The Rape of Justice by Michigan Officers

Frank Little, a member of the General Executive Board of the I.W.W. organizing in the Steel Trust ore areas of Michigan sends us a story showing the cold-blooded, murderous hatred and utter degeneracy of officers who are in reality thugs, pimps and scum recruited from the slums and the brothel, and given the full power of the United States government at the instigation of one of the government’s owners–the Steel Trust.

Men of the working class who have any illusions about democracy, liberty or protection under The American flag should read the statement we print in full and then blush for their ignorance in calling themselves free born American citizens!

Democracy is merely the name of the club with which gunmen maim and murder workers when the masters of industry demand such murders.

Fellow Worker Little’s statement says:

“I arrived in Iron River, Michigan, the evening of August 15th, I attended meeting on the evening of the 15th and the afternoon of the 16th at the Union Hall there. On August 17th I was on my way to the post office, when two officers stopped me and told me that they wanted to talk to me. I told them to wait till I got back, as I was in a hurry.”

No Warrant Needed.

“They then grabbed me under the arms and told me I was under arrest. I asked them for the warrant, and shoving me into the office they told me the warrant was inside. On entering the office the jailer pulled down the key of one of the cells and told me that was the only warrant they needed.

“I asked him under what charge I was arrested and he told me disturbing the peace. I asked him whose peace I had disturbed. He said ‘You damn S- of a B-, you are here trying to organize the miners.’ He then shoved me in the cell and locked me up.

“The part of the jail I was in had a window and I got a boy, who was passing, to go down to the Finns and notify them I was in jail. On the morning of August 17th a crowd began to gather around on the outside of the window and an officer locked the window, so I could not talk to any one on the outside. At about 7:30 p.m. they moved me to the women’s department, where I could not be seen from.

“That night about 10 p.m. the gunman chief of police woke me up and asked me how long it would take me to leave town, if I was released.

“I told him I would leave just as soon as I got through organizing.

“He told me to get up and put on my shoes. I asked him why and he said he was going to release me. I told him that I preferred to stay in jail till daylight. Three policemen grabbed me, put my shoes on and carried me through the basement and out the back way:

Meditating Murder

“When we reached the head of the stairs a blanket was thrown over my head. They threw me into a waiting automobile and in throwing me in twisted my left arm. Two officers sat on top of me and one of them said to the driver:

“Drive to a good pine tree, we will hang the Son of a B-!

“I did not know what direction we were going, but after we had been on the road some forty minutes they let me up, and wanted to know where the Finnish and Italian organizers were. If you tell us where those damned foreign S- of B- are, we will let you go.” I told them I did not know where they were. “They then told me that the miners of that district were getting good wages and were satisfied, and that they would allow no damn agitators in their territory; and if necessary they would get an army of gunmen to keep us out. One of the men in the machine said he was a mine owner and employing men, and his men would all stand by him.

“I then learned that there was another machine following the one I was in, with five men in it. They took me out of the machine, with three men holding me. Bringing a rope out of the automobile they put a noose around my neck and said they were going to hang me. I told them to hang away, but to expect the same kind of treatment from the working class, themselves, if they resorted to those tactics.

“One of them asked me if I was an American citizen. I told them I was, but that I was not at all proud of it.

“One of them said he did not like to hang an American, but that if they got hold of one of those damned foreigners they would hang them up. They asked me if I would leave the country. I told them that such an agreement would amount to nothing, as I considered I had the right to go wherever I pleased. One of them hit at me. I guarded my face. Another hit me on the back of the head, but did not knock me down, then someone kicked me in the groin, knocking me off my feet. They then began to kick me in the ribs and back. One of them took out his gun and put it to my head, saying: ‘I will finish the S- of a B-.

“One of them interfered, saying he would not stand for murder, but that they could tie me and throw me in the brush.

“He said, ‘If you had those damn foreigners, I would be willing to go the limit, but will not stand for the killing of this man.”

“They then tied my hands behind my back, tied my legs together and threw me in the brush.

“Soon after they had left me it began to rain hard, and soaking wet it took me two hours to free my hands. I then untied my feet and crawled to the railroad track.

