The Cold Millions

Nineteen-year-old Elizabeth Gurley Flynn is introduced as a married suffragist and an IWW organizer. She arrives in Spokane to help in the fight for free speech.

After Rye’s weeklong imprisonment, Moore takes Rye to the IWW hall, promising to help Gig and Jules next. He also assures Rye that he will get him new clothes, though Gurley, whom he describes as “redoubtable,” had requested to meet Rye and see him in his clothes from the riot to demonstrate his mistreatment.

Gurley is in discussion with other union leaders planning another free speech protest when Rye and Moore arrive. Gurley plans to raise money to hire the famous union lawyer Clarence Darrow to represent the IWW and have the anti-speech law repealed. A union leader expresses concern over letting her go to one of their overfilled jails, but Gurley takes offense at the implication that anyone would “let” her do anything. Rye soon realizes that the leader’s concern stems from the fact that Gurley is pregnant.

Gurley introduces Rye to the group, critiquing the union leaders’ opinion of her pregnancy. This upsets one of the leaders, Cawley, who rebukes her for escalating their fight for wage increases into a full-scale revolution.