Wobbly News of the Week from Industrial Worker. Vol. 5 No. 7. May 8, 1913.

Strike Still on at El Paso, Texas. The strike of the smeltermen at El Paso, Texas, is still on according to last reports. The El Paso Herald states that at least 200 of the strikers are In the I.W.W. The W.F. of M. is also on the scene. F.C. Standish, speaking for the W.F. of M., says: “There is no question about the men being reinstated at the smelter If they use conservative means.” Comment is unnecessary. Practically all of the small shippers in the district are affected by the strike Reports state that negro strike breakers’ are being brought in, though why this is necessary with the A.F. of L. on the ground is not quite clear. An eight foot board fence is being erected around the plant. Those in charge of affairs for the I.W.W. are Fernando Palomarez, his wife, Rosendo Dorame, and Mrs. Hubler. Those wishing to aid should send funds to Palomarez, 309 E. 5th St. El Paso. Tex.

Police Pinch 25 in Los Angeles. Los Angeles, Cal., May 4, 1913.Twenty-five I.W.W. men arrested at a picnic on a charge of disturbing the peace and selling beer without a license. They are held with bail from $50 to $500 in each case. Local treasury is depleted. We need money. Let every local support us as we have supported them in the past. Letter giving full details will reach the “Worker” in time for the next issue. The secretary is in jail. Bill B. Cook, acting secretary.

Local No. 12, I.W.W., San Diego, Cal. Wants a few rebels at once to help them out with propaganda work. Speakers especially are desired. There is much work ahead of the local and volunteer workers are greatly needed.

Police Murder Strike Picket. On April 24, the police of Milford, Mass. murdered Emilo Bacchiocchi by shooting him in the back as he was doing picket duty in front of the Draper Company/according to reports. A strike has been on since April 1, when over 600 men ceased work in the foundry department and made their demands on the company. The strikers are mainly Italian and Armenian. The police seized the body of the murdered striker and refused to allow any representative of the strikers to be present at the autopsy. In this strike fellow worker Joseph Coldwell has been arrested for speaking without a permit and for leading a parade.

WHERE THERE’S LIFE THERE’S HOPE. Fellow worker Al Roe, in making a 240-mlle agitational tour of Hawaii on his bicycle, was caught in a heavy rain at Honokaa. He found shelter over night with a young Porto Rican who belonged to the Salvation Army. The Salvationist tried to convert Roe but the onewinged agitator kept him up nearly all night reading chapters from I.W.W. pamphlets and explaining industrialism. As a result the Porto Rican took off the badge of superstition of General Booth and put on the red button of the General Strike. He is now one of the best of the plantation delegates and volunteer organisers in the Islands. Moral: Never think a case is hopeless.

All communications for Local No. 66, Fresno, Cal., should be addressed to R. Connellan, Box 209, as ho has been elected secretary following the resignation of fellow Worker Otto Gunz.

DIG IN, YOU UNTERRIFIED REBELS! Fellow Workers: We are trying to make a grand finish and place La Huelga General in the field June 1st. Are you with us? I want the fellow workers to know that La Huelga General is the property of the I.W.W. and the editors will be elected by the membership. As I do not speak a word of Spanish, I will have no connection with the paper. Do you get me Steve? Get all the locals set aside May 11 as the Spanish press day, hold a meeting, take a collection and send the money at once. Get busy and see if you cannot become the owner of that picture machine and the twenty five slides. You can do mighty good propaganda with it. May 31 we give a grand ball with a piano as a prize. This will be the event of the season in I.W.W. circles and we hope to net a nice piece of money for the paper. Everybody boost! Let this be the final word on the Spanish press. Yours in the fight, BILL B. COOK.

FOUGHT FOR OUR PRIVILEGES. Everett, Wash., passed an ordinance against speaking on the streets. Much to their surprise J.P. Thompson held down a corner on last Saturday night to the largest outdoor audience ever collected in that burg. When he was through the patrolman ordered him to stop. The Everett Labor Journal remarks: “We fail to see where the I.W.W. come in for any lawbreaking privileges.” The answer is direct action. No one respects a cur with its tail between its legs, but all steer clear of a bulldog. Any privileges the I.W.W. have they won by fighting. It takes the fighting spirit to win.

The I.W.W. of Lawrence, Mass., made arrangements to join with their fellow workers at Lowell in a big parade on Saturday, May 3. Many nationalities will be represented but only me nation—the workers.

