THE COMMUNISTS

Nelson Evening Mail, Volume LXVI, 13 December 1932, Page 5

THE COMMUNISTS

ACTIVITIES IN BRITAIN INCITING THE MASSES LEADER SENTENCED TO TWO YEARS (United Press Association—By Electric Telegraph—Copyright) (Received 13th December, 10.5 a.m.) LONDON, 12th December. Sidney Job Elias was sentenced to two years’ imprisonment. Mr Justice Charles declared he was sure the jury would agree that the case had been free from political bias. Britain’s policy was to allow people to express any views, and advocate any revolution they wished, provided they refrained from inciting others to disorder and violence. Elias had admitted that the hunger maren aimed not at drawing attention to troubles bravely borne, but at inciting the mass to struggle against the capitalist state. Demonstrations requiring police intervention were unlawful. In passing sentence Mr Justice Charles added: “The jury has rightly convicted Ellis. The unemployed workers’ movement interests workers only because the British worker is honest- and law abiding. Not one in a thousand is led astray by the activities which Elias prosecuted at the 'behest of Moscow. The maximum sentence is far too short.” A well-dressed woman shouted —“How dare you arrogate the right to speak for the workers! To Hell with capitalist justice !”

A London cablegram dated 4th November stated:—“You must- fight the police terror and agitate for the Police Chief’s dismissal,” declared a long letter from Moscow, instructing Wal Hanning - ton and Emfys Llewellyn, of the Unemployed Workers’ Union. The letter was signed by Sidney Job Elias, who was arrested yesterday owing to the discovery of the letter when the police raided Hannington’s office. Elias, who is 35, is chairman of the movement. He wrote the letter during a visit to Russia. To-day he was charged at Bow street with inciting Hanmngton and Llewellyn to “cause discontent, dissatisfaction, and ill-will between different classes of His Majesty’s subjects, and create public disturbances against the police.” The neighbourhood of the Police Court was closely guarded. Fur. ther extracts of the Moscow letter included: “There is no clear indication that the movement is trying to break the police terror in Birkenhead. The fact being overlooked, the police are successfully breaking Birkenhead’s spirit. Some proposals must he made to comrades in Birkenhead and Liverpool on methods of fighting the police terror, and agitation must be continued in the streets and simultaneously with the trade unions. There must be a national call to tho rest of the country to join in the struggle to abolish the means test.” - Replying to the Magistrate’s question, the prosecution said that the National Unemployed Workers’ movement, which organised the unemployed marches, is a section of the Third International, under whose instructions Elias was acting.