FIRST OF MAY

Southland Times, Issue 21384, 4 May 1931, Page 7

FIRST OF MAY

RED OUTBREAKS VARIOUS DISTURBANCES BLOODSHED IN EUROPE (United Frees Assn.— By Telegraph—Copyright.) London, May 1. May Day witnessed the unusual sight of a few men walking along Fleet Street with bandaged heads. This was the result of the crowd’s conflict with the police at Hyde Park, where four men and one woman were arrested and a police sergeant was injured. ' May Day was responsible for the first bloodshed in Spain since the revolution. Successive volleys from an unknown source wounded twelve civilians, three dangerously, in a crowd outside the Government headquarters at Barcelona. The troops restored order. , Five thousand participated in the first ’Labour Day in Madrid, order being maintained throughout. Lisbon’s May Day was quiet until six in the evening, when the crowd in Rosio Square was thrown into a panic owing to the 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 quelling the riot and officials hauling down and tearing up the Soviet flag. Stoning injured five police at Munich, where the rioters were dispersed by a mounted baton charge. Proceedings were without event in Vienna. Forty were arrested at Paris for seditious cries, but the Parisians apathetically regarded the Communist appeals. Provincial strikes are numerous.

Two policemen and three Communists were killed at Warsaw when 500 Reds resented the police interfering with the procession. Several were wounded. Communists blew up the 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, antiaircraft guns, aeroplane detectors, and mounted machine-guns. The soldiers renewed their oath to the Soviet Union and the Workers of the World. Mussolini having abolished Labour Day in Italy, May Day passed no differently from any other day. ARRESTS IN JAPAN. Tokio, May 1. Reports indicate that the police in other towns acted with determination to prevent disorders in connection with the May Day demonstrations. The total participants throughout the country numbered 100,000, Everyone was examined by the police before being allowed to join processions and disturbers were promptly arrested. FLAGS ON FRENCH STEEPLES. A COMMUNIST MOVE. (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Paris, May 2. Astonishment was expressed when the Red flag was seen flying from the tower of the Notre Dame Cathedral. It was quickly removed and three workmen were arrested. Similar incidents are reported throughout France, Red flags having been unfurled from the steeples under a general order from Communist leaders. CASUALTIES IN LISBON. (Rec. 5.5 p.m.) Lisbone, May 2. The May Day casualties amount to two dead and fourteen wounded. Berlin, May 2. Minor incidents on May Day led to eighty-two arrests. Seven were wounded at Munich.

IN UNITED STATES

VIRTUALLY NO DISORDERS

New York, May 1. nlay Day celebrations were observed throughout the United States with parades and oratory, but virtually there were no disorders. A few arrests were made, the majority being of women anl children accused of spreading radical propaganda in New York city schools. Communist and war veterans guarded the 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 the peace. QUIET IN CANADA. Ottawa, May 1. May Day throughout Canada passed. without serious disorders. Local Communista were forbidden to parade and abandoned their march to Parliament Hill when mounted police assembled.