HAWAIIAN UNIONS BAR ALL BUT WHITES. A reader writes in as follows: “I recently attended a lecture about Hawaii, delivered by a man of the name of Smith, who has lived in Honolulu for twenty years. Questions by members of the audience were permitted. One man wanted to know about labor conditions, if there had been any strikes, etc. The speaker replied that there had been one strike of about three weeks duration, but that they (the employers) had been able to “suppress it without force.” He then added that no trouble from this source was anticipated as the whites would admit none to the unions except white men. Rather significant. How much longer will this class of men be in a position to make this statement?” Not long, fellow worker, for the I.W.W. is growing in Hawaii.

WM. CROOKSHANK PASSES AWAY. Local 66, I.W.W., Bakersfield. Cal lost one of its earnest rebels In the passing of fellow worker Wm. Crookshank, who died on, Thursday, April 24, at 10 p.m. Fellow worker Crookshank was ono of the few Harriman strikers who refused to go back to work for the company In Bakersfield and he thus demonstrated his I.W.W. principles. He held card No. 100621 and was formerly a member of Local 12, I.W.W., Los Angeles, Ca. His parents reside in Bakersfield. In the death of Wm. Crookshank the revolutionary movement loses a valiant warrior.

SEDRO-WOOLLEY TO GIVE SMOKER. Notice! loggers and Lumber Workers of Sedro-Woolley and vicinity: There will be a smoker at the Labor Temple, Sedro-Woolley, Wash., May 18. All members, regardless of what locals they belong to, are requested to advertise the smoker in the camps and mills. Let us make this smoker a grand success. It will be under the auspices of Local 318, National Industrial Union of Forest and Lumber Workers, I.W.W.

Fellow Worker Ed Cady reports that he was recently stopped from speaking on the streets of Cheyenne, Wyo., while making the way to Denver. As the fight has been won in Denver and Cheyenne is only about seven hours railroad journey from there, it may be that the frontier city will get wise to Itself without the necessity of an I.W.W. jolt.

GROUP SYSTEM IN EUGENE Local 88, I.W.W., Eugene, Ore., is now throwing its entire energies into organizing the railroad construction workers and such has been its success that cold shivers are creeping up and down the backs of the contractors. The local is putting the group system in operation with great results. Leaflets have been printed showing what should be the basis for demands and also giving the local address, 57 Sixth Ave., East. The leaflet also tells how to join. It states that the initiation is 50 cents and the dues 50 cents per month. Conditions are so damnably bad in the camp that they are called “short stake camps,” and as the I.W.W. Is out to organize and not to gain dollars, the fees have been placed within the reach of all. Thirty new members in one week testify to the wisdom of this policy. The leaflet mentions nothing about a strike but already the rumor Is circulated that a strike will be called on the 15th. But no such thing is intended until a strong job organization is completed. Following a visit of the organizer to Camp 10, where he was made more than welcome by the workers, the walker had the corral-dog and blacksmith spray all the tents, cookhouses, toilets and the like, and put clean straw in the bunks. The slave driver of this camp, Coos Bay Fatty, actually has been civil to the men, all this in hopes of keeping down the growing discontent. Success attends the organizer all along the line. From three to six members sign up daily. The main drawback is the necessity of using all new material for camp delegates, fellow worker Buckley, who had experience in the Big Creek strike, being about the only old member on the job. Local 88 has one of the neatest halls on the coast but there is no room for chair warmers. In the past 15 days 119 stamps have been sold, and the job agitators are needed to carry on the work more effectively. Any fellow workers shipping up from the South should report to the secretary on their arrival in Eugene, in order to learn of Important matters in connection with the work. As Greeks and Austrians may be used in the camps it might be well for some members of those nationalities to get employment on the line. The first arrest under Eugene’s anti-free speech and picketing ordinance took place on Friday last, when Walter Paswalk, an actlve member of Local 88. was arrested for distributing leaflets and getting into an argument with a W.F. of M. man who had scabbed at Big Creek. Paswalk was ordered released by the “powers that be” and the pin-headed bull was bawled out. Mr. Job Agitator, we need you in Eugene. so that we can build up a good organization on the Job.— Press Committee.

The Industrial Union Bulletin, and the Industrial Worker were newspapers published by the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) from 1907 until 1913. First printed in Joliet, Illinois, IUB incorporated The Voice of Labor, the newspaper of the American Labor Union which had joined the IWW, and another IWW affiliate, International Metal Worker.The Trautmann-DeLeon faction issued its weekly from March 1907. Soon after, De Leon would be expelled and Trautmann would continue IUB until March 1909. It was edited by A. S. Edwards. 1909, production moved to Spokane, Washington and became The Industrial Worker, “the voice of revolutionary industrial unionism.”

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