THE INDEMNITY BILL

Grey River Argus, 7 February 1914, Page 3

THE INDEMNITY BILL

REASONS FOR GOVERNMEN.X ACTION..

DEPORTEDS DANGEROUS RE- . ■ VOLUTIONARIES. I.

(By Electric ■- Telegraph— Copyright)

(Per Press Association.)

CAPETOWN. Feb. 5.. ; " Intense interest • was - taken in the speech ; made by Mr. Smute in the Union Parliament justifying- the Im demnity Bill. He direw a; graphic picture of the ireign. of terordr on. the Rand, where "scabs" wre subjected to the grossest brutality, _^ and • anarchy was so. rampant; that; civilians, dared not, assist the authorities with iafoimation or evidence. .It was with Tuly's ■ experience that the Government acted in" January. He: ridiculed the Labor talk of constitutional rrjethpds after th e :- Tulv events.' \ The situation since .then \ had : necessitated the mobilisation -of 1 bojobo men . The movement was no ordinary strike, but a Synducalist cpnsp'iracv of an '"advanced ' type. W.h : en ;^ foiled :in : July, Messrs Poutsma, 'Bain, and others ' determined ' upon a new effort. . Mr-.' Bain's exhortation to the workers •io come armed to the Benoni meeting ■at «;nd of June revealed v the tnie character of the leader's intentions. But for- the Imperial ■troops." in July the couTitrv would have been in a- terrible nos'ition. He could never, be sufficient ly .grateful for their help. . He" admit ted the mortifying features --of. the. compact with the leaders in July, ■ but: chose the lesser .evil. ' „ : "< Mr Smuts quoted speeches by Messrs Poutsma, Bain and Waterson to show that they were revolutionaries -of "the most dangerous type. 'Mr Smuts taunted the Labor mem-, bers - with being mere preachers, ;lead--ing their followers to drink and then, •deserting . them. • ; Messrs ;Bain and..Poutsma and their, colleagues were; 1 Boers. The latter never intended .that there should be .a . settlement. < It was ♦heir clear intention to goad : Goyeirn ment into action Vthat would : promote :. a generaV strike. .Facts r made it clear that the syndicalists ' nearly ; succeeded. 'It was their settled * intention to paralyse - trade"~ and terrorise ■* the .community into : a,biect-:-surren'der.-;-"Nov # in--vader could' inflict • greater destruction or briin.Q- greater disaster' than : -the syndicalists^ who conspired to <■■ bring the' count; y to its knees. ■ -. % '•:.. Mr Smuts described Mr.; Ba!n,;Whom he first knew as"/a secret service.: agent : of the Transvaal/ Republic, as the., most desprate character : he -had ever met. ■ ... ■"'. . / Some 150 Rand -miners sailed by. the s.s Berrima ; for: Australia . . . • Contierty, Neild. Buckley, .and Carson have beeni committeed ' f or trialfor inciting- a .strike. .: , ' ' The Assembly -has agreed to hear the deported LaDorites' consel' to.mor-. .row.. . .;■-. : -.-' ' . . : ' .''■ ;■■ ■.