A ROUGH START

Marlborough Express, Volume LI, Issue 198, 22 August 1917, Page 8

A ROUGH START

"SOLDEL" MEETINGS BROKEN

CASCADE ON AN AUDIENCE

LONDON, July 29

The Councils of Workmen's and Soldiers' Delegates, which were established by the Pacifist Conference at Lceda, were inaugurated in various industrial centres on Saturday, amid scenes of disorder, especially in the Brotherhood Church at Kingsland, London, where a crowd of people, including soldiei's, forced an entrance, after stoning the windows, and wrenching away water-pipes, which caused a cascade to descend on the audience. The patriots held a meeting, and forced the delegates to stand and listen to the National Anthem. The crowd outside assaulted the departing delegates. Great damage was done to the fittings of the church. .Four delegates from the Russian Soldel were expected to attend, but went to Paris instead. Disorder also characterised the meeting at Newcastle, where a resolution greeting the Russian revolution was carried. The mover said that they were anxious to support the lads at the front as much as possible. When the motion was put colonial soldiers stormed the platform, waving Union Jacks. Free fights followed. The police were powerless, and the meeting Was smashed up, while the soldiers sang the National Anthem. Similar meetings at* Leicester and Norwich were not disturbed.

The British Soldels are receiving scant encouragement from the unions. The public is united against them, and'recognised Labor leaders are opposing Mr Anderson, .M.P., and Mr Snowden,, M.P., and the handful of pacifists who are supporting them. Seventy wounded were treated in various hospitals after Sunday's riot. The Southgate road district to-day contains few damaged brows. Australian soldiers took no part in the riot. . ■

The opening of the Soldel in Swansea caused a similar disturbance. The delegates were chased into a cul-de-sac,, where they were compelled to surrender stick and umbrellas with which they were fighting the attackers.