Hellraisers Journal – Monday March 3, 1913 New York, New York – The Striking Garment Workers and The Protocol
From the International Socialist Review of March 1913:
New York Garment Workers and the Protocol -Phillips Russell ———-
The New Disease: Protocolic
As this is written, the great strike of the garment workers in New York is in its seventh week and, according to present indications, it may last even longer than the historic struggle of the cloakmakers in 1910, which endured for nine weeks.
At present the garment workers’ strike seems to be suffering from a bad attack of the new industrial ailment that might be described as the “protocolic.” Twice the officials of the United Garment Workers’ Union, who pulled the strike, have tried to get an agreement approved which involved the signing of a protocol, but both times got severe jolts from the strikers as a whole who made known their opinions of compromise in no uncertain tones. The attempt to induce the strikers to accept the protocol has so far produced little but dissension and has had much to do with smothering the spirit of the workers which at first was militant and aggressive.
The waist makers have already gone back to work under the terms of a protocol, though a considerable part of them did so reluctantly, and so great opposition was manifested towards it at one meeting in Cooper Union that a serious outbreak was narrowly averted.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday February 23, 1920
David Karsner, of New York Call, “Paints Debs with Loving Hands” -Part II
From The Butte Daily Bulletin of February 13, 1920:
[Part II of II.]
Debs was born in Terre Haute, Ind., Nov. 5, 1855. The sixty-five years between that date and the present day which sees him in United States penitentiary at Atlanta, Ga., are of startling significance in the social and economic history of this country.
“He was one of 10 children of Jean Daniel Debs and Marguerite Bettrich Debs, both natives of Alsace.”
“Jean Daniel Debs possessed a well-equipped library of French history as well as the works of some of the most noted French writers including Victor Hugo who was one of their favorites. Very early in his life, Eugene became acquainted with the works of Hugo and the master’s characterization of Jean Valjean in “Les Miserables,” made an indelible impression upon his mind.”
Debs in his early youth saw the Civil war, and Karsner wonders “to what extent these scenes and sounds of conflict influenced Eugene Debs to take his stand against war, but it is notable that not once during his long and varied career as a labor leader has he safe-counseled violence as means to the settlement of any dispute.”
Eugene’s school years were cut short by the necessity for earning money. At the age of 14, Debs began work in the shops and later as locomotive fireman for the Terre Haute and Indiana Railroad company. At first he received one dollar a day, but later, as fireman, was paid on a mileage basis. “Eugene’s pay envelope, which he turned over to his mother unopened, was decidedly slim.”
Debs’ first step in the organized labor movement was taken when the local lodge of the brotherhood of locomotive fireman was organized at Terre Haute on the evening of Feb. 27, 1874. He served in various official capacities as organizer. In 1892 he resigned from a position in which he was receiving $4,000 a year so that he might receive from the American Railway union a $75-a-month position.
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday January 13, 1910
Rose Strunsky on New York City’s Shirtwaist Uprising, Part II
From the International Socialist Review of January 1910:
The Strike of the Singers of the Shirt
—–
By Rose Strunsky.
—–
[Part II of II.]
The next day [November 24th, following the November 23rd mass meeting at Cooper Union], when the girls in the shops were informed of the general strike, they rose without a question, left their work and went out. Six hundred shops joined the union in a few days. The spontaneous and enthusiastic response to the call came as a great surprise to every one. None had guessed of this latent fire-neither the leaders, nor the Woman’s Trade Union League, nor the girls themselves. None knew that it was there. In forty-eight hours it reached forty thousand girls. Their demands were for the recognition of the union, a twenty per cent, increase in their wages and shorter hours—a fifty-two hour working week.
Before the strike was several hours old twenty shops settled and five hundred girls won. The next day forty-one shops settled and seven thousand girls returned to work and each day brings bosses who are willing to settle on union terms.
Morning, afternoon and evening every hall on the East Side and the large halls in the city that could be gotten, were filled with strikers and sympathizers, to discuss ways and means and to encourage each other in the struggle.
The war was on, and the chivalrous instincts in the old veterans of the class struggle came out. Besides the Socialists and the Women’s Trade Union League, the United Hebrew Workers [United Hebrew Trades] sent out committees to help these new militants; the American Federation of Labor offered Mr. Mitchell to give his aid and advice, and Solomon Shindler [Schindler], the Gompers of the East Side, has directed their forces from the very beginning.
