ANTI-CONSCRIPTION

Nelson Evening Mail, 28 July 1916, Page 2

ANTI-CONSCRIPTION

SOCIALIST PART'S' BROKEN' VV. .SHIRKERS ASK FOR "FAIR PLAY." Socialists ;nui their anti-conscription policy met with a rebuff in. the Sydney Domain the other Sunday afternoon, says the Argus, while a recruiting mee: ing, whirh was hold near by, had the fullest sympathy of I lie crowd. an.) proved in every lvay a success. Anticipating excitement a crowd of 8,000 or 10.000 people pothered. A large poss,.. of police guarded the. pi;'.' form of the Socialists. The Socialist party raised »• banner, with the words "Conscription is Slavery" painted .>n ii. This angered the returned soldiers

.P:.l tin- n:en from the camps, v. ho urnthered in force. 'I he men in khaki made it clear that the banner M'otl! ' have to ]-,> lowered. The police oi-der.?d tlif banr.or to be iaken down, as it was lil-.'!v to cause trouble. This wi-- done.

amid cheers. A speaker then mounted the plat form, and announced the objects of the meeting, appealing for lair pla\ . The soldiers and the crowd counted hi n out. and he was pulled down. A second speaker rose, amid derisive lau'_ r h'.ter. ami asked, "Are we in Mexico?" Voices : "You onchl to Tie there. ' Above the noi'se.'-a woman's shrill voir< . "My husband and brother a>\ ■ at tie front, 'but not for mongrels like you." "Hear, hea.r" cried those immediately surrotuidine/ her. The speaker appea.' ed for British fair piny. He said. "Yea hovs have been fighting -it C'n'lipoli. Surely you have the snirit <>" fair plav in you?" TT«- added. "? hold a letter in my hand from the Returned S<ild iers' Assoeiat ion.'" Voices: "Down with him."'

The table eoHansod. and the speaker disappeared. amid cheers from the crowd. Tie. however. mounted the stump fi _r;i in. and was immediately counted out. He said that he would appeal to the 'Lord Mayor, in the interests of the freedom of speech, to call a public meetiiH/ in the Town Hall.

Voices : "The Lord Mayor is not game." and "You can terrorise the Givernment, hut not the public."' Several of the soldiers cried "Pull him down.' 'and down he went, amid gcne val laughter. A <third speaker rose and said : "We. will hold our meeting over yonder." pointing in the direction of the Botanic Hardens. "This is "vidently the returned soldiers' meeting. Come nnd listen to us."' A man in khaki in a loud voice. , shouted—"By heavens you will hold no meeting- here to-day. Recruiting has fallen off ever since you have been holding these meetings." At this stage a band, which was stationed, bevond the recruiting meeting, struck up the National Anthem. As everybody present uncovered their hea<ls, the soldiers cried to the socialists. "You don't like that tune."' Followers of the socialists retorted. "That won't wi.n the war." Another effort wi--made to proceed with th? meeting Amid laughter a fourth speaker rose and said. "Now, bovs. give us a show. The ,- e is simply a. difference of opinion. andlet us agree to differ. As Britons, we have a right to listen to fair argument. T am sent here as the representative of the Political Labour League. I have a reolution to move. I will read it." The crowd immediately commenced to ■count him out. and there were cries of "You boss the Government, but yon won't, boss us." Cheers followed. A few heard the wording of the resolution, which was against conscription. There were cries of "Get clown,"' "Pull him. down," while the soldiers and others joined in the chorus of "It's a Long Way to Tipperarv." The speaker

"ailed for a. show o+" hands in favour of the resolution. A few voted for it, but the majority were against it. He, however, declared it passed almost unanimously. This caused an uproar, and there were loud cries of. "Pull him down." The meeting became demonstrative, and there was a rush of soldiers uul others for the speaker, who. finding that he could not proceed, although protected by a strong posse of polic." 1 . left the platform.

There were cries of "Come on ! Who is next?" but there was no response, and. after waiting for some time, th» crowd, which bad swelled to large proportions, bustled the police, evidently trying to drive the socialist party from their stand. Finding that they could not proceed with the meeting, the so■;ialists decided to retire. The table, which acted as a stump, had been hroken. and the police escorted them to tho Domain gates at St. Mary's entrance, the soldiers and the crowd following. As the anti-consoriptionists oassed through the -gates thev were booted, and a chorus of men. including the soldiers, shouted "The nro-German brigade will retire." a remark which created laughter and cheers. Tile crowd then returned to the recruiting meeting, which proved an enthusiastic one. Mr Davis, the secretary of the Re turned Soldiers' Association. was addressing the meeting at the time. He ■*aki. "Our friends who have just :e----tired said they would not fight for their country. What are they at all?" A Voice; "Mongrels."

Mr Davns : They are not even worthy of the name of mongrel. They should not have the protection of tho boys in the trenches. These people say that no matter what becomes of the country thev will not fight. And thev were over there (pointing to where the anti-con--criplion meeting was broken up) in hundreds. The country is ours, and it is worth fighting for." (Cheers.)