RIOTOUS WOMEN.

Hawera Star, Volume XLVIII, 3 April 1929, Page 9

RIOTOUS WOMEN.

INDUSTRIAL PEACE BALLY. ENDS IN PANDEMONIUM. Among several hundred women who attended a women’s rally, coiueneu recently at Sydney by tlie lntlusttial Peace 'Association, there were scores wlio did not believe 111 industrial peace, or any ottier sort of peace, apparently, and the meeting ended amidst the ■ greatest disorder, tt was, pernaps, tlie , most- uproarious meeting of women ever < held in Sydney, and indicated the influence ot the extremists, who, during tlie lust tew months, having tailed to make much progress with tlie men, - have turned their attention to tue , wives. ‘ The Industrial Peace Association was initiated by the former secretary of the Seamen’s Union, Air. lorn Walsh, and the most ardent ol bis workers lias been Mrs. Mulsh, loriueily Miss Adela Pankburst, of the tunions suhragettc family. Airs. Walsh has been preaching industrial peace m fearless manner, and she conceit ed tlie idea or extending the mot einent among tlie women, rthe received ample support front an influential section of tlie community, but those women who went to the rally were subjected to the greatest insults. No speaker tias listened to lor 'longer than two seconds, and was then subjected to alt sorts of personal abuse. I here it etc disparaging references to liersell and to her husoand, and dually her voice would be drowned in the lusty singing of the Communist anthem, “Solidarity tor ever.” , .. Long before tlie meeting started the hall was booming with tue sound of loud-voiced conversation and peisonnl comment on Airs. Walsh. there tveie a number of men outside the hall \\ ho made a demonstration —sufficient to show the attitude or a section or the crowd within the liall. Ibis particular section finally Look control ot the gathering. Its shouting and singing and stamping of feet predominated tlie whole proceedings. And when a police constable appeared lie was given a hostile reception, and the chairwoman was reminded, in an insulting manner, that the meeting was for women only. “Don’t be frightened, missus,” called one. of the women. “We won’t hurt yer. You can let the bobby go out and get some air.” The policeman departed, and was followed down the passage way by a number of women, who ridiculed the majesty of the law and made grimaces behind his back. It is known that during the afternoon a meeting of women was held at the Trades Hall, and it is almost certain that the demonstration was then planned. One of the most troublesome in the audience was a girl in her teens, who is gaining a certain amount 01 her inflammatory speeches on various occasions. Amid all the excitement this girl rushed to the platform, and, pushing aside those already attempting to address the meeting, said: “Come on; vou timber workers’ wives; let us sliott them how we can run a show. Me don’t ‘scab’ on our men, and we don t want to.” ~ The girl did not have matters all her own way as it turned out. The caretaker of tlie hall was a wise man. He realised that a dangerous situation was developing, and one by one lie put out the lights. in scenes of pandemonium the meeting broke up. There was a great crowd waiting outside the hall to -see Mrs. Walsh leave. •One woman pressed a bouquet of roses forward in a jeering way, and proffered it to Mrs. Walsh as she came down the Steps. The gift was accompanied by further disparaging remarks. As soon ■is Airs. Walsh got into the street the crowd began to jeer and hoot and the cry “Judas Iscariot,” was taken up bv scores of voices, and continued until Mrs. Walsh was out of sight. Mrs. Walsh was accompanied bv M'-ss May Matthews when she lelt the hall, am was followed by Mrs. Earle Page, wile of the Federal Treasurer. Alls 1 «ig was bold enough to shout, “Yo>i cowards ” as she passed the rowdy and insulting women, whereupon Hie became tiie centre of derision. , The demonstrators were accompanied to the hall by a number of extremists including the Communist Air. Donald Grant. Only the women were granted admission to the hall, and Mi. and his followers remained outside t< rjive the militant women “moral support ” During the meeting severa women left at intervals to report pro cress of events. The waiting <r<>\\< heckled each visitor unknown to them and questioned her bona-lides. , “Are you a timber worker s wile, was the' question flung at each net' arrival, and almost any retort was tin affinal for an outburst of abuse.