HUMAN NINEPINS

Grey River Argus, 18 January 1939, Page 2

HUMAN NINEPINS

OXFORD CIRCUS CONGESTION. LONDON. Decembei' 21. Marching into Oxford Street at Oxford Circus yesterday, 50 unemployed men held up traffic for more than an hour while they lay down in the snowcovered road and shouted: “We want work and bread” and “More winter relief.” Buses packed with Christmas shoppers had to be diverted into side streets until special police reinforcements had been rushed up to disperse the marchers. As soon as the police had hauled one man to his feet, another dropped to take his place. While police officers pleaded with them to adopt safer and less spectacular methods, traffic confusion continued, and eventually the men had to be hauled to the pavements. While this was going on other men paraded in front of shoppers shouting “We want work, we want bread” and “We demand £3 a week”—slogans' which they also had inscribed on| yellow posters. | The men, after, parading round thei circus, dispersed, and some of themf marched to the Public Assistance! Board offices in Thames House, Mill-

bank. There they demanded to see the chairman, Lord Rushcliffe, but were told this would not be possible.