Bread and Roses

Abstract

The Presidential Address Bread and Roses by Lois R. Kuznets Friends and fellow lovers of children's literature, the title of my talk today 1s Bread and Roses. For those of you to whom that phrase 1s as yet unknown, I hope to make clear not only why I am using 1t here, but also Its fame, or notoriety (depending on your point of view) 1n American history 1n general, as well as labor history. As you shall see, given the standard curriculum , you are unlikely to have learned about Bread and Roses 1n school. Presidential addresses usually begin with either a funny or an Inspirational story. While priding myself on a certain wry sense of humor and, moreover, being known to utter strangers 1n movie theaters for my loud vulgar laugh at Inappropriate moments, I, nevertheless, am going to begin with a true and Inspirational story rather than a joke. This story 1s told admirably by Milton Meltzer, one of the best known writers of nonfiction for children. I will be quoting liberally from his book, which Hke most of Meltzer' s works, 1s written for both adults and children. The story begins on Friday, January 12, 1912, when the workers—men, women and children—struck the textile mills 1n Lawrence, Massachusetts—a town 1n which no stockholder 1n these mills could bear to Uve. As Meltzer notes, although the conditions 1n the mills were ghastly and the wages already Incredibly low, "The Immediate cause of the strike was a wage cut." He continues, A state law had just been passed reducing the hours of women and children from 56 to 54 a week. The employers had strongly opposed 1t because over half of the 40,000 workers 1n the woolen and cotton mills were 1n these categories. Now they cut wages proportionately, and at the same time speeded up the machines so that for 54 hours at 54 hours' pay they got the same output they used to get 1n 56 hours at 56 hours' pay. (173) The Industrial Workers of the World, known familiarly as the WobbHes, was the union to organize this strike. The WobbHes were known for organizing not just the craft workers, but workers 1n all Industrial categories, skilled and unskilled; they spoke to the many Immigrants 1n their own original languages. This Important feature of the strike managed to create 1n the strikers an almost religious fervor. Ray Stannard Baker, a famous muckraker, reported on this aspect of the strike: It 1s the first strike I ever saw which sang. I shall not soon forget the curious 11ft, the strange sudden fire of the mingled nationalities at the strike meetings when they broke Into the universal language of song. And not only at the meetings did they sing, but at the soup houses and 1n the streets. (IBl) This strike was clearly a family affair, but food and fuel for the New England winter were scarce. Eventually the strikers adopted a European method—sendl ng their children to be cared for by strike supporters In other cities. This move finally led to one of the strikebreakers ' most outrageous acts, described by another observer of that time, Elizabeth Gurley Flynn: On February 24, a group of 40 strikers' children were to go from Lawrence to Philadelphia. ... At the railroad station In Lawrence, where the children were assembled, accompanied by their fathers and mothers . . . they were surrounded by police. . . . Children were clubbed and torn away from their parents and a wild scene of brutal disorder took place. Thirty-five frantic women and children were arrested, thrown screaming and fighting Into patrol wagons. They were beaten Into submission and taken to the police station. There the women were charged with "neglect" and Improper guardianship and ten frightened children were taken to the Lawrence Poor Farm. . . . Members of the Philadelphia Committee were arrested and fined. (184) This shocking story has a happy ending. Threatened congressional Investigation of this Incident forced the hand of the textile Industry; by March 12, the mills began to give In to the workers' demands—which were modest Indeed—except In their wonderful expression on a banner carried on the picket line by...