The Voice of the people. [volume], September 04, 1913, Image 4

About The Voice of the people. [volume] (New Orleans, La.) 1913-19??

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Vancouver Mine War.
(Continued on Page 1.)
They have threatened the strikers
with every conceivable brutality; they
threatened the Chinese strikers with
deportation and thereby induced them
to go back to work, but they are not
willingly scabbing and I am informed
that some of them are wearing wood
en shoes.
The slime of the earth has gradu
ally accumulated at Extention, and
Ladysmith, and they were atempting
to operate the mines. On Aug. 14th
the scabs sent a challenge to the strik
ers, saying they were going to sweep
them off the Island. The miners, not
expecting any conflict, got the worst
of the fight, the authorities neglecting
to enforce the law or to prosecute the
perpetrators of the riot. The miners
knowing that justice was dead, (no it
never lived) had to protect them
selves and their kin; they sent word
to their fellow-workers in Naniamo
and, like men, they went to the aid of
their fellow-workers. There was no
scabbing the next day.
The mine owners not being able to
operate the mines were losing their
GOD; (i. e., profits) they being very
religious had to prtect their GOD;
they sent for some more scum of the
earth (sepcial police). A detachment
of these human chiphers numbering
about 25, arrived on Saturday, Aug.
16th, in the afternoon; they were met
by the miners and politely told that
they were not wanted to keep law and
order. (?) So the miners disarmed
them, marched them to a boat and
sent them back where they came
from; another detachment arrived
that night by boat; the miners did not
permit them to land but guarded the
boat until it sailed away, back to
where it came from.
The mine owners then put every
thing at their disposal into action; the
capitalist press came out with lengthy
and untruthful reports and innumera
ble lies; 500 militiamen, from Victo
ria, B. C., were immediately dis
patched to the scene; the next day,
some 350 troops of Vancouver were
loaded on a ship called the Patricia;
the crew refused to transport that un
thinking scum of humanity; however,
some more slime of the earth was
gathered together, which acted as
scabs and the ship with that mass of
eruption, the refuse of condemned
slaves, slid away, but not without be
ing called numerous names by tie
crowd that had gatehered on the
warf; a repetition of this took place
the next night.
Now the entire strike zone is under
martial law, and that unnamable that
is labled as special police and detec
tive, has flooded the Island in order
to trump up charges against any per
son who has taken any active part in
the struggle.
The miners held a meeting on the
18th, at Nanaimo, with an attendance
of 1,500 miners or more; the hall in
which the meeting was held was sur
rounded by the Militia with fixed bay
onets and loaded rifles, with a ma
chine gun at the back of the hall, cap
able of taking about 1,000 lives per
minute; then all efforts to get the de
fenceless miners excited and make a
stampede, were put into effect but all
were futile; the strikers kept cool and
obeyed the orders of the commanding
officers. When the meeting was over
they were permitted to leave the hall
10 at a time in order for the "law and
order" brigade (?) to search them,
and identify any active workers so
they could put them behind the bars,
and, as a result there are now over
120 active strikers in jail, waiting to
be tried by a court that is on a par
with Saw-D)ust Ring justice.
In jail for what? for obeying the
natural instinct of self-preservation,
and for Ihaving manhood enough to
take a stand as men.
Who is protecting tlhe interests of
the mine owners? Who has put the
miners in jail? Who is trying to
crush that spirit of revolt which
makes of the strikers MEN ? Why,
it is working men that are keeping
working men in subjection, it is trai
tors to their own class, it is the "free
Britishera," who are too much of cow
ards to rebel wh;en they are ordered
to shoot or suppress their own class.
The miners are now beginning to
ask each other this question: "Why
don't our own brother union men in
other districts quit work instead of
mining the coal that was formerly
mined by us?" The REAL ISSUE is
here, it has forced those that are men
to take stands as MEN-they are re
alizing that class solidarity is the on
ly hope of the workers. Talking to a
man from Nanaimo, he said, while in
a barber-shop there, two militiamen
came in; they were talking about that
they would be expelled from their un
ion and lose their jobs, and were apt
to get some black eyes when they got
back over to the mainland. Believe
me, we won't disappoint them, seeing
they are expecting it.
The rich know more than the poor.
You can prove that because the poor
work. No one got rich that way.
-Clarence Darrow.
Sam Pedro Smoker.
Local 245 pulled off a smoker on
Aug. 23rd, that proved to be a suc
cess. Mock trial and wrestling match
were among the other attractions.
