—–
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Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 11, 1918
Great War Is Over; Armistice Signed; Kaiser Flees
From the New York Sun of November 11, 1918:
-HEADLINE
-Socialists to Rule Germany
-German Chancellor Fears Anarchy
You have to act as if it were possible
to radically transform the world.
And you have to do it all the time.
-Angela Davis
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Hellraisers Journal – Tuesday November 5, 1918
“An army of women is entering [all] branches of industry.”
From The Crisis of November 1918:
THE COLORED WOMAN IN INDUSTRY
Mary E. Jackson
JUST as colored men are going into the Army, so colored women are being recruited into industry. Thousands and thousands of eager boys have gone to France; we all know about them. Few of us realize that at the same time an army of women is entering mills, factories and all other branches of industry.
I undertook an industrial survey of these women for the National Board of the Young Women’s Christian Association. I investigated the increasing numbers employed, the kinds of work, wages, working conditions, what has been done, and what more can be done to raise the efficiency of the workers. At the same time I began in each city the organization of industrial women into clubs.
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Hellraisers Journal – Monday November 4, 1918
French Mayor Bids Fond Farewell to 349th Field Artillery Regiment
Of the sojourn of yourself and your colored soldiers amongst us, we will keep the best memory and remember your regiment as a picked one. From the beginning a real brotherhood was established between your soldiers and our people who are glad to welcome the gallant Allies of our France.
From The Crises of November 1918:
Opinion by W. E. B. Du Bois:
SOLDIERS
SLOWLY but surely the effort of the Government to satisfy just Negro public opinion increases: The registration card for the selective draft omits the inexcusable discrimination attached to the first registration; a colored correspondent has been sent to the front by the Public Information Bureau; a loan to Liberia has been announced; Haiti and Liberia were prominently featured among the Allies during Liberty Loan weeks; colored colleges have been designated as official military training schools, and there will be a colored man on the War Service Commission soon to go abroad.
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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday September 19, 1918
Mother Jones News for August 1918, Part I
-Mother Found in West Virginia, Chicago, and Denver
From the United Mine Workers Journal of August 1, 1918:
WEST VIRGINIA NEWS
Charleston, W. Va.—A local of about 250 members has been organized at the Wyatt mines near Shinnston, by Mother Jones and President William F. [M.] Rogers of the State Federation of Labor.
Local Union 2839, Kaymoor, has invested $300.24 in War Savings Stamps and donated $25 to the Red Cross.
Board Member Ballantyne, Mother Jones and Organizers B. A. Scott and Joe Angelo held meetings last week at Worthington, Rosebud, Watson, Shinnston and Mt. Clair.
The Eccles miners have made a splendid showing in the purchase of War Savings Stamps. The assigned quota was $34,000, but the miners have pledges $42,000.
Miners and citizens of Longacre in voting precinct No. 3, have pledged $19,460 for War Savings Stamps.
The mining camp of Donwood, with a population of 450, and a local union membership of 160, has pledged $10,420.79 to the purchase of War Savings Stamps.
[Photograph added.]
Why should the temporary withdrawal
of a hundred members seriously affect
the welfare of a group composed
of nearly 100,000 laborers in
the United States alone?
-Big Bill Haywood
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Hellraisers Journal, Sunday September 1, 1918
Chicago, Illinois – Judge Landis Imposes Severe Sentences
From The Chicago Daily Tribune of August 31, 1918:
HAYWOOD GIVEN 20 YEAR TERM;
93 SENTENCED
—–
Big Fines and Prison Sentences
for the I. W. W.
—–
William D Haywood, “uncrowned king” of the Industrial Workers of the World, and ninety-two other principal officers and organizers, convicted of conspiracy to overthrow the American war program, were sentenced to terms ranging from one to twenty years in the federal prison at Leavenworth, Kas., and given heavy fines by Federal Judge K. M. Landis yesterday.
With Haywood fourteen of his principal aids must spend twenty years in prison; thirty-three others of the organization leaders must spend a maximum of ten years in prison; thirty-three others a maximum of five years, and twelve others one year and one day. Two of the defendants escaped with ten day sentences in the county jail, while the case against two others was continued.
The combined prison sentences of the defendants aggregates 807 years and 20 days.
Added to this prison penalty is a total of $2,300,000 in fines assessed against the ninety-three prisoners. Individual fines ranged from $20,000, the minimum, up to $30,000.
In Jail Here Till Friday.
The defendants were permitted to remain in the county jail until next Friday before they will be removed to the federal prison. In the meantime, George F. Vandeveer, chief counsel for the “Wobbles,” announced a writ of supersedeas will be asked of the Court of Appeals and petition will be made for enlargement upon bail. Ninety days’ time was granted in which to file bills of exception on behalf of the convicted men.
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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday August 22, 1918
Mother Jones News for July 1918, Part I: Found in West Virginia
From the Fairmont West Virginian of July 5, 1918:
MINERS PROVE PATRIOTISM BY WORKING TODAY
—–
Not a Mine in the Region Out of Operation
—–
The car supply for the mines along the Monongahela railroad tomorrow will be one hundred per cent.
