Wobblies

The Industrial Workers of the World (Wobblies) was a radical syndicalist labor union. Composed primarily of unemployed and homeless workers, including dissatisfied elements from the lumber industry, the IWW had a contentious relationship with the town as far back as 1914 when 47 members descended upon Centralia and tried to take up residence. After run-ins with local authorities led to the group being escorted from town, eight union members returned to Centralia and looted the local stores for food and other supplies.
Creating Union Halls was a key part of IWW strategy at that time since the vast majority of its members were homeless. In 1917, the IWW was finally able to open a Union Hall in Centralia at which point the already bad blood with the town of Centralia worsened. The hall was attacked in 1918 during a Red Cross parade, most probably at the hands of the local lumber companies and with support from Centralia's Elk Lodge. Consequently, by the fall of 1919, the Wobblies were spoiling for revenge. Whether by design or unfortunate circumstance, Warren O. Grimm, war veteran, local hero, All-American football player, husband, and new father, would become most famous as the first victim of the Centralia Massacre. He was assassinated on November 11, 1919, by members of the IWW (Wobblies) during the Centralia Massacre in Washington State.
Their voices for social and economic justice: Tom Morello. Morello is the Harvard-educated guitarist who dabbled in politics, then chose rock music to make a difference. He was working Senator Cranston. Cranston was the California State Controller from 1959–1967 and I met him in Sacramento in 1964. Cranston was born in Palo Alto, California, the son of Carol (née Dixon) and William MacGregor Cranston. He earned his high school diploma from the old Mountain View High School, where among other things, he was a track star. He attended Pomona College and the Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México before graduating from Stanford University in Palo Alto in 1936. Chairman of the Senate Committee on Veterans' Affairs.
Two things that inspire me about the Wobblies is it was a singing union, first of all. And they realized that, in order to organize diverse groups of immigrants who often didn't speak the same language, they would do it through song. And their solidarity came through music. And Joe Hill, the great poet laureate of the early 20th century, you know, said, "You--" I'm paraphrasing. But--"A pamphlet you'll read once. But a song you can sing again and again and stays in your heart."
Ted Rudow III,MA