MEMORABLE VISIT TO CHICAGO MARTYRS HERITAGE
- Dr.M.K. Pandhe ,President CITU
It was a great occasion filled with revolutionary emotions, when I got the opportunity to visit Chicago to pay homage to the valiant memory of the heroic martyrs of Chicago on 6 July 2008 who scarified their life in 1886. They fought for implementation of eight hour day but brutal suppression of their legitimate struggle which evoked strong protests all over the world. The International Labour Congress held in Paris on 14 July 1889 while observing hundredth Anniversary of French Revolution gave a call to observe May 1 as the day of International Solidarity of the working class which led the foundation of May Day all over the world. The Second International which met in Geneva in 1892 endorsed the call.
The CITU was invited for the first time by the American Trade unions to attend a union conference. The Service International Employees Union (SIEU) a breakaway group from AFL-CIO developed friendly ties with CITU. The conference of this union was held in Puerto Rico on 1-3 June 2008 and I was invited to attend the Conference on behalf of CITU. The Conference advocated strengthening of international solidarity of working class in the struggle against globalization.
The Communist Party of Chicago gave a commendable help in arranging my visit to Chicago so that we can pay homage to the revered memory of Hay Market martyrs. My wife Pramila was with me since she was keen to visit the martyrs memorial.
Comrade Terry Albano Editor of the American Communist Party newspaper “Workers World” received us at the Airport on 5th July 2008. We addressed meeting of trade union activist in Chicago. Despite limited strength the comrades were trying to develop trade union movement with revolutionary outlook. Comrade Scott Marshall who was a leading Communist trade unionist in USA was present in the meeting.
On 6th July, Prof. William J. Adelman, Assistant Professor of Labour and International Relations at the University of Illionis and Vice-President of Illionis Labour History Society, who had done extensive study of Chicago workers on behalf of the Illionis Labour History Society was kind enough to agree to explain us about the entire struggle of May Day martyrs. He was waiting for us near the martyr’s memorial.
For over two hours Prof. Adelman explained at length the heroic struggle conducted by Chicago workers. We were surprised to see the in-depth knowledge he acquired about the entire episode. He collected large number of photographs connected with the May Day martyrs.
The Martyrs Memorial is beautiful piece of revolutionary art established in Germen Waldheim Centenary (New Forest Home), 15 kilometers from West of Chicago. The statue of a women with anger in her face but looking at a bright future standing near the dead body of a martyr. It was a great emotional occasion to us. When we placed flowers before the memorial we were overwhelmed by the sacrifice made by the martyrs, which had brought the entire world in action.
Near the monument of the May Day martyrs and their graves there are some graves knows as Dissenters Row, where grave of twenty four persons whose lives were changed and inspired by Haymarket episode. We found the graves of several Communist leaders of U.S.A. namely, William Z. Foster (1881-1961), Elizhabeth Gurley Flynu (1890-1964) and Engine Dennis (1904-1961) Jack Jhonstone (1881-1942) and others. It was happy news to us to know that John Jhonstone came to India in early thirties of the last century to support India’s freedom struggle. The imperialist Government arrested him and would have sent him to gallows but failed to do due international protest campaign. The other grave consisted of several leftist and progressive leaders of working class movement in U.S.A.
Prof. Adelman gave us brief background of the militant struggles organized by Chicago workers prior to the Haymarket episode. He pointed out how Chicago was at the forefront of the struggles of the U.S. workers. Despite repressive measures taken by the U.S. Govt. the working class struggles were becoming stronger and widespread. Even the ideas of socialism were becoming popular among the working class.
Prof. Adelman collected the family background of all the leading workers and one could easily note how strenuously he had worked to collect minutest details of every one connected with the struggle.. He also traced how the struggle for eight hour day was evolved in U.S.A. and how the capitalists were vociferously opposing the demand to continue their merciless exploitation.
The learned Professor mustered voluminous data to depict hour by hour developments of the events that laid to Haymarket massacre. He studied at length the prevailing working and living conditions of U.S. workers which led to the growing militancy of their struggles.
