The fact that
workers had it tough in the early years of the American
Industrial Revolution is widely taught in schools. Sixteen-hour
workdays in dangerous conditions, child labor, exploitation, and
accidents were common; then, magically, everything became better
in a civilized, twentieth-century way. The forces behind this
change are left ambiguous at best, and the radical labor
movement isn't discussed--too difficult for young minds,
perhaps. And so the visions of masses of militant workers
parading through the streets of cities, towns, and villages on
May Day is lost in the revision of history. The first May Day,
in 1886, was a call for eight-hour workdays by the workers in
many American cities; it is now mostly associated with the
Haymarket Martyrs. A bomb thrown by an unknown person at a labor
rally in Chicago's Haymarket Square killed one policeman;
authorities rounded up whom they considered to be the leaders of
the local labor movement and put them on trial. Mother Jones
said of the incident: "The workers asked only for bread and a
shortening of the long hours of toil. The agitators gave them
visions. The police gave them clubs".
The charge against the accused, eight anarchists, was
conspiracy--labor unions were illegal at the time under
conspiracy laws. The prosecution summed up their arguments with:
"Anarchy is on trial...[These men] are no more guilty than those
thousands who follow them...convict these men, make examples of
them, hang them and you save our institutions, our society". All
were found guilty; four of the eight were hanged, one committed
suicide in jail, and the remaining three were freed years later
when public opinion turned against the rigged trial.
Besides the prominence government recognition gave to Labor Day,
other factors led to the diminished importance of May Day in the
US. American newspapers stereotyped the May Day revelers as
being "wild-eyed agitators;" in contrast, those who participated
in Labor Day marches were "sober, clean, quiet." At the turn of
the century, the difference between the two holidays was
exaggerated; the press emphasized the large percentage of
immigrants present in May Day celebrations, while Labor Day was
"a demonstration of the honest American workingman." At a time
when the foreign born were increasingly viewed with suspicion,
this portrayal helped push more conservative labor groups in the
US (such as the AFL) to abandon May Day in favor of Labor Day.
But American radicals wouldn't give up. Eugene V. Debs,
Socialist Party candidate for US President, stated in 1907:
"This is the first and only International Labor Day. It belongs
to the working class and is dedicated to the revolution." The
Industrial Workers of the World, a radical labor union, also
rallied around May Day. May Day continued to grow, calling for
an end to "imperialist slaughter," throughout WWI and the
beginning of the Bolshevik Revolution in Russia.
Because
of the chilling effect this event had on labor, the next May Day wasn't
observed until 1890. Spurred by a resolution from the American
Federation of Labor (AFL) and the International Socialist Congress, this
day saw parades not only in American cities but simultaneous
demonstrations throughout the European industrial centers and in Havana,
Cuba. The common theme was the demand for guaranteed eight-hour
workdays, and to raise awareness of the common class struggle existing
in all countries. From that time on, May Day became an annual gathering
of the working class in industrial countries. In the US, Labor Day was
started in September of 1882, and quickly became an official holiday at
the same time May Day spread throughout the world. Labor Day is a time
to celebrate the contributions American workers had given their country,
unlike May Day events, which focused on the international class
struggle. It remains a patriotic holiday, and compared to the first May
Day demonstrations, Labor Day is recognized by relatively staid parades
and speeches.
The fear of socialist revolution increased the anti-communist sentiment
in America; in 1919 May Day participants were attacked by police and
anti-labor rioters, which led to the destruction of socialist or
communist party offices in many cities. Workers encountered difficulty
in getting permission for marches, and some cities required that the
American flag be carried. Similar attacks or bans on May Day parades
became common throughout non-socialist European countries, especially in
fascist Italy and Germany. May Day continued to grow everywhere in the
world--Canada, South Africa, China, Japan, and Korea all saw nascent
labor movements celebrate May Day. The largest turnouts were in the
Soviet Union and Cuba; US media increasingly described May Day as a
"commie" event, even though American leftists of all types continued to
participate, calling for fairness and equal opportunity on the job.
Large-scale demonstrations led to employers recognizing the eight-hour
day and forty-hour workweek, among other achievements. But between the
Cold War and McCarthyism, participation in May Day events in the US
dwindled.
May Day is still celebrated by socialist, communist, and labor
organizations in America. May Day 1998 saw a small demonstration in
Olympia against the Washington State "anarchy and sabotage" statute,
which in 1919 made it illegal for anyone to display banners, flags, or
emblems that are perceived to advocate subversion of the US
Constitution, federal or state laws. In Seattle, hundreds marched for
unionization and better pay for child-care workers, and on the UW campus
over 500 participated in the first annual Teach-In on Globalization and
Democracy, subtitled "Do Free Markets make Free People?". It is ironic
that while May Day began in America, participation has paled in contrast
to the millions of activists who still celebrate May Day around the
world. The impetus for May Day still exists; it only needs the spark of
organization to flare up again and command the attention of America's
corporations.