“When I got there, I was sore all over from the beating I had received and did not know what direction to take. I managed to travel eighteen miles in agony at every step, and finally got to Watersmeet, Michigan.

“In my condition I could do nothing and decided to go back to Duluth, Minn.”

This ends the statement of Frank Little. He is according to a letter written to William D. Haywood, going back to the mining regions of Michigan in spite of every murderer and pimp, wearing the star that represents the authority of the government of the United States.

Workers of America, is the government of the United States a government for, by and of the people or a murderous, repressive, loathsome conspiracy against the rights, lives and liberties of the working class of the United States? Will the police of Iron River be punished?

Haymarket, Homestead. West Virginia, Michigan, Ludlow, Roosevelt, Grabow are the answers of the past to the aspiration of the workers of America. The Iron Ranges of Minnesota, Iron River and Minot, are the answer of today. The workers of America organized as a class, invincible in their power, ruthless in their demands, destructive for slavery, constructive for liberty must-and will answer of tomorrow!

Transcribed by Revolution's Newsstand

I remember in years long gone, how I used to raise my voice and sing in school the song of my native heath: “Michigan, My Michigan.” Since, I have been disillusioned and see before me not my Michigan, but a Michigan owned and controlled, pulpit, press, law and order courts, by that monstrous oligarchy–the American Steel Trust.

For forty years the development of the Steel Trust in Northern Michigan has been a process of organization that has been squeezing out the individual mine owner and merged all these competing factions into one gigantic body–a body that subjugates all within its borders with a hand and policy of steel. It has been a body that knows no limits, that reaches high and digs deep for its prey. Like some wanton creatures’ eyes agleam with hate, its hands gory, it succeeded in casting over this beautiful land, with its rolling green and picturesque valleys the most dreadful and ominous of silences–the silence of tyranny and oppression.

“Labor is dignified and will stand on its dignity,” I said to myself as first I came within this reign of silence, where miners are watched at work or asleep by an army of arch-conspirators and arch-criminals who gloat over the prospect of kicking the guts out of any who would even address a worker, asking aid for the men who strike and fight against the enemy on the Messaba and Cuyuna ranges, or preach the benefit of organization that light and social betterment may penetrate the darkness of this all.

I arrived in Iron River the day following the kidnapping of Frank Little. I had no sooner arrived in my home state than I became marked by gunmen. My grip was forced open, while was away from the hotel. Afterwards having learned a lesson, I moved into the home of a comrade.

One of the relieving features of the situation, illumining the darkness of oppression was the red flashes of discontent. On every street corner there was subdued talk of strike.

Teaching Disrespect for Flag.

A miner’s meeting was to be held the following Sunday and, at the last hour, abandoned. Five hundred of Hell’s own citizens and small fry business men appeared at the appointed hour and took entire possession, starting, as scoundrels always do, with patriotism by pinning flags on all, using force where it was necessary. Men were forced to wear the flag which the social parasites are dragging in the dust, or were brought to jail.

A resolution favoring deportation for all agitators and even physical violence and murder was approved by the applause of the audience of gunmen and police, who flaunting the flag that was before the days of the Steel Trust supposed to represent freedom as they talked of murder.

Our task was aided. The thugs of the police, the thugs representing the business interests had cut their own throat. Despotism and intolerance breeds rebellion. The miners are now infuriated to white heat at the tyranny of the masters; they are prepared to support morally and financially their brother miners on the striking ranges of Minnesota. The following morning, Fred Jaakola and myself made our getaway and arrived in Negaunee, where mass meetings were arranged and where a great crowd, hot at the injustice of the masters of men who toil, sent their money in aid of the men who are fighting their fight.

The protest of the workers were sent to the governors of Michigan and Minnesota. Dan Foley, Chief Oliver, gunman, hearing that workers, preaching the gospel of discontent, were loose in Michigan, motored in from Virginia with deputies hot on the trail of the organizers. Trains and county roads are being guarded. What happens when we fall into the hands of the foe will, we suppose, be a repetition of the experiences of Frank Little. Violence and brutality are the only answer these curs can give the longings of the workers.

After all I am inclined to think there is a dignity of labor if we only hunt and strive for it. But labor is only dignified in revolt.

Transcribed by Revolution’s Newstand