Socialism in Star City

Socialism in Star City. June 14th, 1907. , The Citizens Party , In their first municipal elections on June 14, 1907, Star City's residents voted for a slate of citizen candidates without party affiliation who ran unopposed. They directed the operation of the schoolhouse, organized in 1905 in a two-room brick building. They also oversaw the transformation of the Shriver Post Office to the Star City Post Office. One of the most notable efforts was hiring a "Special Policeman," the forerunner of the Star City Police Department., A Party by the People, for the People , Economic stagnation in the area after 1910 pushed residents to turn elsewhere for leadership. Many Star City glassworkers supported the Socialist Party since they opposed mechanization in factories, which they feared made workers more expendable to factory owners. After the January 1911 elections, four out of the five councilmembers for Star City were members of the Socialist Party. In 1912, 1914, and 1915, the Socialist Party controlled every local political office., A Party Divided Against Itself , Despite earning the majority vote in nearly every election, Star City's Socialists faced stiff resistance from their opponents, the Citizens Party -- so much so that the Morgantown New Dominion (February 2, 1911) declared, "Star City is on the verge of civil war." The Socialist Party began losing their footing when the U.S. entered the Great War (World War I) and the party, became divided in their support of it. This division would lead to greater problems after the war., Adapting to the Times , By the end of World War I, the Socialist Party's popularity had waned with the spread of "red scares" across the United States and lost its hold in Star City's politics. Within a few years, many Socialist candidates began running on "Independent Citizens" tickets to avoid negative associations. Star City government remained under control of this Independent Citizens Party until 1924., (Captions):, Star City Post Office, Morgantown, W. Va. (1962) , West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries , Source: Roger Dalton - Collection: A&M 3060, Mary G. Harris Jones (1902) , A Prominent Civil Rights Activist and Socialist, "Mother Jones" Fought for the Rights of Factory Rorkers and Miners in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and West Virginia, Star City Glassworkers, W. Va. (Date Unknown) , West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries , Source: West Virginia History OnView - West Virginia History OnView, Fungus Political Cartoon by Nelson Harding (1919) , These Types of Political Cartoons Were Common After Both World Wars and Thrived on Civilians Fears at the Time, Picket Line at the Pursglove Mine, Pursglove, W. Va., Monongalia County (ca. 1933) , West Virginia and Regiorial History Center, West Virginia University , Source: Glenna Williams - West Virginia History OnView, Mother Jones, Star City, W. Va. (1918) , West Virginia and Regional History Center, West Virginia University Libraries , Source: Mrs. James S. Morris - West Virginia History OnView