Prof. Adelman traced the relationship between May Day and Eight Hour day struggle. It began in 1867 when in Chicago a massive demonstration of 10 thousand workers was organized demanding 8 hour day on May 1. Seventeen years later in a meeting in Chicago, the Federation of organized Trade and Labour unions in United States and Canada passed a resolution that from and after May 1 1886 all union should strive to achieve a legal right for eight hour day.
Prof. Adelman explained to us how on 1st May 1886 in 12,000 factories about three and a half lakh workers participated in a nationwide strike in support of the demand for eight hour day. Eighty thousand workers of Chicago participated in this agitation and employers employing 45 thousand workers agreed to implement 8 hour day while others refused.
Demonstrations were organized on May 2 and 3 while the rally was held on May 4 at Haymarket. In the meeting August Spices, A.R. Parsovs and Samuel Fielden spoke in the meeting. At the outset the meeting was attended by about 2500 persons but at the end the speeches the attendance of the meeting was only about 200 but 176 policemen were guarding the locality.
Some agent provocateurs were planned in the meeting and a bomb was thrown at the police in a preplanned manner to resort to repression. The police were waiting till the crowd was reduced. Some Govt. agents were also in the meeting who later became approver in the court case. The bombs killed one policeman and injured two or three of them. Some more policemen were killed due to reckless police firing.
Three workers died in police firing and over 30 were injured.
On 5th April 1886 Marshall Law was promulgated in Chicago and over 1000 workers were arrested and tortured. A false trial was conducted and 8 leaders of trade union were send to gallows without their involvement in throwing of bomb.
Prof. Adelman was explaining the development in such a great details that we felt as if we were witnessing the event.
The eight martyrs of the Haymarket were George Engel, Samuel Fielden, Adolph Fisher, Louis Lingg, Oscar Neebe, A.R. Parsons, Michael Schwab and August Spies. Prof. Adelman collected how all of them had nothing to do with the changes against them. He confidently stated that it was a clear attempt to crush the rising T.U. movement of Chicago and U.S. workers in support of eight hour day.
On November 11, 1887 the eight heroes of May Day were sent to gallous which came to be known as black Friday all over the world. Prof. Adelman collected great deal of details about the last moment prior to their hanging. How the family members of the martyrs behaved was also aptly recorded by him..
He described the details of the funeral procession taken on 13th November 1887 which was participated by several thousands of workers and watched by half a million people. The processionist condemned the hanging of the innocent leaders of the working class of Chicago.
After we paid sour homage to the May Day martyrs we were taken to Haymarket where the police firing took place.
We were explained how the Government instead of constructing memorial or the May Day martyrs erected the statue of the policeman who died in Bomb attack in the Haymarket. A long drawn struggle was launched by the workers of Chicago to remove the statue which was also blown up on two occasions but reestablished again. Prof. Adelman pointed out how the Illionis Labour History Society also played a role in removal of the statue in 1972 and placing it in central police headquarters.
It was again after a long drawn movement that in 2004 September that May Day martyrs memorial could be established in the place where the meeting was held on 4th May 1886 which came to be known as “Haymarket affair” in U.S.A. The delay was due to several objections raised by the authorities that the movement would affect the traffic in a crowded area. Due to public pressure the authorities had to agree to establish a movement in memory of May Day martyrs.
The memorial is a design of a wagon standing on which the speakers addressed the gathering. It was designed by Mary Bragger which is bronze monument 15 feet high.
Prof. Adelman took us round the area and showed as several places connected with the May day martyrs struggle for eight our day. We were surprised to hear the detail description even of buildings that were used by workers for their activities.
Prof. Adelman had laborious collected several facts and presented in a book entitled “Haymarket Revised” which has almost assumed the character of a tourist guide to visit placed connected with May Day martyrs struggle. He gave me a copy of the book. The CITU has divided to publish the book since it gives several new aspects of the glorious struggle of the working class of Chicago for achieving eight hour day in the world.
The visit to the May Day martyrs memorial in German Waldhain Cementry (New forest home) and Haymarket market is an inspiring event. It is surprising to note that AFL-CIO does not observe the May Day though it was instrumental in proposing to observe the day all over the world.
However, the revolutionary working class of U.S.A. is proud of the glorious saga of the May Day martyrs who laid the foundation of international solidarity of the working class all over the world.
