IN HYDE PARK

Evening Star, Issue 21656, 27 February 1934, Page 9

IN HYDE PARK

SUNDAY'S DEMONSTRATION MODEL OF GOOD ORDER Press Association —By Telegraph—Copyright. LONDON, February 25. Eight coal carts provided_ platforms for 100 speakers in succession at the hunger marchers’ demonstration at Hyde Park. They included Air Maxton, Mr Hannington, Mr Saklatvala, and Mx- Fenner Brockway, but not Mr Maun or Air Pollitt, whose attendance was considered inadvisable. Mr Hannington advocated a mass strike movement throughout the country with the object of establishing a Socialist Republic. He declared: “We are not going to give another inch to this or any Fascist Government.”^ A Suffragette, Mrs Despard, a sister of the late Lord Ypres, who is now nearly 90 years of age, was cheered as she was assisted to her seat beside Miss Wilkinson and Mr Maxton.

Dozens of packets of cigarettes were rained on the Welsh contingent, when Mr Hannington asked the crowd to give them a smoke. All the speakers demanded the withdrawal of the Unemployment Bill, the abolition of the means test, and a na-tion-wide programme of employment at trade union rates.

Hundreds of the audience soon drifted away to listen to a negro racing tipster, while little boys continued a vigorous football game nearby. A bugle call at 5 p.m. signalled the synchronous putting of the resolution, which was unanimously carried. A domestic touch was the Scottish marchers’ field kitchen, an old fourseater motor car, laden with stoves, pots, and pans, occupied by tired redscarfed men, its battered bonnet hearing a chalked presentment of the sickle and hammer and the motto: “Down with the Slave Bill.” Other marchers entered amid cheers chanting the ‘ Internationale.’ A bagpipe and other bands headed various contingents, including many women'. Londoners carried children and led boys by the hand. A roar of disapproval greeted a party of Green Shirts, who were mistaken for Fascists, until the Communist cheers corrected the error. Reading and Oxford nudergratnates marched to the slogan: “ Red students join the Red workers.” Numerous banners and streamers included the portrayal of Mr MacDonald as a dragon, inscribed: “ Westminster Monster." The rain ceased after a heavy downpour had driven hundreds to shelter. The crowd generously filled the marchers’ money boxes despite the distribution of Economic League pamphlets deprecating monetary aid and characterising the demonstrators as Communist dupes. The proceedings were orderly with the exception of abuse of the police when a man and a girl stumbled and fell as the mounted men moved the crowd to keep the motors circulating. The diversion of the traffic was reduced to a minimum. The demonstration ended with the procession remarshalled under police guidance, marching back to their respective rendezvous, with bands playing and colours flying, through avenues of cheering crowds. All was over. [Tho Green Shirts arc followers of the Douglas Credit movement. _ Major Douglas was reported as saying in Australia that all over the world Communists were linking up with the Douglas Credit organisations.]