in the year of her election, 1916, the everett massacre happened . strong was hired as a stringer by the "new york evening post" to report on the bloody conflict between the iww (or "wobblies") and the army of armed guards hired by everett mill owners to keep them out of town. at first, she was just somebody who was watching without taking a side. however, she soon started taking the side of workers' rights and speaking about this belief.