MAY DAY

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 77, Issue 103, 3 May 1934, Page 5

MAY DAY

GERMANY CELEBRATES HITLER ON NEW SPIRIT PEACE AT HOME AND ABROAD VAST ASSEMBLY IN BERLIN Telegraph—Frew Association—Copyright) BERLIN, May 1. “No matter whether they love or hate us, nobody ean deny we have awakened the German people and given them a new spirit and a new way of life,” said Herr Hitler, addressing 2,000,000 people gathered on Templehof Field. The speech was also broad east throughout Germany on May Day, which is the anniversary of too introduction of the Four-Year Plan. Herr Hitler added: “We can proudly say that the year has shown unparalleled development. After fifteen years’ despair the Germans now stand on firm ground. If the world denies our love of peace, we cannot reply bette rthan by comparing the small territory with which the Germans are content with others’ vast territories. Germany does not want war, because it does not need it. Gormans are capable of shaping their life tolerably without wars of robbery and tribute. We do not want revenge and conquest. We are willing to stretch out the conciliatory hand, but w r e must have equality of right of self-defence.” Herr Hitler claimed that the Nazis' fight against trades unions had saved the nation hundreds of millions of marks in strikes and lock-outs and welded employers and workers into a true community. Hitler's speech was preceded by processions of all types, workers and ’ employers marching to the Templehof

to the music of thousands ot brass bands. General Goering, in a Storm Trooper’s uniform, marched at the head of one procession, beaming at the shouts of “Hail, Goering, our iron Herman!” with which he was received. The Templehof was crowded by noon, alter* which the time until Hitler's speech in the afternoon was occupied by an aerial display. Thousands marching in th© monster May Day procession sang special songs, one” of which ran “One day mankind will tremble and shiver, when the Germans rise again and fight for freedom and justice.” Another concluded: “I die on foreign soil. Do not halt the horses but push forward in the enemy’s land. Hurrah for victory!” ALL QUIET IN AUSTRIA LACK OF ENTHUSIASM ITALIAN PARTY MOLESTED VIENNA, May I. The Government decreed May Day to be a national holiday to celebrate “The New Austria” created by the Constitution. Contrasted with former

years when the Socialists held a festival, the celebrations generally passed quietly, although the Nazis at Graz, Salzburg and Innsbruck exploded smoke bombs to mark their disapproval. The Viennese apparently boycotted the celebrations. There was only a scanty gathering in the streets to watch the Dollfuss procession. There was a similar lack of entnustasm throughout the country. A detachment of Italian motorcyclists and Fascist! travelling to Vienna to participate in the celebrations was stoned by Communists in Styria and replied with revolver shots, killing a man. The Italians found the roads strewn with nails and there were scores of punctures. Many of the visitors abandoned the journey, ORDERLY IN LONDON COMMUNIST MARCH OXFORD REPRESENTED LONDON, May 1. London’s May Day demonstration was one of the most orderly for years. Labourites and the Trades Union Congress did not participate in a procession organised by the Communists and Left-Wingers who, marching by a roundabout route decreed by the police to Hyde Park, caused lew traffic blocks. The demonstrators included twenty-one Oxford undergraduates. THE DAY IN SPAIN ANARCHISTS ARRESTED MADRID, May 1. The police arrested a number of dangerous anarchists allegedly for attempting to organise demonstrations on May Day. The police charged crowds, and numerous casualties resulted. PICNIC IN PARIS A FEW MINOR CLASHES PARIS, May 1. The Communists’ appeal for a May Day strike was unavailing in the centre of Paris, but many factories in the suburbs closed. The strikers included taximcn, and employees of the Mint and Government match and tobacco factories. A Communist meeting of forty thousand at Vincennes was largely a picnic affair. There were a few minor clashes, but the Communists were awed by strong forces of police '.nd troops. WORKERS DEFY POLICE BUILDINGS SURROUNDED PREPARATIONS FOR ASSAULT Received May 2 6.10 p.m. PARIS, May 2. Two thousand police, reinforced by mobile guards, isolated a large block of houses in a working-class district, whence stones were thrown and shots fired. One officer was wounded. Preparations arc beinq made at 1.30 in

the morning to storm the building. A later message states that the police have fixed searchlights, and a special squad of steel helmets is ready. The officer in charge is awaiting the authority of the Minister of the Interior to begin th c assault. SCENE IN MOSCOW STALIN TAKES SALUTE TOP OF LENIN’S TOMB MOSCOW, May 1. While 40,000 troops filled the Red Square for the celebration of May Day 552 aeroplanes, including 165

speedy bombers, manoeuvred overhead. Stalin took thc salute from the top of Lenin’s Tomb. Dimitroff was a guest of honour. Many banners were inscribed, “Down with Japanese Im pcrialism! ’ ’ QUIET IN TOKIO TOKIO, May 1. May Day was quiet. Thousands of Labourites separated into Right and Left wings demonstrated in Tokio under strong police precautions. There were a few arrests. CALM IN CANADA VANCOUVER, May 1. Police restrictions and a ban ou demonstrations resulted in a quiet May Day throughout Canada. There were 5000 in an orderly Communist parade at Winnipeg. At Vancouver vandals during the night painted thc Cenotaph with “Down with Fascism” slogans. The home in Toronto of a Uknnian anti-Communist priest was bombed. No one was injured, TROUBLE IN HAVANA GUN BATTLE IN STREETS Received May 2, 11.5 p.m. NEW YORK, May 2. In practically all the large cities in the western hemisphere the radical labour elements observed May Day, but with the exception of a gun battle in Havana, no serious disorders were reported. In New York Socialists and Communists held separate par ades, the police keeping them apart. In Havana thc trouble started when a sniper from the top of a building fired on a parade of 10,000 Communist workmen, some of whom returned the lire, whereupon troops dispersed the mob with machine-guns and gas bombs. No one is known to have been killed, •but many were injured. HISTORY OF MAY DAY LABOUR CELEBRATIONS

SIGNIFICANCE IN EUROPE May Day, the name widely applied : to the first day of May, is the date generally selected by trade unions, , Socialist parties and labour organisalions in general for a public cclebra- ( tion. The custom of attaching special significance to the day dates back to ‘ the times of the anciqjit Romans, who , on May 1 used to go in procession to the grotto of Egcria. ( In medieval and Tudor England May Day was a great public holiday. All classes of the people were up with the dawn and went ” a-maying.” Branches ( of trees and Howers were borne back < in triumph to the towns and villages, the centre of the procession being occupied by thc maypole, glorious with ribbons and wreaths. May Day was first selected as an international labour holiday by the International Socialist Congress of ‘lBB9. It is observed by a portion of the population of nearly every industrial country except the United States

and Canada, and also Italy, where its observance has been forbidden. It was originally intended that the workers should by direct action enforce a holiday on May 1, no matter what day of the week it might be. Attempts have been made regularly to do this on the Continent, and frequent rioting and sanguinary conflicts with the police have resulted. In Britain the Labour Day celebration generally takes place on the first Sunday after May Day, the traditional London celebration being in Hyde Park. The first importance Is attached to tiie day in Russia, where monster processions of organised workers take place, particularly in Moscow.

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