—–
As a proof that the patriotism of the miners in the Fairmont district is of the 100 per cent. quality every mining property so far as in known is in operation today with full forces in most instances…
This is a remarkable showing for the day following the Independent day holiday. In former years the men used to make a several days’ affair out of the Fourth of July but this year the Fuel administration made a direct to them to go right back to work so that the much needed coal would keep coming in a steady stream and the way they have responded will be gratifying to all interested in keeping p the production records.
Miners’ Picnics.
Fully fifteen hundred people, mostly miners and their families, gathered at Traction park yesterday afternoon for the big all day picnic held there.
The program began shortly after 10 o’clock in the morning with addresses by William M. Rogers, president of the State Federation of Labor, and James Dianna, the latter of Bomer, W. Va. and one of the most prominent labor organizers in the state. He addressed the miners assembled at the park yesterday morning in the Italian language. In the afternoon an address as delivered by Frank Keeney, who is in charge of the United Mine Workers for the seventeenth district.
Ah, slaves, you fight your masters’ battles well-
The reek of rotting carnage fills the air!
Your swollen bodies yield their noisome smell,
Sweet incense to the ghouls who sent your there…
-Ralph Chaplin
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Hellraisers Journal, Monday July 29, 1918
Chicago, Illinois – Ralph Chaplin on the War and the Draft
From The Bisbee Daily Review of July 20, 1918:
CHAPIN ADMITS HE PERSONALLY OPPOSED WAR
—–
I. W. W. Defendant Assumes Full Responsibility
for Editorial Advice to Wobblies of Nation
—–(By Review Leased Wire)
CHICAGO, July 19.-Ralph R [H]. Chaplin editor of Solidarity, one of the chief organs of the I. W. W. a defendant, was on the stand today in the trial of the 101 I. W. W.
Chaplin, in his direct testimony, had dwelt on the evil of the exploitation of labor and told of the vast amount of money wrested from the toilers by such means.
The attention of Chaplin was called to an editorial printed in Solidarity defining the attitude of the I. W. W. toward the war and the draft. It advised any member drafted to claim exemption as an I. W. W., and to write on his card: “The I. W. W. is opposed to war.”
Chaplin assumed full responsibility for this article.
“The Red Feast” by Ralph Chaplin:
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Hellraisers Journal, Thursday July 11, 1918
Chicago, Illinois – I. W. W. Trial, Third Week of June
From The Ohio Socialist of July 9, 1918:
THE I. W. W. TRIAL
[Part I]By Harrison George
The third week of June opened with the promise of a speedy passing as the prosecution had announced a purpose to close their case by Wednesday, the 19th.
With the closing of the prosecution’s side in view, the interest became heightened as all looked for “surprises” and expected some tremendous broadsides at the finish. It was a real disappointment when nothing of the kind occurred, when no climax came and everything merely fizzled out, like a bad firecracker.
Comparatively few witnesses appeared, the most important ones taking the stand Monday, the 17th. To illustrate what was left of them after Vanderveer’s grilling, let us pick at random from the record, let us examine the testimony of Elton Watkins, special agent of the Department of Justice, stationed at Portland, Oregon, and sent from there last July to the lumber strike district at Astoria, Oregon.
On direct examination Watkins told of his Sherlockian methods with some pride. He didn’t go to Astoria to settle the strike, to ascertain the cause or to confer with both sides. He did talk with the bosses, he did ask the postmaster who the I. W. W. secretary was, and he did spy upon the strikers’ meetings through a crack in a partition to hear what A. E. Soper, then secretary, now a defendant, said in speeches.
I have no country to fight for;
my country is the earth;
I am a citizen of the world.
-Eugene Victor Debs
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Hellraisers Journal, Tuesday June 25, 1918
Terre Haute, Indiana – Debs Defends Canton Speech
From The Indianapolis News of June 24, 1918:
DEBS MAKES DEFENSE OF
HIS CANTON SPEECH
—–FLAYS PROFITEERS IN ADDRESS AT TERRE HAUTE.
——PRAISES WILSON PROGRAM
—–Special to The Indianapolis News
TERRE HAUTE. Ind. June 24.-Challenging any one anywhere to show him a Socialist who is a pro-German in the sense of being in sympathy with the German government in the prosecution of this war. Eugene V. Debs, former Socialist candidate for President spoke Sunday afternoon [June 20th] in the ball park here from a flag bedecked platform at a picnic of the Socialists of the Fifth district.
Debs branded as a “lie” the printed reports that he made seditious remarks in a talk last week at Canton, O. He praised the Bolsheviki of Russia, and praised President Wilson for his attitude toward the Bolsheviki.
He declared the Russian revolution to be the most stupendous event in history and predicted the success of the Bolsheviki.
Impatient for Results.
The trouble is the world wants the bolsheviki to give a perfect democracy within twenty-four hours time. Our Wall street would rather see the czar back on the throne than the working people.
All of the profiteers are against President Wilson. Every profiteer despises Wilson.
Debs made a defense of his Canton (O.) talk which is said to have led to a federal investigation.
Let me see you wake up and fight.
-Mother Jones
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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:
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.
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.
