Hellraisers Journal: Whereabouts and Doings of Mother Jones for April 1912, Part III: Speaks in Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana on Behalf of Harriman Strikers

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Quote re Mother Jones, LW p3, Apr 20, 1912—————

Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday May 21, 1912
Mother Jones News Round-Up for April 1912, Part III
Found Traveling  and Speaking in Minnesota, North Dakota and Montana

From The Labor World of April 20, 1912:

HdLn Mother Jones at Head of Lakes, LW p1, Apr20, 1912

Mary Jones, the little mother of the miners, and familiarly known throughout the country as Mother Jones, was a visitor in Duluth Monday and Tuesday. She delivered an address Monday evening at the Lincoln Park Auditorium in the interest of the shop employes of the Harriman lines who are on strike.

Mother Jones has been sent out by the United Mine Workers’ Union to help the striking railroad men. She is meeting with much success in soliciting funds. A fairly good collection was taken up at the Lincoln Park meeting.

During her visit to Duluth, Mother Jones spent much of her time in the office of the Labor World. We have’ known her for almost twenty years, and blamed if she does not look younger today than she did two decades ago. She attributes her youthful appearance to the fact that she has not been in jail lately nor has she been quarantined for smallpox.

Is Eighty Years of Age.

Mother Jones will be eighty years of age on May first. She is as active and as sprightly as a woman of thirty. She never looked better in her life. Her complexion is as clear as that of a baby and there is not the sign of a furrow on her kind old face.

Fight? When she is asked a question about labor conditions in the mining regions of America, her eyes flash, her mouth is set firm, her fist is clenched and she stretches out her arm with the vigor and force of an athlete. She tells a story of social injustice that reaches the heart of the most hardened.

In her speech at Lincoln Park the daily newspapers dwelled only upon the shafts she hurled at men and women of the toady type who “bend the cringing hinges of the knee that thrift may follow fawning.”

Knows the Labor Movement.

Mother Jones understands the philosophy of the labor movement. She has a peculiar way, which is distinctly her own, of driving her points right to the hearts of her listeners. For a moment she will philosophically discuss the growth and development of production; then like a flash she will clinch her argument with a militant attack upon both men and women who are responsible for injustices that have been permitted to creep into the industrial system.

Mother Jones is said to be without fear. During her strenuous life she has been cast into prison, confined in bull pens, driven at the points of bayonets, and once or twice has had a pistol aimed close to her face by willing servants of the capitalistic class…..

From The Butte Miner of April 25, 1912:

Mother Jones Ad for Lecture, Btt Mnr p10, Apr 25, 1912

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Hellraisers Journal: The Western Tour of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn: “The trip has been an unqualified success.”

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Quote EGF, Western IWW Aggressive Spirit, IW p3, Aug 12, 1909———-

Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday August 18, 1909
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Describes Her Western Tour

From the Spokane Industrial Worker of August 12, 1909:

SUCCESSFUL TRIP WORK OF E. G. FLYNN
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EGF, Restored, Spk Rv p7, July 9, 1909

My western trip has convinced me of at least two things, that the sun doesn’t rise in the Long Island sound and set in the Hudson river, and that I couldn’t possibly blarney myself into the idea that I am a hard-worked sort of martyr for the cause of labor, and give due consideration to the splendid treatment I have received from the organization and audiences in the west. The trip has been an unqualified success from all points of view, yet I have enjoyed every step of the way. Nowhere have I felt like a stranger, everywhere I could say regretfully of the cast, “Home was nothing like this!” I would recommend a like trip to any New Yorker who believes that their town is the world, and then some. Even if they travel the box car route they can feel at home after their 6×12 hall bedrooms on the air shaft, and they will feel, as I have, that New York is a very small part of the revolutionary movement, at least.

No. 64 at Minneapolis.

My trip started in Minneapolis, where Local No. 64 is forging ahead. We held a series of open air meetings in the employment agency district and every night before we opened up crowds 500 or 600 strong gathered. They listened attentively, sang revolutionary songs and judging by the enthusiasm the time is more than ripe to open up a hall and reading room in that city. We have certainly “started something” in the Flour City.