- Dr.M.K. Pandhe ,President CITU
It was a great occasion filled with revolutionary emotions, when I got the opportunity to visit Chicago to pay homage to the valiant memory of the heroic martyrs of Chicago on 6 July 2008 who scarified their life in 1886. They fought for implementation of eight hour day but brutal suppression of their legitimate struggle which evoked strong protests all over the world. The International Labour Congress held in Paris on 14 July 1889 while observing hundredth Anniversary of French Revolution gave a call to observe May 1 as the day of International Solidarity of the working class which led the foundation of May Day all over the world. The Second International which met in Geneva in 1892 endorsed the call.
The CITU was invited for the first time by the American Trade unions to attend a union conference. The Service International Employees Union (SIEU) a breakaway group from AFL-CIO developed friendly ties with CITU. The conference of this union was held in Puerto Rico on 1-3 June 2008 and I was invited to attend the Conference on behalf of CITU. The Conference advocated strengthening of international solidarity of working class in the struggle against globalization.
The Communist Party of Chicago gave a commendable help in arranging my visit to Chicago so that we can pay homage to the revered memory of Hay Market martyrs. My wife Pramila was with me since she was keen to visit the martyrs memorial.
Comrade Terry Albano Editor of the American Communist Party newspaper “Workers World” received us at the Airport on 5th July 2008. We addressed meeting of trade union activist in Chicago. Despite limited strength the comrades were trying to develop trade union movement with revolutionary outlook. Comrade Scott Marshall who was a leading Communist trade unionist in USA was present in the meeting.
On 6th July, Prof. William J. Adelman, Assistant Professor of Labour and International Relations at the University of Illionis and Vice-President of Illionis Labour History Society, who had done extensive study of Chicago workers on behalf of the Illionis Labour History Society was kind enough to agree to explain us about the entire struggle of May Day martyrs. He was waiting for us near the martyr’s memorial.
For over two hours Prof. Adelman explained at length the heroic struggle conducted by Chicago workers. We were surprised to see the in-depth knowledge he acquired about the entire episode. He collected large number of photographs connected with the May Day martyrs.
The Martyrs Memorial is beautiful piece of revolutionary art established in Germen Waldheim Centenary (New Forest Home), 15 kilometers from West of Chicago. The statue of a women with anger in her face but looking at a bright future standing near the dead body of a martyr. It was a great emotional occasion to us. When we placed flowers before the memorial we were overwhelmed by the sacrifice made by the martyrs, which had brought the entire world in action.
Near the monument of the May Day martyrs and their graves there are some graves knows as Dissenters Row, where grave of twenty four persons whose lives were changed and inspired by Haymarket episode. We found the graves of several Communist leaders of U.S.A. namely, William Z. Foster (1881-1961), Elizhabeth Gurley Flynu (1890-1964) and Engine Dennis (1904-1961) Jack Jhonstone (1881-1942) and others. It was happy news to us to know that John Jhonstone came to India in early thirties of the last century to support India’s freedom struggle. The imperialist Government arrested him and would have sent him to gallows but failed to do due international protest campaign. The other grave consisted of several leftist and progressive leaders of working class movement in U.S.A.
Prof. Adelman gave us brief background of the militant struggles organized by Chicago workers prior to the Haymarket episode. He pointed out how Chicago was at the forefront of the struggles of the U.S. workers. Despite repressive measures taken by the U.S. Govt. the working class struggles were becoming stronger and widespread. Even the ideas of socialism were becoming popular among the working class.
Prof. Adelman collected the family background of all the leading workers and one could easily note how strenuously he had worked to collect minutest details of every one connected with the struggle.. He also traced how the struggle for eight hour day was evolved in U.S.A. and how the capitalists were vociferously opposing the demand to continue their merciless exploitation.
The learned Professor mustered voluminous data to depict hour by hour developments of the events that laid to Haymarket massacre. He studied at length the prevailing working and living conditions of U.S. workers which led to the growing militancy of their struggles.
