A Los Angeles meeting honors Joe Hill, singing his songs and spreading his ashes.

‘Hill Memorial at Los Angeles’ by William Baker and Ben Wittling from Industrial Worker. (new) Vol. 1 No. 46. February 24, 1917.

LOS ANGELES, Cal. The last rites of solemn duty were performed Sunday, February 10, by a representative gathering of different factions of the revolutionary movement of this city and vicinity. The momentous memorial took place in Burbank Hall, at 2:30 p.m., with Fellow Worker Wittling presiding as chairman, and was held for the purpose of reviewing the incalculable efforts of Joseph Hillstrom in the cause of labor, and the fiendish motives which prompted the authorities of Utah to take his life. Wittling in the opening address, portrayed the part that was taken by the Mormon Church, especially pointing out the materialistic interest of the said church through its subsidiary, the Utah Construction Company. The following is also an extract from his speech: “At the time of a strike against the Utah Construction Company Hillstrom incurred the enmity of the company and its foster parent, the Mormon Church, by organizing the revolting slaves, realizing then as at the time of his death, that it was no time to mourn but to organize, and by that act himself setting the precedent that he would have us follow/”

The speaker then showed just how the church was in control of the political and industrial functions of the State of Utah, and thru this political and industrial control used the governorship, the judgeships and the lesser political offices to further its ends, which resulted in the murder of our fellow worker.

Then followed the principal address of the day, delivered by Fellow Worker Weber, in which he splendidly brought out the fact that the workers themselves were to blame for the: atrocities committed by the capitalist class and that these atrocities would continue until the workers respond to the call of Industrial Unionism, and themselves bid the masters defiance. As he ably put it, Hillstrom’s death was due to the idea he propagated of a solidified, concentrated body, working for the abolishment of capitalism and the forming of a new society within the shell of the old. He also showed that our dead fellow worker was more and more developing, before his death, that touch of genius which permitted him to bring out the sordid conditions of the working class with so much beauty, fire, spirit and rebellion, while he did not forget the humorous side of life. Then followed the singing of “The Rebel Girl” by Mrs. Dora Englebeck, accompanied on the piano by her daughter, Helen. The following expression of appreciation was overheard after the meeting: “They are really and truly two rebel girls.”

A male quartette then sang “Workers of the World, Awaken,” with violin accompaniment by Floyd Egenbeck.

This woman fellow worker also brought out the sentimental side of life and the power for good that sentiment can create.

The climax of the meeting came when on the request of the chairman the audience selected a song. They chose page 55 as appropriate and as one man rose and with head thrown back and uncovered they filled the gathering dusk of evening with the herald song of dawn. There were many wet eye lids as the last verse and chorus of The Red Flag ended.

While there was no collection or admission at this meeting the sum of $6.80 was realized from the sale of literature. How better could it be spent than for the fighters of the class war at Everett!

As the meeting adjourned the audience was invited to witness the distribution of the ashes, which were distributed as widely as possible among the crowd. Then followed the reading of the will while the ashes were thrown to the four winds in line with the request of our murdered, but unforgotten, fellow worker.

WILLIAM BAKER, BEN WITTING, Press Committee

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