Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for November 1919, Part I: Found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D. C.

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Quote Mother Jones, Raise Hell in Jail, Gary IN Oct 23, NYT p2, Oct 24, 1919———-

Hellraisers Journal – Sunday December 28, 1919
Mother Jones News for November 1919, Part I
Found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania and Washington, D. C.

From The Survey of November 8, 1919
-taken from “Closed Towns” by S. Adele Shaw:

GSS, Mother Jones, WZF, Organizers, Survey p64, Nov 8, 1919

———-

[One] evening I went to a meeting of strikers [held in Braddock, Pennsylvania]. All was quiet as I made my way toward the river. Down a poorly lighted street, so dark I could scarcely see the curb, I found the men standing, filling the vacant lot before the door of the hall which was packed, and on the sidewalks and street, but not blocking either. There was neither noise nor excitement. “Mother Jones goin’ to speak.” “Come on, lady.” And the men held up their arms to open a passage for me. The hall was jammed. Sweat stood on every forehead.

The first speaker was J. G. Brown of the Pittsburgh strike committee. I had heard him the summer before in the mill towns telling the men what the eight-hour day would mean for them and their families, urging them to take out their papers and become citizens, and never failing to impress upon them the necessity of obeying the laws of the town, state and the country. Then came the deep clear voice of a woman, filling every corner of the hall. I stood on tiptoe and saw the grey hair of Mother Jones, the woman agitator of the mining districts of Colorado and West Virginia, who with the rough speech and ready invective of the old-time labor spell binder, has exerted a powerful influence over the striking steel workers. At her first words there was complete silence. Though practically all were foreigners, not a man in the hall appeared to miss a word.

[Mother Jones said:]

We’re going to have a hell of a fight here, boys. We are to find out whether Pennsylvania belongs to Gary or to Uncle Sam. If it belongs to Gary we are going to take it away from him. We can scare and starve and lick the whole gang when we get ready…The eyes of the world are on us today. They want to see if America can make the fight…Our boys went over there. You were told to clean up the Kaiser. Well, you did it. And now we’re going to clean up the damned Kaisers at home…They sit up and smoke seventy-five cent cigars and have a lackey bring them champagne. They have stomachs two miles long and two miles wide and we fill them…Remember when all was dark in Europe and Columbus said, “I see a new land,” they laughed. But the Queen of Spain sold her jewels and Columbus went to it…He died in poverty, but he gave us this nation and you and I aren’t going to let Gary take it from us…If he wants fourteen hours he can go in and work it himself…We don’t want guns. We want to destroy guns. We want honest men to keep the peace. We want music and play grounds and the things to make life worth while…Now, you fellows go on out. I want to talk to the other boys.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for November 1919, Part I: Found in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Washington, D. C.”

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1909: “The President Gave Me an Audience.”

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Quote Mother Jones, Friend of Friendless, St L Labor, June 26, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday July 13, 1909
Mother Jones News Round-Up for June 1909, Part II:
-Hard at Work for Release of the Mexican Political Refugees

From St. Louis Labor of June 26, 1909:

Washington, D. C.,
June 17, 1909.

Editor [G. A.] Hoehn,
St. Louis, Mo.
Dear Comrade:

Mother Jones Seeks Pardon Crpd, Oak Tb p3, June 24, 1909

I have been hard at work for a week, working for the release of the Mexican Political Refugees. Yesterday the President gave me an audience. I presented a sworn statement from Gue[r]ra, who has been sentenced to the Federal penitentiary at Leavenworth, Kansas. Warden McCloughery was extremely courteous and sympathetic in every way.

T. V. Powderly, one of the early fighters for Labors’ rights in the stormy days of the past, arranged a meeting with the attorney of the Board of Pardons; he gave me a very respectful hearing, and promised to send the papers to the President as soon as possible.

When the President and I met, his salutation was: “Mother Jones, it seems to me that you are always working in behalf of the friendless?” I replied:

Well Mr. President, those who got many friends do not need my assistance.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for June 1909: “The President Gave Me an Audience.””

Hellraisers Journal: U. S. Supreme Court Legalizes the Bullpen & Preventative Arrest in Case of Moyer v Peabody

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Quote Mother Jones, Powers of Privilege, Ab Chp III
———-

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday January 23, 1909
Washington, District of Columbia – U. S. Supreme Court Rules Against Moyer

From the Socialist Montana News of January 21, 1909:

Moyer v Peabody US Sp Crt, WDC Eve Str, Jan 7, 1909

Highest Court in the Land
Legalizes Bull Pen.
—–

Washington, Jan. 18.-The supreme court of the United States today decided against President Moyer, of the Western Federation of Miners, in the damage suit brought by him against former Governor Peabody, of Colorado, on account of Moyer’s imprisonment on the governor’s orders because of his alleged connection with riots at Telluride, Col., in 1904.