Hellraisers Journal – Monday January 3, 1910
Spokane, Washington – Elizabeth Gurley Flynn Hears from Rose Pastor Stokes
From The Spokane Press of January 2, 1910:
From page 5-
ROSE PASTOR STOKES TELLS OF STRIKE
—–
Millionaire Socialist’s Wife Writes to Gurley Flynn
of Shirt-Waist Makers’ Strike.
—–
Rose Pastor Stokes, the well known woman socialist and labor leader, wife of New York’s millionaire-philanthropist, is a friend of Elizabeth Gurley Flynn, the I. W. W. leader, who has been prominent in the street speaking fight here. Mrs. Stokes has written the local leader regarding her work in the strike of the shirt waist strikers of the metropolis.
Elizabeth Gurley Flynn has given a copy of the letter to The Press for publication. She is herself a New York girl, and knows the working conditions among the girl and women workers of New York. The letter follows:
[Rose Pastor Stokes on New York Shirtwaist Strike.]
You have doubtless heard of the shirt waist makers’ strike out here. For weeks I have been so deeply engaged in the struggle with these striking men and women that I have found it difficult to think of anything else. I am still in the fight, as the strike is not yet over. There were between 30,000 and 40,000 out about there weeks ago. Now there are about 8,000 strikers left, the rest having gone back, on the union terms, with recognition of the union.
Hellraisers Journal – Saturday January 18, 1919
Chicago, Illinois – National Labor Convention for Mooney Hears from Radicals
From The Butte Daily Bulletin of January 16, 1919:
—–
(Special Dispatch to The Bulletin.)
Chicago, Jan. 16.-At this morning’s session of the Mooney Labor Congress Ed Nolan scored the capitalist press on its criticism of the invitation of Debs and its attempt to give a sense of dissension among the delegates. Debs’ name was again greeted with tumultuous applause. It was moved that the Nonpartisan league be given the floor. The motion was defeated. Dunn of Butte moved to give the Detroit delegate the floor. The Detroit leader clearly outlined the program before the convention as follows:
No political begging, a general strike to free Tom Mooney and also to take a stand to free political prisoners and recognize Russia; reorganize the American Federation of Labor on an industrial basis.
While there is a soul in prison
I am not free.
-Eugene Victor Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal – Thursday January 9, 1919
America’s Political Prisoners by Floyd Dell
From The Liberator of January 1919:
“What Are You Doing Out There?”
[by Floyd Dell]
THIS magazine goes to two classes of readers: those who are in jail, and those who are out. This particular article is intended for the latter class. It is intended for those who wish to prove themselves friends of American freedom rather than those who have had it proved against them.
The relation between these two classes of people is embarrassingly like that in the old anecdote about Emerson and Thoreau. Thoreau refused to obey some law which he considered unjust, and was sent to jail. Emerson went to visit him. “What are you doing in here, Henry?” asked Emerson.
“What are you doing out there?” returned Thoreau grimly.
That is what the people who have gone to prison for the ideas in which we believe seem to be asking us now.
And the only self-respecting answer which we can give to this grim, silent challenge, is this: “We are working to get you out!”
That is our excuse, and we must see that it is a true one. We are voices to speak up for those whose voice has been silenced.
There are some silences that are more eloquent than speech. The newspapers were forbidden to print what ‘Gene Debs said in court; but his silence echoes around the earth in the heart of workingmen. They know what he was not allowed to tell them; and they feel that it is true.
It would be wrong to think of this as an opportunity to do something for Debs; it is rather our opportunity to make ourselves worthy of what he has done for us.
Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday November 12, 1918
Max Eastman on the Federal Trial of Eugene Debs at Cleveland
From The Liberator of November 1918:
-Note: Comrade Debs was convicted of violating the Espionage Act in Federal Court in Cleveland on September 12, 1918.
The Trial of Eugene Debs
By Max Eastman
AT a Russian Socialist convention held in Stockholm in 1907 it was estimated that the delegates-140 of them-had spent, collectively, one hundred and thirty-eight years, three months and fifteen days in prison. They had been in exile one hundred and forty-eight years, six months and fifteen days. The length of time the convention as a whole had been active in Socialist propaganda was 942 years.
“It follows,” says Trotsky in a preface to one of his books, “that the time spent in prison and exile is about one-third of the time a Social-Democrat is active.” Reading that preface on my way west to attend the trial of Eugene Debs, I was struck by Trotsky’s unconscious assertion that the time spent in prison is part of the time that a Socialist is “active.” It is often the time that his influence is most active. And though the government may succeed in accelerating the immediate war program by imprisoning Debs, they will also accelerate the effect of his life-long service to the social revolution.
