MAY DAY

Grey River Argus, 2 May 1931, Page 5

MAY DAY

/ -♦ 1 MARCH AT SYDNEY Domain Demonstration (Aus. & N.Z. fcablc Assn.) (Received May 1, at 7.5 p.m.) SYDNEY, May 1. The May Day procession to-day ( proved a tame affair. Several thous- [ ends of the unemployed congregated near the Central Railway Station,' where they were joined by Suburban' contingents for the march to the Do-1 main. Red. banners and placards were [ prominent, including one on which was, emblemed “Russia leads! We will follow!” Women were active particip-' ants. Many men also carried pick-[ handles, wad dies, and stones. A smaller, but- noisy band, headed the] ' masrlch ,wliii.ch was marshalled by a ■ I man with'a noticeable foreign aspect. 1 Large crowds watched the procession through the streets and at the Domain, 1 where some of the leaders indulged in ‘ provocative diatribes, calling on I tliieir hearers: “Bring out your I | A.F.A! ” Bring out the “New Ghiard! ” We’ll*fighf the lot.” These | g<bes elicited no response from the ' crowdfe, who wOi-ei quietly watching, and the demonstrators’ ebullitions hooii cooled down. Huge Police Force ! AT SYDNEY DEMONSTRATION I (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) J | The presence of literally hundreds of plain clothes and uniformed police ! I along the route of the May Day pro-; cession, prevented anything unusual 1 happening. Police wireless patrols! 1 darted here and there at the rear and ' head of the procession. Mounted con- ( stables were posted in the background. Indeed, it was an inspiring example of police organisation, not hitherto excelled, for which people along the side- ’ walks, were most thankful. [ There was an all red perambulator, 1 | placarded l ; “Soviet. Australia, 1931,” and containing a baby. It was wheeled by a woman dressed in red. Duffing the' i'.nflammat ory speeches |at the Domain, one orator, Mr M. Ryan, predicted that the workers would, be in the control of industries! by next May Day. AT BRISBANE POLICE ATTACK DEMONSTRATORS. BRISBANE, May 1. Thferle were riotous scenes at Brisbane to-day, during the May Day commemoration. The authorities having refused sanction for any procession, the Communists and thle unemployed nought to defy the police. The police rushed among the demonstrators. They scattered’ in all directions? A few remained and they hurled th neats and insults ait the police who then charged them aneb knocked some of them down, •and finally arrested about twenty of them. I ! ADELAIDE DEMONSTRATION. POLICE BREAK IT UP. ADELAIDE, May 1. The police broke up a party'-of Communists at- Port Adelaide to-day. None were hurtj but three were arrested. The demonstrators defied the police, ' so mounted men were then summoned. They scattered the crowd. Tokio March j 15,000 TAKE PART. POLICE ARREST 1,600. ! (Aus. & N.Z. Cable Assn.) j i TOKIO, May 1. I In view of the rumours of a Communist. plot in connection with May Day for interference with the electric I lighting power supply, and of organised I attacks on official residences, the po- ; • lice, acting on the principle that pre- ; I vention was better than cure, have arI rested 800 extremists in the provincial • centres during the week, and also over three hundred in Tokio yesterday; also five hundred more to-day, before the I starting of the procession. ! ' In the procession fifteen thousand ' participated, including one thousand wo- f ; men. •,« r ‘ Six thousand police enforced order during the procession, confiscating wea- j pons immediately, and suppressing the c agitators. 3 At Blackball AN ENTHUSIASTIC DEMONSTRA- i TION. Yesterday, May Day, a bumper demonstration was held in Blackball under the auspices of the Miners’ Union. Mr R. Clark, the Union Secretary, presided over the meeting, which took place at the local Domain. A procession was formed before the Miners’ Hall, and headed by the Pipe Band, marched through the principal streets of the town to the Domain. The speakers for the Day were Mr A. McLagan (Miners’ National Secretary), Mr J. Doyle (of the Timber Workers’ Union), Mr J. Connel (President of the State Miners’ Union), and Mr Barber •(President of the Grey Valley Miners’ Union). Each speaker dealt with the Subject, May Day, in a manner that was a treat to listen to. Messrs McLagan nd Doyle treated the subject from the toorTd-w’de point of view, and showed flhe significance of the workers I'holiday from an international viewpoint.; fThe Workers’ Republic of Soviet Rus-1 H : a was advanced as an object lesson in fvorking class government, and as the i [tftimate goal to be achieved. Comparisons were made between conditions in QRussia and in New Zealand to-day. The (only way to arrive at the solution of jl'ie problem was by concerted action on |the part, of the workers of this and fother capitalist countries. I Messrs Connel and Barber touched ' mainly on locffil affairs, and pledged the feontinued support of their organisations {to the Blackball men. The following resolutions were put