LOCKED UP

Evening Post, Volume CIII, Issue 32, 8 February 1922, Page 7

LOCKED UP

THE POPLAR GUARDIANS

VIOLENT TACTICS OF TJHEM.

PLOYE-D.

(UNHID PRESS - ASSOCIATION.—COPIBIOni.)

(AUSTRALIAN - KZTV 23ALAH3 CASSLt ASSOCIATION.) LONDON, 6th February.

There were remarkable scenes at a meeting .of the Poplar Board of Guardians. A deputation of \memployed threatened to lock the guardians in if their demands were not granted. A heated discussion lasted several hours, the chairman pointing out that the guardians had not power1 to levy a rate. The deputation later carried out their threat, and the guardians were still under lock and key at midnight. •/ At 2 o'clock Mr. George Lansbuiy appealed to the deputation to allow, the incarcerated pressmen to be released, but the rioters refused. Mr. Lansbury then said that if an official was not released he could not sign the- necessary cheques1 to pay the relief claims, at which the rioters sneered, declaring that the- imprisonment would last until 6 o'clock. At 4 o'clock Mr. Lansbury. calling the crowd cowards, declared that the guardians would not stand any further impudence, and, with his son Edgar, he broke through them and rushed downstairs. They were followed; by a howling gang, who played a liose on the fleeing guardians, the remainder of whom soon followed the Lansburys. Two women members of "the board were among those imprisoned. [Last September th* Poplar Borough Council, of -which Messrs. Lansbury and Mrs. George Lansbuiy were members, figured in an extraordinary affair. Ths council refused to levy a rate to pay the dues of the London County Council and the Metropolitan Asylum Board, and a writ of attachment was issued against the council, and was followed by the arrest and imprisonment of the council. The council contended that it could.not levy a rate on its ratepayers on account, oi the unemployment which was rile, and which was due to national and international causes. The councillors were released in October for the purpose of attending a conference to consider the financial difficulties of the situation. Towards the end of last month, the Poplar •Guardians' office was besieged by several hundred unemployed, who demanded an increased out-of-work allowance, ajid took (possession of the building while the matter was discussed. The .board granted Allowances larg-er than the deputation actually asked for. The Ministry of Health protested that the board had exceeded its legal powers, and that the grant was too large for the relief oi destitution; and the board decided to defer payment on the new scale until the financial position had been con-, sidered.]