From 1917 we have a message of support (page 6) for Jim Larkin in the San Francisco based anarchist paper, The Blast. Larkin had just launched the weekly American edition of the Irish Worker. Also on that page is an article linking the Irish and Indian struggles against British imperialism. Both pieces were probably written by the editor, Alexander Berkman. On the preceding page there is an excerpt from a letter from George Bernard Shaw entitled Why I don’t come to America.
The Blast, Big Jim Larkin and GB Shaw (1917)
January 8, 2012
1910s, Papers & Magazines GB Shaw, Jim Larkin, The Blast 1 Comment
Jan 08, 2012 @ 21:20:10
In 1914, after the end of the Dublin lock-out, Larkin travelled to America to raise funds for the Irish Transport & General Workers Union.
He quickly became involved with the Industrial Workers of the World (IWW) and In November 1915 he gave an oration at the funeral of Joe Hill.
On 7th November, 1919, the second anniversary of the Russian revolution, Alexander Palmer, the US attorney general, ordered the arrest of over 10,000 suspected communists and anarchists. This included Larkin who was charged with “criminal anarchy” and sentenced to 5-10 years imprisonment in Sing Sing prison.
After three years he was pardoned by New York Governor Al Smith and deported back to Ireland.
Among his visitors while imprisoned was the silent film star Charlie Chaplin. You can find more about this at:
http://comeheretome.wordpress.com/2011/04/28/time-to-move-charlie-to-oconnell-street