The daily worker. [volume] (Chicago, Ill.) 1924-1958, 1926-01-09
Autobiography of Mother Jones'"
chas. Il. Kerr & Co., Chicago.
A Book Review
BY WALT CARMON.


i can labor, Mother Jones is really
one of the most picturesque figures.
Often misguided, confused, unaware
of theories" but courageously throw
ing herself into struggle after strug-
gle of her class for fully fifty years,
she has witnessed and participated in
most of the important events in the
history of labor in America since the
Civil War.
Born in Ireland in $780, and coming
to America in childhood, q. she was
married in 1861, to Cher proud men
ton of this is a pleasure) ian iron
moulder and staunch member OF the
Iron Moulders' Union" Her husband
and four children died in yellow
fever epidemic; she came to Chicago
to nut up a millinery establishment
and lost it in the Chicago fire OF 1851,
From this period her history in the
labor movement begins-a history rich
in little glimpses of the struggles oil
her class-a birds-eye-view OF the
suffering and militancy and fight
scarcely equalled anywhere. To those
unacquainted with the splendid ira
ditions of American workers, we re-
commend this personal narrative OF
one who has been in the thick Of the
struggle for years.
In the days following the fire,
Mother Jones tells us: Nearby in
an old tumbfetf down, fire-scorched
building the knights of Labor held
meetings. / used to spend my
evenings at their meetings, listen
ing to the splendid speakers. Sun
days we went out to the woods and
held meetings.
Those were the days of sacrifice
for the cause of labor. Those were
the days when we had no halls, when
there were no high salaried officers,
no feasting with the enemies OF
labor"
From these days her story briefly
all too briefly-recounts many
acknowledgements in American labor
history; the Haymarket riots and
the struggle for the eight-hour day;
the struggles of Virginia miners;
founding of the appeal to Reason;
battles of West Virginia; the Cripple
Creek strike; child labor in the
South; the Meyer Haywood, Petit
bone Case; the steel strike and hun
dreds of minor skirmishes in which
she had taken part.
perhaps no one in the labor move
ment has seen more brutality perpet-
rated upon the workers than l have
seen," Mother Jones tells us. Il have
seen them killed in industry, worn
out and made old before their time,
Jailed and shot if they protested.
Story after story could tell Of per-
secution and of bravery unepualled on
any battlefield"
And she tells us OF many such
stories-stories it would do we'll for
us to learn, stories of the history OF
our class in this country; of heroic
suffering and struggle, Of undaunted
courage and grim determination to
give one a pride in our class-and an
assurance and confidence in its fu-
ture.
Most of her life has been spent
among miners-and the picture OF
their struggles which she made hers,
are most interesting reading and his
tory.
Before 1899, the coal fields OF
Pennsylvania were not organized.
Hours Of work down under
ground were cruelty long. Fourteen
hours day were not uncommon, thir'
teen, twelve. The life and limb OF
the miner was unprotected by any
laws. Families lived in company
shacks that were not fit for their
pigs. Children died by the hundreds
due to the ignorance and poverty OF
their parents. Often / have helped
to lay out for burial the babies of
miners, and the mothers could scarce
conceal their relief at the little ones