Italian bakers organized with the I.W.W. from San Francisco’s North Beach neighborhood win a free speech fight with the city in 1911.

‘I.W.W. Wins in Frisco’ by Daniel T. Murphy from Industrial Worker. Vol. 3 No. 23. August 31, 1911.

Another victory has been won by the I.W.W.

The Industrial Workers of the World are the conquerors in the Free Speech fight which the police started in San Francisco, but evidently were very glad to call off, for the fight was of short duration, the police “laying down” and crying “enough.”

The authorities in San Francisco have surrendered unconditionally to the I.W.W.

There is hardly any doubt but that the ruling class in San Francisco feared to provoke a long drawn battle with the I.W.W. in this city, for the exploiting class know by past experience that the I.W.W. fight to win.

Missoula, Spokane and Fresno have taught the master class to be cautious, yea fearfully cautious of any prolonged conflict with the I.W.W.

On Sunday, August 13, some Italian members of the I.W.W. were holding a peaceable street meeting at the corner of Grant avenue and Green street, which is located in the Italian district of San Francisco. The object of the meeting was to endeavor to organize the Italian wage-workers of San Francisco in the I.W.W.

The meeting was being conducted with perfect order when suddenly without any provocation, the police swooped down upon the meeting and brutally clubbed the speakers. Not only did the blue-coated hirelings assault the speakers, but to further satiate their bloodthirstiness they clubbed the audience indiscriminately.

The police brutes acted like fiends incarnate. The police demons worked themselves into a frothing frenzy in their zeal to do their master’s bidding.

Those arrested had various charges placed against them and heavy bail was asked for their release, pending trial. However, the prisoners refused to give bail and they were held in jail until the following day.

While the prisoners were in jail the cowardly cops attacked some of the defenceless prisoners, whom they considered leaders, and beat them unmercifully, and a physician had to treat their wounds.

When the cases came to trial next day the prisoners were assigned to different police judges.

It was in the court that the travesty called “justice” was enacted.

One of the police judges dismissed the cases in his court, while the other judicial luminaries (?) seemed to be in a fretful humor, and after squirming for some time, they adjourned the cases for further hearing. The impression that one would receive from the attitude and manner of those judges was that they desired delay in order to consult some vitally interested parties, so that perhaps they might receive instructions how to act.

The capitalistic press, knowing that many of the wage slaves read their capitalistic sheets, done their utmost by scare head lines and long lying articles to arouse prejudice and ferment hatred in the minds of the working class towards the I.W.W. But the efforts of the intelligent prostitutes in the pay of the owners of the capitalistic newspapers failed miserably.

The cases in the police courts have fizzled out, and the plot of the conspirators and instigators of the police outrage has been nipped in the bud by the determined action of the revolutionary proletariat of San Francisco.

After the members of the Italian local of the I.W.W. were clubbed and thrown in jail by the police, the Italian local notified local 173, I.W.W., which comprises the English speaking wage workers of the organization in San Francisco, and immediately local 173, I.W.W. prepared to assist their Italian fellow workers, and to maintain free speech in San Francisco.

On Thursday evening, August 17, a mass meeting was held in Washington Square theater. The meeting was addressed by George Speed, Franklin Jordan, Austin Lewis and William McDewitt in English. Several Italian members of the I.W.W. delivered speeches in Italian.

Sunday, August 20 will remain a memorable day for the working class, especially in San Francisco. That day signalized the triumph of the I.W.W. in the fight for free speech in San Francisco.

On the morning of Sunday, the 20th day of August, just one week after the brutes-in-blue had so savagely bludgeoned class-conscious I wage workers, Local 173, I.W.W., went to the same corner of Grant avenue and Green street, and with the assistance of the Italian local of the I.W.W. held a most successful mass meeting at the same place where the Italian wage workers were beaten up by the American Cossacks the Sunday previous. Thousands were present. A great number of copies of the “Industrial Worker” and “Solidarity” were sold, also a large number of I books and pamphlets printed in Italian and English on Industrial Unionism.

The American Cossacks were well represented by numbers, but they were rather significantly well behaved, and as one fellow-worker aptly remarked that the police acted as ushers or orderlies and helped to make the meeting a success by piloting vehicles and assisting, pedestrians through the crowded streets.

The unusual obliging and pacific action of the club-wielders in such an unusual manner and in such an unusual cause for police bullies, created considerable comment. But evidently the blue-coated clubbers for the first time in San Francisco had been taught a lesson as to how they should function in their supposed role of so-called guardians of the peace.

Among the great crowd present at the meeting, many women were present and some of them had babies in their arms, just showing that the women were interested as well as the men.

George Speed addressed the meeting in English. He explained in a clear and effective manner the form of industrial organization. He described the aim and tactics of a revolutionary industrial organization, and his address was received with great applause.

Rovaldy, Braida, Centrone, Scealdi and Galcandra spoke in Italian and the vast audience listened to the various speakers with the greatest interest.

The fact that the meeting was so orderly was due to the fact that the police did not attempt to renew their ruffianly conduct of the previous Sunday.

Secretary Corbett of local 174, I.W.W. and others were present from Oakland and many others came from Alameda, Berkeley and elsewhere.

Secretary Lebon of Local 173, anticipating a large sale of literature had ordered by telegraph extra copies of the “Industrial Worker.” Besides those who addressed the meeting Jordan, Phelan, Dixon, Brazzle and many others were present ready to speak should the police attempt to arrest speakers.

Some of the Pollies (politicians) attempted to make political propaganda out of the outrage, but they were foiled.

The real reason for the clubbing and arrest of the Italian members of the I.W.W is that the American Federation of Labor, as well as the bosses, do not desire to see an industrial union of the I.W.W. grow in San Francisco and the Italians who were arrested were very active in endeavoring to organize the French and Italian bakers in San Francisco, so as to get shop control.

But the A. F. of L. and their allies, the master class have failed and will fail whenever they attempt to subdue the I.W.W.

The revolutionary spirit that animates the members of the I.W.W. and the numerous victories which they have achieved have proven them to be INVINCIBLE WORKERS OF THE WORLD.

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.”

PDF of full issue: https://www.marxists.org/history/usa/pubs/industrialworker/iw/v3n23-w127-aug-31-1911-IW.pdf