Well, I'm speechless! While researching the Joe Hill story, I've found other, sadly unknown to most of us, heroes of the union movement during that turbulent and violent period of American union history. The Ludlow Massacre in 1914 was the bloodiest event of the 14 month coal strike in southern Colorado, during which 19 men, women but mainly children died, including a union organiser called Louis Tikas who was was shot and killed. This grievous massacre spawned a powerful song from the late and great Woodie Guthrie which I've been listening to for years from Dick Gaughan's 'Call It Freedom' album. It's one of the songs on that CD that always made me sit up and take notice, but till now, I hadn't followed up on the story.
Yes, I know there's a bit of thread creep happening here, but in the overall scheme of things, not a great deal and in a good cause.
YIU
gecko