Whatever else he may be, Debs is the spiritual chief and hero of American Socialism, and I find myself in a very real perplexity in trying to report his trial on a charge of obstructing the war program. I believe that the postal authorities will recognize the necessity I am under, as a Socialist editor, of giving this news to the readers of the LIBERATOR. And, of course, I cannot write the news without some special appreciation of his life and character and the elevation of his motives. Yet, on the other hand, I recognize the necessity that the postal authorities are under of keeping out of circulation anything designed to obstruct the war program of the government. Therefore I assure the reader in advance, not only that I shall not quote or refer to anything that Debs said about the war, but that I shall not in any indirect way imply any such quotation or reference; or any discussion of what he said. As a Socialist, bidding a kind of temporary hail and farewell to a companion who is dear to the hearts and minds of millions of Americans-whether pro-war or anti-I write the news of his trial for Socialists.
When I slipped into the court-room at Cleveland a pretty young man in a pressed suit and a bow tie was reading Debs’ speech at Canton to the jury. He was manifestly embarrassed to find so much eloquence in his mouth. Debs was never younger, more spirited, more full of love and irony, than he was in that speech of June 16th.
The tumultuous enthusiasm of men, women and children,
and the waving of thousands of red pennants
created a scene that was simply indescribable.
-Theodore Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal – Wednesday October 21, 1908
New York and Boston Greet Red Special with Sea of Red Flags
From the Appeal to Reason of October 17, 1908:
FROM THE RED SPECIAL.
—–
Immense Meetings in New York and in Boston
Cause Even the Plutocratic Press
to Take Note of Socialism.
—–
Special Telegram to the Appeal.
BRIDGEPORT, Conn., Oct. 9.-The events of the past week were the New York and Boston meetings. No man could possibly describe them and no one who was present will ever forget them. The great Hippodrome in New York, which covers a block, the largest theater in the world, the stage which alone seats as many people as an ordinary opera house was crowded to the uttermost part of the last gallery and the demonstration which took place there last Sunday afternoon staggered the senses. It was as if the Atlantic ocean had turned red and all its billows were being tossed skyward in showers of spray.
The tumultuous enthusiasm of men, women and children, and the waving of thousands of red pennants created a scene that was simply indescribable. In addition to the Hippodrome meeting an over-flow was held in the American theater, one of the largest in New York City, and this was also packed and overflowing. A dozen more theaters could have been packed in the same way. Ten days before the Hippodrome meeting every ticket had been sold and on the day of the meeting tickets were selling on the curb at five dollars apiece. The New York Times said it was the greatest political meeting ever held in the history of the city.
All the New York Papers were filled with accounts of it and Wall street is still gravely discussing its significance. The meeting in Boston was held in and around old Faneuil hall and the old Temple of Liberty was rocked to its foundation. At New Haven last night, the home of Yale college, there was a demonstration and meeting that will never be forgotten. The students were out in full force and participated in a tremendous street parade in which men, women and children carried their red flags and joined in the cheering procession which swept along through the main streets of the city.
One noticeable change is in the tone of the capitalist press. All the big papers at every point are publishing columns and columns of the fairest kind. The New York World set the pace, the staff correspondent of the World has been on the train for ten days and will probably follow it to its destination, and every issue of the World has an extended report of the day’s doings on the “Red Special.”
To speak for labor; to plead the cause
of the men and women and children who toil;
to serve the working class,
has always been to me a high privilege;
a duty of love.
-Eugene Victor Debs
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hellraisers Journal, Friday September 13, 1918
Cleveland, Ohio – Eugene Debs Addresses the Jury
From The Milwaukee Leader of September 12, 1918:
Jury in Eugene Debs’ Trial
on Free Speech Gets Its Instructions:
Former Candidate for President Makes Address in Own Defense,
Refusing to Retract Anything Uttered in his Canton Talk—
Case Will Be Appealed if Jury Returns Verdict of Guilty.
by J. Louis Engdahl
Comrade Debs at Canton, June 16, 1918
(CLEVELAND) — Federal Judge D.C. Westenhaver Thursday instructed the jury in the case of Eugene V. Debs, national Socialist leader, charged with making disloyal utterances.
The jury is expected to retire by noon or before.
Westenhaver defined the four counts on which Debs is being tried. They are:
-Caused and attempted to incite insubordination, disloyalty, and mutiny and refusal of duty in the military and naval forces of the United States.
-Obstructed the recruiting and enlistment service.
-Provoked, incited, and encouraged resistance to the government.
-Opposed the cause of the United States at war with Germany.
There is a penalty of 20 years’ imprisonment and a $10,000 fine on each count.
—————
—————
———-
———-
———-—–
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
