The Strike of 1916

Title: Miners Denied Charity
Type: Newspaper
Date: June 24, 1916
Source: The Duluth News

Description: Workers weren't paid while on strike. This article discusses an issue that involved charity for miners.
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Activities:

1. Why might miners think it was necessary to apply for help from a charity?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: When a person goes on strike, they are not getting paid the wages that they depend upon for their family's survival. If a strike lasts a long time, the hardship on those families can be considerable.
2. What opinion is the charity taking on the issue of the strike by making this statement?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The charity is disagreeing with the strikers and suggesting that they go back to work.
3. Why would strike leaders deny that any of the strikers were in need of charity?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: Labor organizations did not want the mining companies to know if the strikers were suffering because it might encourage the companies to avoid negotiations in the hopes that the strikers would give up their demands.
4. What kinds of things do you think the labor organizations could provide for the strikers?
   
   
   
   
   Answer: The labor organizations could provide some food and loans for striking workers, but usually this would not be enough to meet all of their needs during the strike.