Hellraisers Journal: Idaho National Guard Invades Washington, Arrests IWW Lumber Strike Leaders at Spokane Union Hall

Share

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

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday August 31, 1917
Spokane, Washington – Local Leaders of I. W. W. Held by Military

From the Great Falls Daily Tribune of August 30, 1917:

Spokane, Aug. 29.-[…..]

James Rowan, district secretary of the I. W. W. for the northwestern states, who ordered a general strike, is still held as a military prisoner in the county jail with 11 other alleged I. W. W. They were arrested here by Major Wilkins August 19, the day before the strike was to have become effective.

—–

From the International Socialist Review of August 1917:

https://archive.org/stream/ISR-volume18#page/n45/mode/1up

—–

General Strike of Lumber Workers

AS we go to press a telegram brings the news of a general strike of all lumber workers west of the Mississippi river. It reads as follows:

Seattle, Wash., July 17. General strike has been called by Lumber Workers’ Industrial Union No. 500 of the I. W. W. Thousands responding to call. Solidarity fine. No scabs so far. John Martin.

The lumber trust and its henchmen, the state officials, county and city officials, with the aid of the militia, are resorting to the most ruthless methods to break the strike. Halls have been closed, strikers by the hundreds arrested and thrown in jails, or herded in stockades, but still the spirits of resistance grows. The lumber jacks have made up their minds that they are tired of the rotten conditions, and the long hours, and they will simply not tolerate them any longer. They are out to win this fight, and the $500,000 defense fund raised by the Lumbermen’s Association will not stop them. If the Lumbermen’s Association can raise half a million dollars to defend their profits, then the “jacks” say that the Lumbermen’s Association can raise half a million more dollars to increase the pay of the lumber jacks. Late reports state that the authorities are backing down and the halls are being reopened. The September Labor Day edition of the REVIEW will have an illustrated article covering the strike which we hope to call—How the Lumber Jacks Won!

[Drawing by Robert Minor added to article.]

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Idaho National Guard Invades Washington, Arrests IWW Lumber Strike Leaders at Spokane Union Hall”

Hellraisers Journal: “Frank Little was an agitator, he made the people think..” -Whitewash by Emma Little

Share

Emma Little Quote, Whitewash, Sol Aug 11, 1917

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday August 30, 1917
Fresno, California – Sister-in-Law of Frank Little Pens Poem

Emma Little, staunch supporter of the Industrial Workers of the World, lives in Fresno with her husband, Fred, brother of our martyred Fellow Worker, Frank Little. Emma and Fred have three children: Walter, Lawrence and Victoria.

Fresno was the scene of the famous Free Speech Fight of 1910-1911 in which Frank Little, along with Fred and Emma, played active and heroic roles.

From Solidarity of August 11, 1917:

ISR Doodle, 614, Apr 1917
Frank Little Whitewash by Emma, Sol Aug 11, 1917
ISR Doodle, 614, Apr 1917

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: “Frank Little was an agitator, he made the people think..” -Whitewash by Emma Little”

Hellraisers Journal: Duluth News Tribune, Mouthpiece of Mine Owners, Reports on Visit of Mother Jones

Share

Mother Jones Quote, Red Flag, DNT Aug 11, 1907, p7

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday August 29, 1907
Duluth, Minnesota – News Tribune Reports on Mother Jones

On August 27th Hellraisers republished articles from the August 24 edition of the Duluth Labor World concerning the recent visit of Mother Jones. One of the headlines read:

LABOR’S “LITTLE ANGEL” IS WRONGED BY PAPERS

Today we republish articles concerning the visit of Mother Jones from the mine owners’ most virulent mouthpiece, The Duluth News Tribune.

From The Duluth News Tribune of August 19, 1907:

Mother Jones, Shoot And Be Damned, DNT, Aug 19, 1907, p1

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Duluth News Tribune, Mouthpiece of Mine Owners, Reports on Visit of Mother Jones”

Hellraisers Journal: Federal Government Passive as Miner Owners Establish Industrial Despotism in Bisbee

Share
There are no limits to which
powers of privilege will not go
to keep the workers in slavery.
-Mother Jones
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday August 28, 1917
Bisbee, Arizona – Deputized Company Gunthugs Control City

From the Appeal to Reason of August 25, 1917:

The Truth About Bisbee

—–

Bisbee Deportation Miners and Supporters July 12, 1917

—–

Bisbee, Ariz., has not formally seceded from the Union, but the mining companies of that district have set up an independent sovereignty-an industrial despotism-in utter defiance of American laws and the rights of American citizens. In the presence of this organized outlawry of capitalism, the great government of the United States remains passive and idle. Official Washington has virtually ignored the situation in Bisbee, just as it ignored the outrages in West Virginia and in Colorado and in a score of other places where capitalistic despotism sought to crush the workers. In connection with the Bisbee trouble it is interesting to note that one of the leading mining corporations of that district is the Phelps Dodge Company, and to recall that Cleveland H. Dodge, vice president of the Phelps Dodge Company, was a heavy contributor to the Democratic national campaign fund. A full and disinterested account of the happenings in Bisbee is given by the San Francisco Bulletin in a personal interview with Thomas McGuinness, a real estate dealer of Bisbee. The following is Mr. McGuinness’ story:

—–

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Federal Government Passive as Miner Owners Establish Industrial Despotism in Bisbee”

Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Comes to Duluth to Support Striking Mesabi Iron Miners

Share

Plea for Justice, Not Charity, Quote Mother Jones

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

Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday August 27, 1907
From The Labor World: “Labor’s Little Angel” Speaks in Duluth

Mother Jones, Mar 11, 1905, AtR

Mother Jones spoke at the Duluth Armory on Sunday August 18th. With her on the platform where William E. McEwen, editor and publisher of The Labor World, and C. E. Mahoney who served as acting president of the Western Federation of Miners until the recent release of Charles Moyer from jail in Boise.

The striking iron miners of the Mesabi Range were supported by the speakers, and the steel trust and their gunthugs were condemned.

During her speech Mother Jones declared:

When they bring in the guns and the military, they think they have conquered; they rejoice at the thought they have conquered labor. You can conquer the steel trust, you can conquer the paper trust—every other trust in the world, but put it down for the editor in the morning that you can’t conquer the labor trust. If you wipe out the working class, what are the rich people going to do; they can’t even cook a meal of victuals for themselves.

From The Labor World of August 24, 1907:

ARMORY MASS MEETING WAS
MOST SUCCESSFUL
—–
Mother Jones Tells Working People of
Duluth Something About
Labor Conditions.
—–
Large Crowd Turned Out in Spite
of Inclement Weather—
Interest Was Great.
—–

The mass meeting at the armory last Sunday evening [August 18th] brought out 300 of the faithful. The weather was most unfavorable. The worst storm of the season was at its height, and even those on the program as speakers didn’t expect to see more than the committee on hand. However, the attendance was good, and spirit was high.

The meeting was called lo order by W. E. McEwen. On the platform with him were Alderman Jos. Shartell, Mother Jones, C. E. Mahoney, acting president of the Western Federation of Miners, and M. Kaplin. The Finnish band opened the meeting with the playing of the Marseilles.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Comes to Duluth to Support Striking Mesabi Iron Miners”

Hellraisers Journal: Oklahoma Tenant Farmers Rebellion About More Than Draft Resistance, So Says Northwest Worker

Share

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

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

Hellraisers Journal, Saturday August 25, 1917
Southeastern Oklahoma – Tenant Farmers Rebellion Crushed

An article (see below) in the Everett Northwest Worker of August 23rd challenges the usual portrayal of recent rebellion in southeastern Oklahoma as being merely a riot caused by “slackers” bent on evading the draft. The rebellion was swiftly crushed and and the rebels rounded up.

From the San Bernardino News of August 14, 1917:

Green Corn Rebellion, OK Rebels, San B Ns, Aug 14, 1917
Here is the first actual photograph received of the “draft rebellion” in southeast Oklahoma, where hundreds of Indians, negroes and white tenant farmers took to the hills and wilds in an effort to evade army service. Picture shows eight draft rioters just brought in from the scene of a battle near Holdenville. Note carefully the types of men among the prisoners-the men who are leading this organized effort to defy the military army of Uncle Sam. Note, too, the ready rifles in hands of the possemen.

Detail 1:

Green Corn Rebellion, OK Rebels, San B Ns, Aug 14, 1917, 1

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: Oklahoma Tenant Farmers Rebellion About More Than Draft Resistance, So Says Northwest Worker”

Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: 121 IWW & Socialist Party Men Enter Chicago Jail

Share

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

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

Hellraisers Journal, Friday August 24, 1917
Chicago, Illinois – Anti-War Prisoners Enter Bridewell

Cover of the International Socialist Review for August 1917:

A reminder of our Fellow Workers and Comrades now behind the prison bars-

WWIR, Inside For You, Aug 1917

———-

121 Behind the Prison Bars

 

WWIR, IWW SP AntiWar Prisoners, ISR Aug 1917
One hundred twenty-one men entering Bridewell Work House, Chicago.
They were sentenced to one year’s hard labor by Judge Landis for refusing to register.