In the course of his opinion Justice Holmes said:

Right to Call Troops.

We must assume that the governor had a right under the state constitution and laws to call out troops, as was held by the supreme court of the state. The constitution is supplemented by an act providing that when an invasion of or insurrection in the state is made or threatened, the governor shall order the national guard to repel or suppress the same.

That means that he will make the ordinary use of the soldiers to that end; that he my kill persons who resist, and of course that he my use the milder methods of seizing the bodies of those whom he considers to stand in the way of restoration of peace. Such arrests are not necessarily for punishment, but are by way of precaution to prevent the exercise of hostile power; so long as each arrests are made in good faith and in the honest belief that they are needed in order to hold the insurrection off, the governor is the final judge and cannot be subjected to an action after he is out of office on the ground that he had no reasonable ground for his belief.

Individuals Must Yield.

When it comes to a decision by the head of the state upon a matter involving its life, the ordinary rights of individuals must yield to what he deems the necessities of the movement. Public danger warrants the substitution of executive process for judicial process.

[Newsclip added.]

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Hellraisers Journal: Influenza Claims Life of Miss Sadie Gompers, Daughter of A. F. of L. President Samuel Gompers

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Pray for the dead
and fight like hell for the living.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal – Saturday October 26, 1918
Washington, District of Columbia – Miss Sadie Gompers Passes Away

From the Duluth Labor World of October 26, 1918:

MISS GOMPERS PASSES AWAY
—–
Only Daughter of Mr. and Mrs. Samuel Gompers
Dies After Two Days’ Illness.
—–

Sadie Gompers, LOC, d. age 33 per WDC Eve Str p17, Oct 14, 1918

WASHINGTON, Oct. 24.-Miss Sadie Gompers, only daughter of President Gompers and Mrs. Gompers, died in this city [October 14th] after a two days’ illness with influenza. Interment was private. President Gompers [of the American Federation of Labor] was in Italy with the American labor mission at the time of the tragic occurrence.

Miss Gompers was an accomplished singer, and she was well known to trade unionists because of the many conventions and public meetings she had attended with her father. The high esteem in which she was held was indicated by the telegrams and floral offerings received at the family residence from trade unionists and other friends in every section of the country.

———-

[Photograph added.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Influenza Claims Life of Miss Sadie Gompers, Daughter of A. F. of L. President Samuel Gompers”

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

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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: Eugene V. Debs on Tour for Social Democracy of America, Found in Delaware and Washington, D.C.

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The issue is Socialism versus Capitalism.
I am for Socialism because I am for humanity.
We have been cursed with the reign of gold long enough.
-Eugene Victor Debs

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

Hellraisers Journal, Monday March 21, 1898
Eugene V. Debs on Tour-Found in Wilmington, Baltimore, & Washington

From the Wilmington Every Evening of March 19, 1898:

AD, The Social Democrat of SDA, LW p5, Mar 19, 1898

Debs on Social Democracy.

Eugene V Debs, head of the Social Democracy movement, and C. Wesley Callahan, the secretary, explained the movement to a fair-sized audience in Turn Hall last evening. B. Lundy Kent presided. The aim of socialism is industrial equality, to be obtained by the co-operative commonwealth. The people, as explained by Debs are to seize the instruments and all means of production. The State is to run business as well as government. The local Social Democracy is to meet on Sunday afternoons at 610½ Market street.

———-

[Ad for The Social Democrat is from the Duluth Labor World]

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Hellraisers Journal: Bisbee Deportation Severely Scored by Report of President Wilson’s Mediation Commission

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Don’t worry, Fellow Worker,
all we’re going to need
from now on is guts.
-Frank Little

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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday December 1, 1917
Washington, District of Columbia – Bisbee Deportation “Wholly Illegal”

The deportation of the striking miners of Bisbee, Arizona, carried out last July by the sheriff of Cochise county and about 2,000 of his armed “deputies,” was “wholly illegal and without authority in law, either state or federal.” So says the recently released “Report of the Bisbee Deportations Made by the President’s Mediation Commission.” The Commission was chaired by Secretary of Labor William B. Wilson.

