Note: “Printed in the Seattle Union Record (a daily newspaper put out by labor people)” – Howard Zinn

I found this poem in one of my AP History text books at school (“A People’s History of the United States” by Howard Zinn.) On February 6, 1919 (shortly after World War I) Seattle, Washington started a city-wide strike. The only people that stayed on the job were laundry workers who did only hospital laudry, firemen and authorized vehicles that had signs saying “Exempted by the General Strike Committee.” Meals were prepared in thirty-five milk stations and transported all over the city. Strikers payed twenty-five cents and the general public thirty five for as much beef stew, spaghetti, bread and coffee.

   "A Labor War Veteran's Guard was organized to keep the peace.  On the
  blackboard at one of its headquarteres was written: 'The purpose of this
  organization is to preserve law and order without the use of force.  No
  volunteer will have any police power or be allowed to carry weapons of any
  sort, but to use persuasion only.'  During the strike, crime in the city
  decreased.  The commander of the U.S. army detachment sent into the area
  told the strikers' committee that in forty years of military experience he
  hadn't seen so quiet and orderly a city" (Zinn 378)

Many people believe that, without force, peace and civilization cannot be maintained. But this poem and passage speak contrary to that. The strike stopped after five days.

— Jade

Links

An extensive set of excerpts from Zinn’s text, giving the historical background

to the poem:

http://colfa.utsa.edu/users/jreynolds/Textbooks/WWI/ZinnIWW.html