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Hellraisers Journal: International Socialist Review “Labor Notes,” Show IWW Still Active Despite Arrests of Leaders

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Howard’s camp at Alder Creek is also working eight hours.
Twelve men from this camp donated $47 for the Idaho cases.
The camp is 100 per cent organized.
-Fellow Worker Fred Hegge

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Hellraisers Journal, Friday November 9, 1917
“Labor Notes” from the International Socialist Review

If the Plutocrats, fat on war profits, believe the ongoing round-up the leaders of the Industrial Workers of the World will put an end to the work of the One Big Union on behalf of the underpaid and overworked common laborers of the nation, the following report from the Review should disabuse them of that notion.

Labor Notes

Labor Notes, ISR Nov 1917

Agricultural Workers

THE convention of the A. W. I. U. No, 400 convened at 9:30 a. m. October 15 with about 150 members present, and adjourned October 17, 1917. Mat K. Fox was chairman of the proceedings and M. G. Bresnan recording secretary. C. W, Anderson was elected secretary-treasurer. Mat K. Fox, O. E. Gordon, M. Sapper, W. Francik, James Rohn, Louis Melis and M. G. Bresnan is the new organization committee. The convention sent greetings to all members of the I. W. W. and all class war prisoners. The A. W. I. U. No. 400 has pledged all support possible to those indicted on federal charges.

It has been suggested that all members of No. 400 donate one day’s wages toward the defense of the men in jail. Members in Chicago have already voted to do this.

From the Sacramento Valley comes the report that bumper crops are the expectation for the bean and rice growers. Shortage of labor is becoming acute. Wages are low according to the high cost of living. Workers are dissatisfied, discontent is becoming greater, and spontaneous strikes are accruing in numerous localities of these two industries. Delegates are needed by the hundreds to get into this field and organize the workers. Remember, one good man on the job is worth a dozen off the job. Everybody place your shoulder to the wheel and make this year the banner year for the agricultural workers in California. This harvest will last up to the rainy season of winter. Larger wages can be gotten by a little determination.

— C. W. Anderson, Sec’y-Treas., Minneapolis, Minn., Box 1776.

Butte and Anaconda Strike

LWIU, IWW Label, Lumber Rowan, ab 1920

FOUR months we have been on the firing line. It has been one of the greatest battles ever waged on the industrial field, and when we have won (which we will, and that shortly) the mine owners will know that they have been thru some battle. They will think twice the next time before trying to place their heel on the miner’s neck. They have run over this community for so long they thought it was theirs to do with as they pleased, without question.

Here’s to him of the hot-box, with the courage and strength to have rudely jarred and punctured their arrogant dream! To him is due a debt of gratitude for having questioned the right of the plutes to run over this community and state rough-shod; out of it is going to issue not only betterment for ourselves underground, but social and political betterment for the community and state.

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Hellraisers Journal: The International Socialist Review on the September 5th Raids Made Upon the IWW and the SPA

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We ask the membership to redouble their efforts
to build up the organization to the end that
the lot of the workers may be bettered,
and their toil-worn existence brightened.
-Big Bill Haywood

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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday October 2, 1917
From the International Socialist Review: Raids and More Raids

This month’s edition of the Review describes the raids conducted September 5th by Federa Agents at the behest of the U. S. Department of Justice upon the headquarters and regional offices of the Industrial Workers of the World and the Socialist Party of America:

SP Nat HQ w Germer, ISR Oct 1917

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The I. W. W. and the Socialist Party

SIMULTANEOUSLY on September 5th, representatives of the U. S. Government raided the national offices of the Socialist party and of the I. W. W. Chicago, and of some twenty branch offices of the I. W. W. in different states. U. S. marshals armed with search warrants have taken files, records, pamphlets, leaflets and in many places the entire offices were cleaned out.

Such a wholesale and simultaneous invasion upon the offices of a labor and Socialist organization have never taken place before in the history of this country. The charge has been made that the I. W. W. is a seditious organization and that the I. W. W. and the Socialist Party headquarters are guilty of violating the Espionage Act.

From the National Office

SEPTEMBER 5th a force of Federal Agents took possession of the national office. A thoro search of the office was made and later copies of books, leaflets, records and lists were taken.

This material is to be placed before the grand jury. The charge made against the national office is that some of the comrades have violated the Espionage Act.

It may have been the intention to conceal the real purpose of this search, but the inference was left that there was no disposition to interfere with the routine work of the party. If the information given us is correct, we will be permitted to continue our regular activities except so far as we interfere with the war program.

We appeal to the members of the party to lay special stress on organization at this time. Every member should enlist as a recruiting officer in order to build up the party machinery so that we can win a sweeping victory in the congressional elections of 1918.

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