day for employes in the meat packing industry at the stockyards wage arbitration. He appeared as a witness for the employes and his testimony was eagerly listened to by “Mother” Mary Jones, an organizer for the United Mine Workers and several hundred other representatives of organized labor from all sections of the country…..

From the Kansas Pittsburg Daily Headlight of March 11, 1918:

DISTRICT MINERS’ CONVENTION STARTS
—–

MOTHER JONES IS ON HAND TO ADDRESS
KANSAS COAL DIGGERS
—–
President Howat’s Report Was Read
at Opening Session-
Excluded Two Papers From Hall.
—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for March 1918, Part I: Found in Kansas and Iowa Speaking at UMW District Conventions” →