Prof. Adelman traced the relationship between May Day and Eight Hour day struggle. It began in 1867 when in Chicago a massive demonstration of 10 thousand workers was organized demanding 8 hour day on May 1. Seventeen years later in a meeting in Chicago, the Federation of organized Trade and Labour unions in United States and Canada passed a resolution that from and after May 1 1886 all union should strive to achieve a legal right for eight hour day.
Prof. Adelman explained to us how on 1st May 1886 in 12,000 factories about three and a half lakh workers participated in a nationwide strike in support of the demand for eight hour day. Eighty thousand workers of Chicago participated in this agitation and employers employing 45 thousand workers agreed to implement 8 hour day while others refused.
Demonstrations were organized on May 2 and 3 while the rally was held on May 4 at Haymarket. In the meeting August Spices, A.R. Parsovs and Samuel Fielden spoke in the meeting. At the outset the meeting was attended by about 2500 persons but at the end the speeches the attendance of the meeting was only about 200 but 176 policemen were guarding the locality.
Some agent provocateurs were planned in the meeting and a bomb was thrown at the police in a preplanned manner to resort to repression. The police were waiting till the crowd was reduced. Some Govt. agents were also in the meeting who later became approver in the court case. The bombs killed one policeman and injured two or three of them. Some more policemen were killed due to reckless police firing.
Three workers died in police firing and over 30 were injured.
On 5th April 1886 Marshall Law was promulgated in Chicago and over 1000 workers were arrested and tortured. A false trial was conducted and 8 leaders of trade union were send to gallows without their involvement in throwing of bomb.
Prof. Adelman was explaining the development in such a great details that we felt as if we were witnessing the event.
The eight martyrs of the Haymarket were George Engel, Samuel Fielden, Adolph Fisher, Louis Lingg, Oscar Neebe, A.R. Parsons, Michael Schwab and August Spies. Prof. Adelman collected how all of them had nothing to do with the changes against them. He confidently stated that it was a clear attempt to crush the rising T.U. movement of Chicago and U.S. workers in support of eight hour day.
On November 11, 1887 the eight heroes of May Day were sent to gallous which came to be known as black Friday all over the world. Prof. Adelman collected great deal of details about the last moment prior to their hanging. How the family members of the martyrs behaved was also aptly recorded by him..
He described the details of the funeral procession taken on 13th November 1887 which was participated by several thousands of workers and watched by half a million people. The processionist condemned the hanging of the innocent leaders of the working class of Chicago.
After we paid sour homage to the May Day martyrs we were taken to Haymarket where the police firing took place.
We were explained how the Government instead of constructing memorial or the May Day martyrs erected the statue of the policeman who died in Bomb attack in the Haymarket. A long drawn struggle was launched by the workers of Chicago to remove the statue which was also blown up on two occasions but reestablished again. Prof. Adelman pointed out how the Illionis Labour History Society also played a role in removal of the statue in 1972 and placing it in central police headquarters.
It was again after a long drawn movement that in 2004 September that May Day martyrs memorial could be established in the place where the meeting was held on 4th May 1886 which came to be known as “Haymarket affair” in U.S.A. The delay was due to several objections raised by the authorities that the movement would affect the traffic in a crowded area. Due to public pressure the authorities had to agree to establish a movement in memory of May Day martyrs.
The memorial is a design of a wagon standing on which the speakers addressed the gathering. It was designed by Mary Bragger which is bronze monument 15 feet high.
Prof. Adelman took us round the area and showed as several places connected with the May day martyrs struggle for eight our day. We were surprised to hear the detail description even of buildings that were used by workers for their activities.
Prof. Adelman had laborious collected several facts and presented in a book entitled “Haymarket Revised” which has almost assumed the character of a tourist guide to visit placed connected with May Day martyrs struggle. He gave me a copy of the book. The CITU has divided to publish the book since it gives several new aspects of the glorious struggle of the working class of Chicago for achieving eight hour day in the world.
The visit to the May Day martyrs memorial in German Waldhain Cementry (New forest home) and Haymarket market is an inspiring event. It is surprising to note that AFL-CIO does not observe the May Day though it was instrumental in proposing to observe the day all over the world.
However, the revolutionary working class of U.S.A. is proud of the glorious saga of the May Day martyrs who laid the foundation of international solidarity of the working class all over the world.
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