One of her numerous arrests just in 1913, I.W.W. organizer Matilda Rabinowitz is sent to jail for refusing to recognize the legitimacy of a fine for public speaking in McKeesport, Pennsylvania.

‘Matilda Rabinowitz Goes To Workhouse’ from Solidarity. Vol. 4 No. 32. August 16, 1913.

Refuses To Pay Fine For Speaking On Street of McKeesport. Six Others Also Jailed

(Pittsburg Leader, Aug. 9.) In defiance of the fact that she had the permission of Mayor H. S. Arthur to speak in Locust street, McKeesport, last night, Matilda Rabinovitz, national organizer for the Industrial Workers of the World, was sent to the workhouse this morning.

Alderman W.D. Mansfield, of McKeesport, committed Miss Rabinovitz on a disorderly conduct charge made by Chief of Police J.J. Gibbons, who crossed the mayor’s order and declared Industrial Workers of the World organizers never spoke in McKeesport and never will as long as he is chief.

Aside from the question involving the right of free speech McKeesport now faces the question–who is mayor of the city?

Mayor Arthur was elected by the people, but Chief of Police Gibbons jauntily steps over the mayor’s head, and refuses to recognize the permit Mayor Arthur gave the I.W.W. organizers the right to meet and speak in public.

Today voters of McKeesport are asking themselves who is mayor, and how Gibbons gets the authority to break up a peaceful meeting authorized by Mayor Arthur.

Miss Rabinovitz went to the workhouse, although several hundred sympathizers volunteered to pay, her fine of $15 and costs.

“The I.W.W. does not believe in paying fines. A 30-day sentence will not break the I.W.W.’s belief in free speech, and won’t kill the organization,” the young woman said today as she was being taken to the Union station, en route to the workhouse.

“Later we shall see whether Chief of Police Gibbons runs McKeesport, and whether he will refuse the right of free speech of I.W.W. organizers.”

The meeting was held in Locust street, near the Baltimore & Ohio railroad station. Locust street is a small thoroughfare, not used to any extent by vehicle traffic.

Miss Rabinovitz opened the meeting and started to talk of the aims of the organization in trying to organize all craftsmen into one union, irrespective of crafts. It was exclusively a propaganda meeting, and was net for the purpose of inciting strikers or to cause a strike.

Miss Rabinovitz had been speaking about 15 minutes when Police Chief Gibbons, with a dozen or more officers, appeared and commanded, the gathering to disperse. Those in charge of the meeting explained to him that Mayor Arthur had given them verbal permission to hold the meeting.

Gibbons ignored the permit, however, and, declaring that no I.W.W. organizers had ever talked in McKeesport, and never would while he was head of the police department, he arrested the speaker. Miss Rabinovitz was taken to the police station, where a forfeit was posted for her appearance this morning.

The squad of police under Gibbons attempted to disperse the crowd, and to avoid trouble the leaders told the men to leave and go to Krow’s hall, in Market street. The crowd went to the hall and Miss Rabinovitz, who had been released, continued her address there. No attempt was made to stop the second meeting, although there had been no permit issued for it.

The alderman’s court was packed, and many spectators volunteered to pay the fine, but Miss Rabinovitz declined, objecting to the principle of paying for an offense she did not commit.

Several weeks ago Charles Nicholson, of Albany, N.Y.: John Ryan, of Seattle. Washington. and E. Bailey, all I.W.W. leaders, were arrested in McKeesport for speaking to striking employes of the Fort Pitt Casting Company, and sentenced to the workhouse for 30 days. They were charged with inciting to riot.

Note-Six other I.W.W. members including organizer Durso, were arrested Monday night in McKeesport while attempting to hold a street meeting. They were fined $15 each or 30 days in the workhouse, all took the 30 days. The fight for free speech is now on in earnest in that steel trust town.

The most widely read of I.W.W. newspapers, Solidarity was published by the Industrial Workers of the World from 1909 until 1917. First produced in New Castle, Pennsylvania, and born during the McKees Rocks strike, Solidarity later moved to Cleveland, Ohio until 1917 then spent its last months in Chicago. With a circulation of around 12,000 and a readership many times that, Solidarity was instrumental in defining the Wobbly world-view at the height of their influence in the working class. It was edited over its life by A.M. Stirton, H.A. Goff, Ben H. Williams, Ralph Chaplin who also provided much of the paper’s color, and others. Like nearly all the left press it fell victim to federal repression in 1917.

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/solidarity-iww/1913/v04n32-w188-aug-16-1913-solidarity.pdf