Songs and recitations there were in
plenty. We intend to have next
smoker combined with an organiza
tion meeting, one hour will be devoted
to educational discourses, after which
we will proceed to smoke.
In order to boost the papers, tickets
to entertainment will be given away
with each paper sold.
SMOKER COMMITTEE.
We put too much faith in systems,
and too little in men.
-Disraeli.
Merryville Barbecue
There was a good crowd at Merry
ville on Labor Day to enjoy the barbe
cued meat, hear sleaking and buy lit
erature.
Many union men came over from
places thirty miles distant, such as
Singer, Oakdale, Cravens, DeQuincy
and Rosepine. The writer joined
Sec.-Treas., Jay Smith on train
at Rosepine and proceeded to De Rid
der, where we got in touch with Fel
low-Worker Hollingsworth and other
loyal I. W. Ws and went on to Merry
ville. There was no trouble there at
all. Not even an angry argument or
fist fight. Sheriff Martin and a cou
ple of deputies went over to assist
Kinney Reid, Jr., the American Lum
ber Co., marshall of Merryville in
keeping down trouble, but they were
disappointed, because they functioned
only as part of the audience.
Doc Havens was chairman at speak
ing. The writer made a brief address
and was followed by Secretary Jay
Smith, who made a magnificent edu
cational speech on Industrial Union
ism and Economics which was very
much enjoyed, and highly praised by
the crowd. Many expressed surprise
that he could make such a fine address
because, no doubt, they have always
heretofore "heard" him only by let
ter.
Much credit is due Mr. H. O. Law
rence and his Rebel wife for the suc
cess of this meeting and barbecue.
Lawrence rode all over the country
scattering hand bills, announcing the
barbecue, and worked hard to make it
a success.
There was no abuse, bawling out or
personalities indulged in by speakers,
and in consequence, the workers did
not have threir attention diverted
from the educational features of the
addresses.
Our enjoyment of the day was sad
dened (?) by the news that Dan
Warner scab woods foreman and thug
of the American Lumber Co., had suf
fered a stroke of paralysis and was
unable to move hand or foot. We
raised our hats reverently and devout
edly prayed that all his kind would
suffer the same, or a worse fate.
As none of the saw mills observed
this "Legal Holiday," many of our fel
low-workers could not attend, because
"we need their presence on the job."
PHINEAS EASTMAN.
That work is for workers and love
is for lovers no one disputes. Some
day it will also be seen that law is for
lawyers and politics for politicians.
-A. G. Wagner.
Blackhanding Themselves?
(Continued on Page 1.)
rather, very probably been sent there
for the purpose of creating a distur
bance and then laying it on the Union.
It is reported from De Ridder that it
is common talk that "General Mana
ger" Martin very probably had the
letter written to himself, as all sane
men know the I. W. W. does not deal
in such stuff. It is also reported that
"General Manager" Martin boasts
that he knows every Union man work
ing in his hellhole, just who they are
who is and is not paid up. IT'S A
LEADPIPE CINCH THAT HE DOES
NOT KNOW ANY SUCH THING,
FOR, BEYOND THE MEMBER
HIMSELF, THERE ARE ONLY
THREE OTHER MEN IN THE UNI
TED STATES WHO KNOW WHO IS
AND IS NOT A MEMBER OF THE
FOREST AND LUMBER WORKERS
UNION. This style of bunc is being
handed out by the Sawdust Ring's
slave drivers in all parts of the coun
try just now, tho, and is being done
for the purpose of scaring the weak
kneed out of the I. W. W., as the
Trust well knows that its slaves,
once in this Union, will be able to
make it come across with something
better than SHACKS, OVERALLS
and CANNED CAT.
And the ONE BIG UNION is grow
ing, despite all the PREYING
"saints" that dwell in Kansas City or
of their overseers that have made a
living hell of the forests of the South.
Strike at Randolph, La.
By The Wooden Shoe Kid.
The shop, train and bridge men
here recently went out on strike for
a payday. The woods, saw mill and
section men (?) remained at work.
But 'twas not long until the mill was.
forced to shut down, on account of no
logs. On top of this the loaders be
came disabled and then the woods
men (?) were forced to lay off, too.
So now the whole layout is sowed up
with the exception of the local train,
which is being run by some future
presidents. A "thing" in human
form is running the locon.otive of the
local and before this he was conduc
tor on the same train.
