MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS

Hawera Star, Volume LI, 4 May 1931, Page 6

MAY DAY CELEBRATIONS

PRECAUTIONS IN JAPAN. ARREST OF EXTREMISTS. (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph Copyright.) TOKIO, May 1. In view of rumours of a Communist plot in connection with May Day for int-erfrenee with electric lighting; and power supply, and organised attacks on official residences, the police, acting on the principle that prevention is better than cure, arrested 800 extremists in the provincial centres during the week and over 300 in Tokio yesterday, also 500 to-day before the starting of a procession in which 15,000 participated, including 100 women. Six thousand police enforced order during the procession, confiscating weapons and immediately tsuppressing agitators. Reports indicate that the police in other towns acted with determination to prevent disorder. The total participants throughout the country numbered 100,000.

Everyone was examined by the police before being allowed to join the processions and disturbers were promptly arrested.

QUIET IN AMERICA

GUARD OF AVAR. VETERANS

NEW YORK, May 1. May Day celebrations were observed throughout the United States with parades and oratory, hut virtually there were no disorders. A few arrests were made, the majority being of women and children accused of spreading radical propaganda, in New York city schools. Communists and war veterans guarded Union Square, the latter hearing addresses against the agitators and the former expressing opposition to capitalism, but the t-wo groups kept .apart without clashes.

Certain slight disturbances occurred at Boston throughout the day when Communists gathered on the commons, but the police had little trouble in keeping the peace. May Day throughout Canada passed: without any serious disorders. Local Communists, who were forbidden to parade, abandoned their march at Parliament- Hill when the mounted police assembled.