—–

One Hundred and Twenty-One Men

THE following accounts of the trial and imprisonment of 121 Socialists and members of the I. W. W. who voluntarily gave themselves up to the sheriff rather than register is taken from the Chicago newspapers.

Judge Landis first won fame by fining the Standard Oil Co., $29,000,000.00—which of course was never paid.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From the International Socialist Review: 121 IWW & Socialist Party Men Enter Chicago Jail”

Hellraisers Journal: From Appeal to Reason: Woman Representatives Score Butte & Bisbee, Article by Rosa McKay

Share
I am not a member of the I. W. W.
or an industrial workers of the world sympathizer
but a woman who believes in
the constitutional rights of every man and woman.
-Rosa McKay

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

Hellraisers Journal, Thursday August 23, 1917
From the Appeal to Reason: Two Brave Women Speak for Labor

The Appeal to Reason of August 18th featured the opinions of two women elected to represent the people: the first, Miss Jeannette Rankin of the United States House of Representatives, and the second, Mrs. Rosa McKay of the Arizona House of Representatives. Yesterday we featured the speech by Miss Rankin who outlined conditions at Butte. We conclude today with an article by Mrs. McKay who describes recent events in Bisbee.

Butte and Bisbee Outrages Scored
by Brave Woman Representatives

Rosa McKay, WTUL Life and Labor, Nov 1918

…In an article to the Appeal, Mrs. Rosa McKay, member of the Arizona House of Representatives from Bisbee, Cochise county, Arizona, tells of the Bisbee deportation….

By Mrs. Rosa McKay

Member Arizona House of Representatives

For fourteen years I have claimed Bisbee as my home. But after Thursday, the twelfth day of July. I hang my head in shame and sorrow for the sights I have witnessed here. When the full truth about Bisbee reaches the outside world, it will be looked upon with deserved aversion.

In this article I shall give an honest and unbiased statement, from a fair and impartial standpoint, of the labor situation in Bisbee today. I belong to no labor organization or mining corporation. I am merely an onlooker and spectator, and a firm believer in the constitutional rights of all American citizens, whether by birth or naturalization, the rights that our forefathers fought, bled and died for.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From Appeal to Reason: Woman Representatives Score Butte & Bisbee, Article by Rosa McKay”

Hellraisers Journal: From Appeal to Reason: Woman Representatives Score Butte & Bisbee, Jeannette Rankin Speaks

Share

No one is safe where lynching is sanctioned.
-Jeannette Rankin

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

Hellraisers Journal, Wednesday August 22, 1917
From the Appeal to Reason: Two Brave Women Speak for Labor

The Appeal to Reason of August 18th featured the opinions of two women elected to represent the people: the first, Miss Jeannette Rankin of the United States House of Representatives, and the second, Mrs. Rosa McKay of the Arizona House of Representative. Today we begin with Miss Rankin who outlines conditions at Butte. We will conclude tomorrow with Mrs. McKay and her view of recent events in Bisbee.

Butte and Bisbee Outrages Scored
by Brave Woman Representatives

Jeannette Rankin, MN Princeton Union, Aug 9, 1917

The stories of the labor troubles in Butte, Mont., and Bisbee, Ariz., are told below by two women, both of them elected representatives of the people from their respective districts.

Miss Jeanette Rankin, of Montana, the first Congresswoman of the United States, told of conditions in Butte in a speech [August 7th] before the national House of Representatives.

In an article to the Appeal, Mrs. Rosa McKay, member of the Arizona House of Representatives from Bisbee, Cochise county, Arizona, tells of the Bisbee deportation.

The activity of these two women in behalf of justice for the workers and in defense of the cause of true democracy, leaves little wonder why the reactionary, corporation-serving politicians have sought to prevent the entrance of woman into politics. Speed the day when woman will take her full share in the affairs of government! Miss Rankin and Mrs. McKay have done the cause of suffrage a great service in the noble stand they have taken.

Continue reading “Hellraisers Journal: From Appeal to Reason: Woman Representatives Score Butte & Bisbee, Jeannette Rankin Speaks”