MAY DAY OBSERVANCE

Otago Daily Times, Issue 21325, 4 May 1931, Page 9

MAY DAY OBSERVANCE

ORDERLY IN MOST COUNTRIES FEW CASUALTIES REPORTED (United Press Association.) (By Electric Telegraph—Copyright.) LONDON, May 1. May Day witnessed an unusual sight—a few men walking in Fleet street with bandaged heads. This was the result of the crowd’s conflict with the police at Hyde Park. Four men and one woman were arrested. A police sergeant was injured. May Day was responsible for the lirst bloodshed in Spain since the revolution. Successive, volleys from an unknown source wounded 12 civilians—three dangerously —in a crowd outside the Government headquarters at Barcelona. The troops restored order. Five thousand people participated in the first Labour Day in Madrid, order being maintained throughout. Lisbon’s May Day was quiet until 6 o’clock in the evening, when a crowd in Eosio square was thrown into a panic by Communists throwing chlorate of potash bombs. The Republican Guard cleared the square and closed the shops and restaurants, enabling machine guns and rifles to sweep the area, but there were no casualties.

At Berlin a Communist gang seriously wounded a policeman with revolver shots. The only other disturbance was a clash between the Nazis and Democrats. Troops quelled the riot. Officials hauled down and tore up the Soviet flag. Five of the police were injured. At Munich rioters were dispersed by a mounted baton charge. The proceedings were without event at Vienna, but 40 persons were arrested at Paris for seditious cries. The Parisians apathetically regarded the Communist appeals. In the provinces strikes were numerous.

Two policemen and three Communists were killed at Warsaw, when 500 Reds resented police interference with a procession. Several persons were wounded. Communists blew up a bridge over the river, nearly wrecking a train. May Day was celebrated in Moscow by a procession of 1,000,000 people preceded by a march past of 50,000 troops, tanks, anti-aircraft guns, aeroplane detectors, and mounted machine-guns. The soldiers renewed the oath to the Soviet Union and the Workers of the World.

Signor Mussolini having abolished Labour Day in Italy, May Day passed in no way different from any other day. NO DISORDERS IN CANADA. OTTAWA, May 1. (Received May 2, at 5.5 p.m.) May Day throughout Canada passed without serious disorders. Local Communists were forbidden to hold a parade and they abandoned a march to Parliament Hill when mounted police assembled. CELEBRATIONS IN AMERICA. PARADES AND ORATORY. ' NEW YORK, May 1. (Received May 3, at 5.5 p.m.) May Day celebrations were observed throughout the United States with parades and oratory, but there were virtually no disorders and few arrests were made, the majority being of women and children who were accused of spreading radical propaganda in New York city schools. Communists and war veterans guarded Union Square, the latter hearing addresses against agitators, and the former expressing opposition to Capitalism, but the two groups kept apart without clashes. Certain slight disturbances occurred in Boston throughout the day, when Communists gathered on the commons, but the police had little trouble in keeping peace. PROCESSIONS IN JAPAN. EFFECTIVE POLICE CONTROL. TOKIO, May 1. Reports indicate that the police in other towns acted with determination to prevent disorders in the May Day demonstration. The total of the participants throughout the country numbered 100,000. Everyone was examined by the police before being allowed to join the processions, and disturbances were promptly suppressed. RED FLAGS IN FRANCE. ONE FLOWN OVER CATHEDRAL. PARIS, May 2. (Received May 3, at 5.5 p.m.) Astonishment was expressed when a red flag was seen flying from the tower of Notre Dame Cathedral. It was quickly removed and three workmen were arrested. Similar incidents are reported throughout France, red flags being unfurled from steeples under a general order from the Communist leaders. CASUALTIES IN LISBON. LISBON, May 2. (Received May 3, at 5.5 p.m.) The May Day casualties amount to two dead and 14 wounded. MINOR INCIDENTS IN BERLIN. BERLIN, May 2. (Received May 3, at 5.5 p.m.) Minor incidents' on May Day led to 82 arrests, while seven people were wounded at Munich.