MOST ORDERLY MAY DAY

Taranaki Daily News, 3 May 1934, Page 5

MOST ORDERLY MAY DAY

PARADES BY COMMUNISTS NO INCIDENTS IN LONDON CLASHES ON CONTINENT AUSTRIAN DEMONSTRATION By Telegraph—Press Assn.—Copyright. London, May 1.

Londons May Day demonstration was one of the most orderly for years. The Labourites and the Trades Union Congress did not participate in the procession organised by the Communists and left wingers, who marched by a roundabout route decreed by the police, to Hyde Park. They caused few traffic blocks. The demonstrators included ii Oxford undergraduates. At Paris the Communists appeal for a May Day. strike was unavailing in the centre of the city, but many factories in the suburbs were closed. The strikers included taximen, employees of the mint and Government match and tobacco factories. , .. ... . A Communist meeting of 40,000 at Vincennes was largely a picnic affair. There were a few minor clashes but tne Communists were awed by strong forces of police and troops. At Madrid the police arrested a number of dangerous anarchists for allegedly attempting to organise demonstrations on May Day. The police charged the crowds, resulting in numerous casualties. The Austrian- Government decreed Mav Day a national holiday to celebrate the” “New Austria” created by the constitution. In contrast with former when the Socialists held a festival, the celebrations generally passed off quietly, although Nazis at Granz, Salzburg and Innsbruck exploded smoke bombs to mark their disapproval. The Viennese apparently boycotted the celebrations, only a scanty gathering being in the streets to watch Dr. Dolfuss’ procession. There was a similar lack of enthusiasm throughout the country. A detachment of Italian motorcyclists of the Fascisti travelling to Vienna to participate in the celebrations was stoned by Communists at Styna and replied with revolver shots, killing a man. The Italians found the roads strewn with nails, and after scores of punctures many abandoned the journey. A Moscow message reports that while 40,000 troops filed past in the Red Square in celebration of May Day, 552 aeroplanes, including 165 speedy bombers, manoeuvred overhead. M. Stalin, President of the Soviet Executive, took the salute from the top of Lenin’s tomb. Dimitroff, one of the Reichstag fire accused, was a guest of honour. Many banners were inscribed Down with Japanese Imperialism!” A Tokio message states that May Day was quiet. Thousands of Labourites separated into Rightists and Leftists and demonstrated in Tokio under strong police precautions. There were few arrests. FEW INCIDENTS IN CANADA. BAN UPON DEMONSTRATIONS.. Vancouver, May 4. ' Police restrictions and the ban on demonstrations resulted in a quiet May Day throughout Canada. Five hundred took part in an orderly Communist parade at Winnipeg. At Vancouver vandals during the night painted the Cenotaph with Fascist slogans. The home in Toronto of a Ukrainian anti-Communist priest was bombed. No one was injured. NO TROUBLE AT SYDNEY. SPEECHES IN THE DOMAIN. Sydney, May 2. A May Day procession yesterday, in which 2000 marched with- numerous banners and in which red predominated, gave the police no trouble. The procession terminated at the domain with speeches and resolutions protesting against capitalism, wage slavery and war-mongering. Minor gatherings were held at Newcastle and Wooliongong without incident. GUN BATTLE AT HAVANA. QUIET DAY IN UNITED STATES. Rec. 5.5 p.m. New York, May 2. In practically all the large cities in the western hemisphere radical Labour elements observed May Day, but with the exception of a gun battle at Havana no serious disorders were reported. At New York Socialists and Communists held separate parades, the police keeping them apart. Trouble started at Havana when a sniper from the top of a building fired on a parade of 10,000 Communist work.men, some of whom returned the fire, upon which troops dispersed the mob with machine-guns and gas bombs. No one is known to have been killed but many were injured.