We wonder if there is a law in this
State (?) to COMPEL even SCABS
to stand an engineer's examination
before they attempt t, run a locomo
tive? And, just as a matter of curi
osity, we would like to know if it is a
violation of the law to run engines
without headlights, or log trains with
out airbrakes, or locomotives without
anything to stop them with but the
REVERSE LEVER and THROTTLE,
on a chartered railroad?
One would-be scab attempted to
to climb on an engine with the inten
tion of firing her, when, lo and behold,
somebody pulled him off and sorter
smashed his mug. Next day the
sheriff and a few deputies came down
from Farmersville for the purpose of
maintaining old "law and order."
When the Master beckons, these
spawn of an unjust Sxcial system al
ways hop to him.
To their everlasting credit, let me
say, a sawyer and one other man (I
could not learn their names) did their
best to get all the slaves to strike for
an increase in wages as well. JUST
THINK, some of these have not had a
pay-day in tl: ree months, and then not
have backbone enough to strike for
what is due them.
No, Gcorge, there were not any
known members of the I. W. W. there.
The engine men organized this strike,
they being the only union men here,
and who, for their actihity, were paid
off and discharged. ThI Boss is look
ing for scabs to take their places.
Oh our Masters! We thank you for
ri educating the slaves! It saves us
i trouble.
& It might be a good idea for a few
live I. W. W. men to come here and
help organize this place.
Will tell more next week as I be
lieve the trouble is not yet settled.
Go to the past for experience, but
never for authority.
A Merry Haw-Haw!
By "Invincible Weary Willie."
Spokane, Wash., Aug. 20th.-The
most unmerciful drubbing ever re
ceived by a public speaker was admin
istered last night to Miss Carrie Car
penter, a philanthropic bourgeois lady
who is touring the country and
spreading the cause of the Progres
sive Party. Miss Carpenter arrived
in an auto and cast anchor at Main
and Stevens streets, a vicinity infest
ed by bands of Volunteers, Starva
tionists, Single Taxers, Wobblies and
other pests. Immediately upon dis
covery of her presence, the sex-con
scious proletarian stiffs deserted the
other meetings agd pressed about
Miss Carpenter's auto, forming one of
the largest audiences of cockroaches,
wobblies and blocks ever witnessed at
a nearly unadvertised street meeting.
Emma oGldman had just arrived in
town to deliver a series of lectures,
one of them being on Syndicalism, Di
rect Action, Sabotage and the Gen
eral Strike. Emma's choice of a sub
ject made a good wedge for Miss Car
penter to use in opening her address.
Emma Goldman had just arrived in
the speaker. "Personally, I admire
Miss Goldman very, very much, but I
cahn't agree with her. Sabotage
(she pronounced it in purest frogleg
French )-"syndicalism, the general
strike and direct action are bad and I
will show you why. Now, sabotage
means the general strike; isn't that
right ?"
A chorus of noes came from the
workers, the cockroaches maintaining
a discreet silence.
"Well, perhaps that isn't exactly
what I meant," continued the speak
er, "but syndicalism means the de
struction of property, doesn't it ?"
Another chorus of vociferous noes.
Miss Carpenter appeared rather
flustered, but proceeded.
"Well, anyhow, one of them means
the destruction of property, and if
you destroy property you destroy
yourselves."
After the haw-haws had subsided
she proceeded to outline her party's
plan of action regarding a square deal
and workingmen's insurance in the
Milwaukee Mutual. She assured the
w' rkers that they were payirig too
much for insurance and asked them
the exact amount.
"Dollhi a month," came the reply
from all sides.
Witnessing the speaker's bepuzzle
ment one sympathetic stiff enlight
ened her by yelling "Hospital fee."
"Well, that is your own fault," as
serted the uplift lady. "Why don't
you use your votes ?"
"Ain't got no votes," replied the
crowd.
"What's that? Why, I never heard
of such a thing!" expostulated the be
nevol:nt one. "Reeahly, that isn't
) true. All of you who hlave votes
kindly raise your hands."
