Hellraisers Journal: Mother Jones Speaks to "Lawless" Women Strikers in New York City

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

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Thursday February 17, 1916
New York, New York - Mother Jones on Hand to Aid "Lawless" Women Strikers

Mother Jones, Boston Globe, Jan 30, 1915.png

Mother Jones is on the scene in New York City where authorities are outraged that thousands of needle trades workers stand accused of behaving in a disorderly manner and showing contempt for proper Law and Order.

"I am becoming tired of the lawlessness of these strikers, especially the women!" declared Magistrate Murphy.

The strike, led by the International Ladies Garment Workers Union, has been on since about February 8th. Union officials make the counter-charge that strikers have been roughly handled while performing their strike duties out on the picket line.

Attempts to settle the strike are ongoing.

From The Cincinnati Enquirer of February 15, 1916:

CONTEMPT
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For Laws and Courts
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By Striking Needle Workers Is Result of Encouragement
By Society Women, Says Magistrate.
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New York. February 14.-Encouragement by society women added to the fact their fines are paid their union, leads women strikers in New York City to laugh at the police and hold their laws and Courts in contempt, asserted Police Magistrate Murphy to-day when three men and seven women needlework strikers were arraigned before him charged with disorderly conduct.

The 10 strikers were arrested when on picket duty in connection with their strike, which already had thrown out of employment 40,000 men and women, and which threatens to spread to the Shirtmakers' Union, with 60,000 members.

"I am becoming tired of the lawlessness of these strikers, especially the women," Magistrate Murphy added, "and in my opinion nothing but a prison sentence will make them realize they must obey the laws of the country."

The Magistrate, however, imposed fines of $10 each on the strikers.

At a meeting late to-day of several thousand strikers "Mother" Jones was the principal speaker.

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From The New York Times of February 8, 1916:

GARMENT STRIKE GROWING.

While One Branch of Workers Gets an Advance, Others Quit.

The International Ladies' Garment Workers' Union won concessions in wage advances yesterday from the Board of Arbitration, composed of Judge Julian W. Mack of Chicago, Hamilton Holt, and Robert Bruère, which are expected to add $250,000 a year to the annual payrolls of the manufacturers.

Three other unions affiliated with the International and directed by the same leader were not so fortunate, however. These were the Children's Dressmakers' Union, the Lace and Embroidery Makers' Union, and the Kimono and Wrapper Makers' Union. These three have been on strike in New York for some days, but yesterday the lace and embroidery makers of New Jersey walked out also, increasing the total strikers to 25,000.

Charges will be made at union headquarters and denied emphatically by the manufacturers that some of the members of these striking unions were roughly handled during the day, and Benjamin Schlesinger, leader of the strikers, said he would see Mayor Mitchel about it today.

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Ladies Garment Worker, Cover, February 1916:

Ladies Garment Worker, Cover, February 1916.png
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SOURCES

The Cincinnati Enquirer
(Cincinnati, Ohio)
-Feb 15, 1916
https://www.newspapers.com/image/33775431/

The New York Times
(New York, New York)
-Feb 8, 1916
http://query.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=990DE5DA103FE233A2575BC0A...

IMAGES

Mother Jones, Boston Globe, Jan 30, 1915
http://www.newspapers.com/image/59031148/

Ladies Garment Worker, Cover, February 1916
https://books.google.com/books/reader?id=gsYUAAAAYAAJ&printsec=frontcove...

See also:

Benjamin Schlesinger
http://ilgwu.ilr.cornell.edu/presidents/BenjaminSchlesinger.html

International Ladies Garment Workers Union
http://ilgwu.ilr.cornell.edu/history/

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