The Ely miner. [volume] (Ely, Minn.) 1895-1986, 1918-01-04

ginia district by Charles Ora
bowsky in urging Slavoniaus ev-
erywhere to be loyal and to re-
frain from any activity by which
the |. w. w or any disloyal
agency might benefit. Mayor
George L. Brozich of Ely and Jo-
seph FISHER, supreme secretary
of the South Slavonian Catholic
union, gave much of their time
i'll carrying on the work of reas-
surance, and the latter reached
each week 1000 Jugo-Slavs work
ing in the iron and steel industry
in the state by means of lodge
letter to branch secretaries
throughout the district. John B,
Michela worked indefatigueably
to counterfeit the vicious intiu-
ences at work among the Italians,
and Joe Schonig did some splen-
did work among the Serbs and
MOntenegrins at Eveleth.
Organization Fades Away.
That our efforts were produc-
ing results was evidenced by a
letter sent from Virginia to VIII
liam ID. Haywood in which John
Pancher writes that some mys-
terious influence had been work
ing among the Slavonian people
and that he greatly feared un-
less money in greater quantities
even than had already been
poured into the district was forth
coming that the Slovak members
would be lost to the organiza-
ton
After the fzzle Of Sunday, June
%, which was to bring Elizabeth
Gurley Flynn and Sam Schmitt
to Virginia, and which was conf.
IDENTIFY expected would result il
action calling for a general strike
the organization began to fade
away, and the Slavonians in hun
dreds left the various locals while
others refused to pay dues. From
THAT time the decline of the |. w
w. was rapid and in the month
of July, | tore up over 300 red
cards handed me by former mem
bers.
Lest there be misunderstanding
let me say here that today Their,
is no question as to the source Of
the funds furnished the national
headquarters Of the |. w. w. anC
Of which more than $25, 900 wa.
spent in Minnesota in a perioC
of less than two months for the
purpose Of bringing about a tie
up of the iron industry.
Offer to Jacobson.
On June 10, 1917, Charles Jac
OLSON, then secretary of the Vir
ginia local and acting secretary
Of the national organization or
ranges, received a communication
in q plain envelope which prom
ised him $4,000 if he brings abou-
a tie-up and a greater sum if The
tie-up was a prolonged one. The
letter was sent from the head
quarters in Chicago and we:
signed by the secretary of the In
dustrial Workers of the World.
Where did Bill Haywood ge
the money for this and for thu
maintenance Of staff of organ
izers which in the Mesaba distric
alone was costing them $3.50 {
day?
When the official accounting O:
the fluids of the organization wa.
made at the 1916 convention af
ter all current expenses had beer
paid, there was a balance Of les.
than 5000.
We know of individual contri
buttons to various parts of thu
range, but which were mad,
through so many agencies tina
the source was untraceable.
What loyal citizen was inter
ested in furthering the propa
ganda Of syndicalism in sucI
measure as to contribute $500, a
was the case in Chisholm, anc
which unfortunately for the [. w
w. was used for personal eX
pense by the then acting secre
tary? In justice to the good PEG
pie Of Chisholm l will say tina
this contribution was made b.
parties outside Of Chisholm.
We have circumstantial evi
dence of many contributions mad
by well wishers Of the organiza
ton, the significant point is tina
the activities of this characte
originated Immediately prior t.
| the entry Of this country into tn
war or since the country has be
come actively engaged.
The utter failure Of the |. W
w. campaign in Minnesota il
slacken production in spite of TIL
financial support they were abb
to secure can be attributed to tw'
causes, the loyalty Of the Slave
mans, who as natives of Austri;
were expected by |. W. w. head
to assist in undermining the IN
dustrial conditions Of the cOuntr,