The Hobo: The Sociology of the Homeless ManAnderson, Nels
General
The Hobo: The Sociology of the Homeless Man
Anderson, Nels
Chicago (Ill.) -- Social conditions; Tramps
But whatever their motive, most of these hobo writers, for the
want of a better medium, become contributors to the radical press.
Without them radical sheets like the I.W.W. publications and the
_Hobo News_ would not appeal to the homeless man. The radical press
in turn serves as a pattern by which hobo writers fashion and color
their literary productions.
THE “INDUSTRIAL SOLIDARITY”
The _Industrial Solidarity_ is a typical I.W.W. paper. It comes
nearer than any other I.W.W. paper to reflecting the mind and the
spirit of the average hobo. It is a six- or eight-page weekly and
sells for five cents. It is published in Chicago from where it is
distributed to individual subscribers or in bundles to the peddlers
or newsdealers.
The issue of July 1, 1922, contains the following articles:
In bold headlines across the front page under the caption,
“Company Brought on Herrin Mine War” is a detailed
narrative of the whole affair written by George Williams
who is supposed to have been an eye-witness. This article
contains four full columns, two of them on the front page.
Another front-page article is devoted to the freeing of
political prisoners. It has special reference to the
fifty-two I.W.W. in Leavenworth who refused to ask the
President for pardon. The article is headed, “Hundreds of
Cities in Million Signature Petition Drive.” The slogan
was “Let Them Go Free.” Attorney-General Daugherty, who
at best is not popular with the floating population, is
shown in a cartoon on the front page marching in a parade
carrying a banner on which is inscribed, “Please, Let Morse
out of Prison.” Over the cartoon is written the ironical
legend, which harks back to some remark that had been used
against the “Wobblies,” “This is no Children’s Crusade.”
Considerable space is devoted to the spring drive for
membership. At the time of the publication of this number
the drive was on in full blast in the harvest fields where
the so-called “slugging committees” were out enrolling
members. One long article was published telling of
“conditions” in Kansas and Oklahoma where the Ku Klux Klan
was offering active opposition to the I.W.W. The articles
had been sent in by some “bo” who told in detail how the
“Wobblies” outwitted the “town clowns,” or local police,
and the K.K.K.
According to the I.W.W. literature list for April, 1922, the
following periodicals are issued regularly:
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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