Thousands of Portland workers join in 1910 May Day celebrations, with a march in the day and a dance in the evening.

‘Red Flag Waves at Portland’ by J.B. Shea and Ed Gilbert from Industrial Worker. Vol. 2 No. 7. May 7, 1910.

As a matter of interest to the workers in general, and to the membership of the I.W.W. in particular, we thought that we would send in a report of the May Day celebration as carried out here in Portland for publication. The organizations that took part are as follows: The I.W.W., S.P., the Finnish Federation, the Lettish Club, and unattached workers.

There were at least 3,000 workers in line, and every part of the program was carried out successfully, not a hitch occurring to mar the day. Not having a red flag, we sent to the locals at Spokane and secured the same from them, for which we certainly thank them. The Plaza was denied us by the powers that be, but, however, they compromised by giving us the part at Seventh and Market Streets.

After the parade, which consisted of a line of march lasting about an hour, we assembled on the grounds of the above designated place and proceeded with our program of singing, etc. At the singing of “The Red Flag,” the flag was unfurled to the breeze and remained there undisturbed the remainder of the meeting. The Portland Oregonian was conspicuously silent with regard to the flag, and, in fact, had so distorted the accounts of the demonstration that it really was laughable in the extreme. The speakers of the day were J.B. Shea of the I.W.W., T.W. Lewis and H. Lloyd of the S.P.

The demonstration being over, we adjourned until the evening, when there was a dance given at the Finnish Federation headquarters, where refreshments and in fact all the advantages and privileges of this well appointed place were thrown open to the workers absolutely free of charge, and in addition refreshments in the shape of ice cream, cakes, coffee, etc. At 12 p.m. we all went away completely satisfied, unanimous that more of these occasions are not only affairs of passing notice, but are absolutely necessary to the life of the workers.

At the unfurling of the red flag while Miss Lewis was singing the song, the applause was vociferous, and what the 5,000 persons would have done had there been any attempt to take it down by force the writer is not going to attempt to say, as they certainly were in no mood to be trifled with. We all hope that more of these times will occur successfully.

Yours for the Revolution,

J.B. Shea, Ed Gilbert, 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.”

PDF of full issue: https://archive.org/download/v2n07-w59-may-07-1910-IW/v2n07-w59-may-07-1910-IW_text.pdf