William B Wilson, Sec of Labor, LOC ab 1913

From the Duluth Labor World of December 1, 1917:

COMMISSION CRITICIZES BISBEE DEPORTATIONS

WASHINGTON. Nov. 29.—Severe criticism of the persons responsible for the deportation of 1,186 striking copper workers from Bisbee, Ariz., and the Warren mining district July 12, is contained in a report of President Wilson’s special labor commission made public Saturday by the president.

The deportation was carried out by the sheriff of Cochise county and about 2,000 armed men, “presuming to act as deputies under the sheriff’s authority,” the report said, and “was wholly illegal and without authority in law, either state or federal.”

After extensive investigation of the causes and circumstances surrounding the copper mine strike, the commission found that the deportations were planned by a number of Bisbee citizens, including officers of the Phelps-Dodge and Calumet & Arizona mining interests.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Bisbee Deportation Severely Scored by Report of President Wilson’s Mediation Commission”

Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1917, Part I: Found in West Virginia, Washington D.C. and Colorado

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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, Thursday November 22, 1917
Mother Jones News for October, Part I: Up Against the West Virginia Gunthugs

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

During the month of October 1917, we find Mother Jones in Raleigh, West Virginia, once more facing the Baldwin-Felts gunthugs. Lawrence Dwyer, organizer for the United Mine Workers of America, described the encounter:

So Mother Jones, accompanied by District President Gilmore, Lawrence Dwyer and other representatives, went to the meeting in an automobile, and as the meeting was assembling alongside of the county road, three shots were fired from a rifle on the hillside and sixty gunmen came from the hills, each having a high-powered 30-30 rifle. They swarmed around Mother Jones and the officials with her and they all having their rifles pointing at Mother Jones, and they said they would “shoot her damned head off,” but Mother Jones didn’t appear to scare at all; in fact, when they threatened to shoot her she told them back, “Oh, no you won’t.” In fact, I know I felt more uneasy than Mother Jones did.

Mother was also found in Washington, D. C., and in Colorado during the month of October 1917.

From The Beckley Messenger of October 2, 1917:

MINERS HOLD MEETING

A large number of miners from Raleigh and intermediate mines met in Beckley Sunday afternoon and held a meeting at the court house. Plans looking to the betterment of working conditions were discussed. “Mother” Jones was present and expressed the wish that the coal companies might dispense with the services of armed guards, wherever they were employed.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts & Doings of Mother Jones for October 1917, Part I: Found in West Virginia, Washington D.C. and Colorado”

Hellraisers Journal: Suffragist Alice Paul Sentenced to Six Months in Workhouse for “Obstructing Traffic”

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We feel that we are not subject
to the laws of this court,
in the making of which we have no part.
-Alice Paul

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday October 26, 1917
Washington, D. C. – Rebel Alice Paul Jailed for Freedom’s Cause

Although the following report from the News and Observer scores Alice Paul and the National Woman’s Party as “the laughing stock of Washington,” we nevertheless find therein the statement issued by Miss Paul and her supporters shortly after sentence was passed upon her.

From North Carolina’s Raleigh News and Observer of October 24, 1917:

ALICE PAUL HAPPY IN JAIL UNDER
THE CLAIM OF MARTYR
—–
She Will Serve at Least Half a Year Unless
There Is Un-expected Turn
—–

SHE WAS ILL WHEN FIRST PICKETS
WERE ARRESTED
—–
Congressional Union For Woman Suffrage or Its Successor
The National Woman’s Party
Considered More or Less a Fake Organization
Since It Started
—–

By H. E. C. BRYANT.

Suffragists, Alice Paul, Eve Pb Ldg p1, Philly, Oct 22, 1917

Washington, Oct. 23.-Miss Alice Paul is happy now that she is in jail, and can make the claim of martyr. She was ill when the first White House pickets were arrested, tried and sent to prison but as soon as she got well she began to try to force the authorities of the District of Columbia to recognize her as the leader of the lawbreakers. She was sentenced to six months for one offense and one month for another. She will serve at least a half a year unless some unexpected turn comes to free her.

The Congressional Union for Woman Suffrage or its successor, the National Woman’s Party, has been more or less a fake organization ever since it started. Conventions have been held, and delegates “selected” from the “various States.” A few years ago, when a national convention was held here, and all the States were to be represented, the News and Observer correspondent went to the Columbia Theatre, where it assembled, to get a list of the North Carolina suffragists. The Tar Heel seats were filled with women carrying North Carolina standards but only one or two out of the score who “represented” the State had ever as much as passed through it. Most of the women claiming to be North Carolinians lived in the District of Columbia, where they were born. The “national convention” was made up of fake-delegates. Like the three famous tailors of Tooley street they met and resoluted.

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