PACIFIST MEETING

Evening Star, Issue 16550, 9 October 1917, Page 6

PACIFIST MEETING

IN BROTHERHOOD CHURCH ENDS IN "A RIOT. PULPIT SET ON FIRE. Press Association—By Telegraph—Copyright. Australian and N.Z. Cable Association. LONDON, October 7. ' A pacifist meeting at the Brotherhood Church resulted in a riot. A largo crowd, including soldiers,, assembled- outside, broko through the police cordon protecting tho church, howled down the chairman, took possession of tho building, and sang the National Anthem and patriotic songs.' ■ Then someone started a fire beside the pulpit, intending to bum the church, whereupon tho crowd rushed out crying " Fire!" Tho police extinguished the fire, and but little damage was done.

The Brotherhood Church, in Southgate road, was the scene of a similar riot one Saturday afternoon late in July. Advo- | cate's of a premature peaco had assembled in the church for the purpose of holding a conferenco, at which they proposed, to discuss tho adoption of means to secure a wider dissemination of their views. But thev were not .allowed even to begin their deliberations, for siege was laid to the building by a determined band of soldiers find- civilians, the place was taken by storm after a hot fight, and the peacemongers were chased from tho neighborhood by a wrathful crowd, suffering an ugly mauling as they fled. It was thus de : 6cnbed at tho time in the 'Daily Telegraph' by an eye-witness: What had happened was this:, A body of Canadian soldiers and civilians, sturdy men in their shirt sleeves, had hurled themselves in a swift rush at the small side door, which alone was open. They reached it a few seconds too late. The door was bolted and barred against them. Now, for the first time, the peacemongers recognised their peril, and it is doing them but bare justice to say that they strove valiantly to defend the church. A minute or two passed, and then the small fanlight above the door was smashed with a stone. Ono of tho pacifists came into tho church staunching the blood which flowed from a cut on the cheek—the first of many minor hurts sustained on both sides in this violent affray. Thunderous blows w.ere rained on the door by the attackers, and soon ono of the panels began to' yield, though the lock held firm. The defenders drasged forth heavv benches from a classroom and piled them against the door, making a strong barricade. Crash! The panel gave way, and a soldier tried to force his way fn through the hole. '•' Bring stick?," shouted an excited woman, and heavy blows were aimed across the barricado at the Canadian. Realising that the defence here was too strong, he withdrew, and during a brief respite male delegates took counsel together. Next there, came a bombardment of the windows with stones, and glass flew about in dangerous fashion. Then presently there was a series of terrific crashes from the direction of tho class room. It had a double door leading to the street, and four larce windows, protected outside by wire covering. Theso obstacles delayed the attackers only a few minutes. The windows were beaten in and one side of the door was smashed. Through the breach the assailants swarmed into the class room.

The danger of the flanking movement was recognised too late by the besieged. Somebody ran into the church shouting "Twenty men wanted here!" and a number of volunteers dashed out to attempt to repel the attack. But once inside there was no stopping the crowd, and soon the pacifists were beaten back to their interior defences—the church itself. It was obvious that the flimsy inner door could not long withstand an assault, and an effort was made to construct a barricade. Men were still engaged in hauling the reporters' table towards the gangway, and piling up chairs, when the door was burst open. It was now the crucial moment for the delegates. What would be their fate? Some of the women began to sing a hymn —"Jesu Lover of My Soul." The 'first man to enter the church was an ex-soldier, wearing on his sleeve the gold stripe of one who has been wounded in battle. ( rlis appearance was mild compared with that of some of his comrades, who were bleeding freely from head wounds and flourishing rough cudgels in a wildly-excited manner. "Where's Ramsay Mac Donald?" were tho first words I heard, as they stormed into the church. "Where is he?'" they demanded again. "Let us get at him." The delegates remained mute. Then a Canadian soldier came in and said: "Wo forbid this meeting to be held : you will have to go out." At this moment some of the invaders espied in tho organ-loft a young man who had been especially active in the defence of the barricade. " Come down, you pro-Ger-man, come down." they veiled.

Instead of obeying, he folded his arms and looked down silently on the racing group below. Sticks, stones, and fragments of broken chairs were hurled at him. Suddenly ho climbed on to the gallery rail and dropped to the pulpit platform. Ho was pounced upon instantly by half a dozen men, and a wild fight ensued inside the pulpit rails. The reading desk ■was smashed, tho water-bottle was splintered to fragments, and, after a few seconds of horrid tumult, I saw that the pacifist was down. They dragged him to his feet, and, struggling violently, he was bundled over the front of the pulpit. Some of tho Pressmen caught him as he •was falling, and he retreated into the body of the church, breathless and dishevelled. It was fortunate that at this moment a Canadian soldier, wearing a corporal's stripes, and some of his comrades began to exercise a controlling influence. Ascending to the organ loft, the Canadian corporal called for otfler, and made a little speech, which had an admirably calming effect.

"For God's sake," he said, "don't break up the house of God. We came to break- up a pacifist meeting, and we have done so. ' Having attained our objcCt, do not let us go further. Ido not want to' see harm done to anybody. In breaking up this meeting wo have dooc one of the finest things wo possibly could do. (Cheers.) To you delegates I would say this: So long as Germany remains uncrushed the relatives, the mothers, tho , sisters, the wives, the sweethearts of those who have fought or are fighting for the country will not hear of peace. They will back up tho Government in its policy of peace at the proper time. (Cheers.) I am sad to think that you, ladies and gentlemen, Englishwomen and Englishmen —(Cries of " Pro-Germans, bought with German money!")—should suggest a peace now. See here (holding up his left arm, on which he wore two gold stripes), I have fought, and I came 5,000 miles to fight. lam willing to fight again, but not for such as you. (Loud cheors.) You speak of the people ruling the people. I tell you that the soldiers who return from the war will decide who in future are to hold the superior positions in the country. (Loud cheers.) The best thing we can do is to back up the Government, and wo will pass a resolution that wo are in favor of continuing the war until we have won an honorable peace." (Cheers.) A resolution in this sense was informally pasesd amid cheers, and then the corporal asked: " Are wo to back up our King or are wo not? Let us sing ' God Save the King,' and all must stand." The greater number of the delegates rose to their feet;-and remained standing while a verse of' the National Anthem was sung. Police now began to arrive in the church,and the soldiers co-operated with them in getting the delegates out of the building.