A site dedicated to the history of the "Progressive" working people of Hayes - A Peoples History Hayes Peoples History
Saturday, March 03, 2012
Hyndman 1912 Call for Bread & Roses
Henry Hyndman speaking to British Socialist Party/Glasgow Clarion Scouts meeting January 1912 at the Pavilion Theatre. Presiding R.A Lister apologies from R.B. Cunningham.
Hyndman
"I am not an an anarchist; I do not believe in blowing up or shooting capitalists, I do not even think strikes were the best weapon, though he had never failed to support strikes once they had were out.
"I do not like the idea of 600,000 miners striking merely for a minimum wage"
"If men were simply going out for betterment of wages, they did not alter materially the conditions under which they worked"
"However If they held out for a social reorganisation which would uplift all then every man, women and child would be with them"
Source Glasgow Herald January 1912
NOTE:
Lawrence Strike (America) - "Bread & Roses strike" started during the same period January 1912
The Lawrence Textile Strike was a strike of immigrant workers in Lawrence, Massachusetts in 1912 led by the IWW or Industrial Workers of the World. Prompted by one mill owner's decision to lower wages when a new law shortening the working week. Famous American Hellen Keller a committed socialist was active in support of the workers and the IWW.