Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1929-04-25
MOTHER JONES, SO YEARS OLD,
INTENDS TO REACH AGE OF lis
Labor Leader Says Dry Law
Stuffs Rag Down Throat
of People.
Deplores Lack of Great Men
in This. Pie Counter Age
of Money-Making.

Mother Mary Jones is Irish and SO
years old. II the prohibition agents
leave her alone, and they probably Will,
she intends to live to be lis. doctor
in Chicago told her she would reach
that age, and, considering that she Will
be 80 May /, Mother Jones figures she
can make it with colors flying.
Her colors have been flying for many
day. Wherever organized labor floats
a standard, Mother Jones is known.
Forty years ago, as a leading organizer
of the United Mine Workers, she was
haranguing coal miners, nursing their
women and children, and fighting Tor
many of the advantages that have come
in her day, Workmen'S compensation,
the eight-hour day, better health con-
ditions. If she had her health she
would be "in the field' today instead
of at home at 3700 Fifth street.
Mother Jones doesn't approve OF pro-
hibition. She sees it as "Stufing a rag
down the Threats of the people" She
told couple of Internal Revenue agents
what she thought, too. For some time
her doctor has prescribed whisky for
her. When she returned from visit
in the country recently her doctor was
away and she got a prescription from
another. Internal Revenue agents,
checking over prescriptions issued, called
on Mother Jones to be sure somebody
was not using her name.
They were nice about it," said Moth
er Jones, land said 1t was all right.
I don't like the stuff, but have to take
it. At my age, you know, I need It,
And told them what thought about
prohibition. Ugh This country never
has been boSsed and won't be now.
Sees Pie Counter Age.
"Wnat do I think about our time?
My lad, this is pie-counter age. We
haven't the great men We used to have
men who loved the people. These fell
lows we have today forget all about lib
erty and justice. Every fellow wants
to get more; more money, more public
ity. The greatest country In the
world she Sighed-"n handled rlgnt.
When Mother Jones was in her nght-
ing prime-and she fought all over the
coal fields of West Virginia and Penn
sylvania and in the West-she knew
what it was to feel the cold point OF a
bayonet against her back and listen to
the threatening curses of drunken mobs.
She spent seven months OF busy
life contemplating the Inconvenience
of living in jailS. a.
II got SO men out of Jail myself; get
'em out and safely home. President
Taft pardoned IA Mexicans for me and
didn't have a lawyer either. The poor
boys-kept in Fort Leavenworth prison!
Mr.. Taft kept me in his Office an hour
one afternoon and every time I'd get up
to 90 he'd say, Now, Mother Jones.
don't go; you are giving me valuable
information j.
He promised to study the cases Of
the Mexicans If I would bring him all
the evidence. Didn't I do 1t? Didn't
take Spanish interpreter to Leaven-
worth, to talk to each of them, and take
their stories back to the President?
He pardolied them, too. What happy
boys they we're!
why, my lad, saw 81 men, women
and children butchered at Ludlow,
Colo, by interests of these rich men
who sweat miners and give thousands
to the church. didn't read about II;
I saw it. They brought an ammunl-
ton train across seven States, and
was there telling 'em to build trenches
to protect their women. When the
fighting was done, I took the BODY OF
one woman out of the trench after II
had been there two days and RODE IL
miles with it to the morgue: Wnere
were the TlCH seullCAAcA' S,I
killing my poor boys. Hell Is JUST JUL
of people like that.
II wonder what Lincoln would say
If he could come back and see what's
going on. What strange things take
place with time. Why, I used to near
Lincoln lecture against slavery In I'LL
nois when he was a country lawyer, ana
me folks were saying, That poor 1ool
must be craZy!' Prohibition. Empty
ing our schools and homes and filling
our jails.. I'm opposed to the method
of Introducing it. It's a thing ought
to be done by education"
Celtic Speech Is Rich.
Perhaps Mother Jones is little en-
FILTERED. despite that the years have
been kind to her. Her hair is white, IN
ringlets, her skin wrinkled and his
step faltering. She wanted to go to
Chicago to a labor meeting this week,
but was afraid she couldn't stand the
trip. Her eyes are blue and SMILING,
and to hear her voice Is to forget time,
place and circumstance and drink In
the music of Celtic tongue infused
with the richness of an tndomltaple
spirit.
Her father was chased out of ireland
"a years ago by an irate British Lion,
and she has been chasing her concep-
ton of injustices ever since. An inter-
est in children she found while in
convent in Canada led her to her chosen
work, and year after year she gave all
she had to the mine workers.
It was in the field that she met T. v.
Powderly, famous labor, leader and one
time head of the knights of Labor, an
organization that was the forerunner
of the American labor movement. Be-
fore she came to the Powderly home to