THE COMEDY OF THE UMGENI

Dominion, Volume 7, Issue 2126, 18 April 1914, Page 5

THE COMEDY OF THE UMGENI

LANDING OF Til BEPORTEO NINE

A SERIO-COMIC AFFAIR

The last budget of English files were luti of the arrival in London <jf tho Umgeni from South Africa, with the mno deported labour lenders or board. J.ii.o movements of tiio Umgcrni wereroiled in tho closest secrecy. 'The London Press bad no exact iawu-Wgo of her Awfc destination, mid iW whole of tho >Sei!th Coast- ©£ England and- tiro ibamos ivwo pat rolled by tfot> ouiposts of thfj great dailies, n.gog with excite moirt and anxiety as to tho definite Jjttpeanasce and landing of the "dear itoported as tho "Daily Mail" fcetiouslV described them, The main incidents of tho arrival of .tho ''super-Larkins' , ' at Crravpeeni and tho ludicrous «ellat>sc-of tho imposing landtag which kid been arranged % the Labour Party in England have already been chronicled. m the cable- messages, but tho nmusiiift iinpressioiie of tho "Daily Mail's" special representative wlio witnessed the landing are worth recording.

The fclmgeni Drops Anchor. It was ail awful failure (ho wrote). Tho committcjo oi svoieo-roo to the Kino, consisting of Mr. Arthur Henderson, JU>., Mr. Oi W. Bp-wermwi, M.P., Mr. w. C. Audoi-8011, Mr. J. Set Wan, and -«.r, iU'iMOToU, had beca unable t® secure a boat, latinch, tug, or raft -'to take tliem to the Umbciti, slowly gliding t<) her anehoragc; They liad "been on tJie seejie from .J #.m. M mnrka they were stranded on tho quay at Tilbury Ufce marooned marfaers, and it was not nirtil s, "Daily Mail" njotor-iaundi came to their aid t-ilat they were ablo to fiarry tliesf words of welcome *? esiles. "Wken we came witlim nailing disttmcA tho delegates gave a ronsiiig clxcor. Snt tfcft elieer roused nqbedy oseept a lascar, who was isolislu'n.g bras Si-work, and after on 6 cursory glaiioo <sveii lio went on with life work unperturbed." Tli-ero was an eutba.rrassin,g "stage wait" for a coupjo of minutes, and then a short man with a cap on'his head and a cigar in ins ijiottth pec-ped over the bulwarks. EL? was ttio first of tho siiper-Xiarkfos, and at irreguiar intervals ho was followed by tho other eight, who gazed curiously, not to- say sheepishly, on the- boatload of tlmsJ&mg exciteiiiontv Wien t-lio nino had arranged theai-selves in. attitudes of iboto or less gracefiil MpleiiGo, Mr. Arttai- Henderson, .M.3?** steadioA himself on hie feoi ani| in Ims lest. Parl.ia'mentarf reeitative said:.

"We are hero as the Beeoptiwi C<mhftiittee for tho whole of tl© Britislt Trade Vnion Movement." , ..

"HeUo, Tam!" