The Everett Massacre: A history of the class struggle in the lumber industrySmith, Walker C.
History
The Everett Massacre: A history of the class struggle in the lumber industry
Smith, Walker C.
Industrial Workers of the World; Lumbering -- Washington (State); Lumbermen -- Washington (State)
"Justice" is an expensive luxury in the lumber kingdom. Independent of
the large amount of money spent directly by individuals and by branches
of the I. W. W. the cost of the verdict of acquittal was $37,835.84.
Nearly thirty-eight thousand dollars! Thirty-eight thousand dollars to
free innocent workers from the clutches of the law! The victims in jail
and the murderers at liberty! But then, the last thing expected of
"Justice" is that it be just.
Whence came the fund that, as a token of solidarity, set the free speech
prisoners at liberty? In the financial statement of the Everett
Prisoners Defense Committee it is set forth in full. Summarized, this
report shows that Labor united in the defense of the prisoners, that,
while this case was more largely financed directly thru the I. W. W.
than any other trial of the organization, there were many and generous
contributions from local unions of the American Federation of Labor,
from the Workers' Sick and Death Benefit Fund, from various other
working class societies and from sources so numerous as to make special
mention impossible. But these receipts varied from a dollar bill sent by
"A poor Working Stiff" from North Bend, Oregon, to a donation of $3.75
from the Benevolent Society for the Propagating of Cremation at Yonkers,
New York.
Hundreds of dollars were raised in Seattle by the I. W. W. thru smokers,
dances, theatrical benefits, entertainments and collections by speakers
who told the story of Bloody Sunday before societies of every kind and
character. The Dreamland Rink meetings, attended in every instance by
thousands of people, were the means of bringing hundreds of dollars to
the defense. A considerable fund was raised directly within the
organization by the sale of embossed leatherette membership card cases
issued in memoriam to the martyred dead. In Seattle notable service was
rendered by the International Workers' Defense League.
[Illustration: May First at Graveside of Gerlot, Baran and Looney.]
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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