Of thle three hundred men in the
r cicwd about fifteen raised their
hands, a.nd the writer observed that
I none of the hands wore corns. This
t scarcity of hands convinced the
speaker of tne futility of preaching
political action to a crowd of disfran
chised wor'!;rs, and she soon ended
her talk and called for questions. This
in the west, is a fatal break for a poor
ly informed speaker to make. Back
r ast, where a street audience is com
Sposed lrgely of capitalist-minded
sloe clerks, college students and oth
er densely ignorant nonentities, a re
t quest for questions is merely a signal
for a lower hanging of jaws and the
total vanishing of expression from up
turnled andl wondering eyes. The oc
Y cati,nlU! ,ntelligent man who does ask
ii qiUcs i;on is jeered by the nonunder
.standing iuumbskulls and the.speaker
clos., th. meeting in triumph. But in
the west the stiffs do ask questiols.
-lere are some wh ich were fired at
Mis~s Carlpenter:
r "Why .o you . say you sympathize
wilh u ? Can we use sympathy?"
"Are not politics merely a reflex of
"wllw would lower fr iught rates
tbenefit the workers?"
"isn't Munsey, the scabherder a
lProgressive ?"
"Will not your proposed horde of
cost-investigating commissioners be
t but parasites riding on the backs of
the wirkersl' ?"
"Why do the Industrial Workers
speak from soap boxes while you use
an expensive auto r'
The speaker's reply to this last
question, quoted verbatim, was as fol.
lows:
"I sent fifteen dolars to Elizabeth
Gurley Flmnn during the Paterson
strike."
This should have shown the un
grateful I. W. W.'s that their votes
had been paid for and should therefor
be delivered
The drawing-room speaker soon
tired of the b ndlestiffs' verbal artil
lery and cloped the meeting. During
the evenin se had said but one
thing worth ile; she admitted that
the constitqtidn of the United States
is an outworni and worthless docu
ment.
It is repdrt@d that Miss Carpenter
will read a priuner or two on econom
ics before her next trip west.
THE RAND MASSACRE.
Writing from the Trades Hall,
Johannesburg, South Africa, another
correspondent says the Dragoons rode
past the Rand Club, turned, drew
swords, and charged the crowd, who
fled in all directions. When: they
reached Market street the Dragoons
turned and charged again down Love
day street toward the Rand Club
through the crowd who had gathered
in their wake. After the troops had
pas*ed Commissioner street the
crowd closed and completely blocked
the streets in front of the Rand Club.
I was wedged in the 'middle of the
struggling mass watching the soldiers
who suddenly stopped, wheeled round,
dismounted, and quickly as possible
shouldered their rifles. The people
saw what was coming and tried to get
out of the way, but it was too late; a,
murderous volley was fired. People'
round me dropped like flies with
shrieks and groans. When I looked
back on the street it was pitiful to be
hold the sight. There were five men
lying dead, and men, women, and chil
dren huddled and laying in all posi
tions wounded. Some were laying
still, bleeding horribly from ghastly
wounds; othere were dragging them
selves across the street trying to gain
shelter from the troops' fire, leaving
thick clots of blood every time they
moved; but we could only look on from
shelter of doors or any place we could
find. If one dared to make a move in
their direction, he was told to stand
back. One man exposed himself to
the troops. Throwing his coat open,
he shouted: "Shoot me, you dirty
murderers, not women and children."
He fell shot with seven bullets
through his chest. The soldiers then
ran up and lay down in skirmishing
order at the corners of the streets,
and held Lovelady street and Commis
sioner street. One youth in Blissik
street, a block away, walked out in the
street and fired a Browning at them;
he fell dead, shot through the head.
We then hung out white handker
chiefs, and asked permission to attend
to the wounded, which was granted.
The first man I went to was laying on
his back with arms out-stretched,
staring up at the sky with glazed eyes
shot through the mouth. The next
was a native boy, bleeding horribly
from a gaping wound in the thigh, as
large as a hen's egg, blown clea out
Another :had been shot thouglgh the
leggins in the calf of the leg; it was
blown out. Things that should be
commented on about this wholesale
killing of workers here are kept
strangely quiet. This country is run
for the mining houses. But the
workers are waking up, and the day is
not far distant when this country will
be run for the benefit of the workers
of this country and the man who
makes itlhis land of adoption, and not
for the oversea capitalist. I want
you to lpublish this letter, and let the
British working man know how his
countrymen and cosmopolitan fellow
workers are treated here under the
much-talked-of Union Jack. (I am a
Scotsman and Blritisher, but renonuce
Britdain from now) when they go on
strike for a living wage.-From "Rey
nold's Newspaper.
GET BUSY!
JOIN THE ONE BIG UNION OF.,FOREST
AND LUMBER WORKERS.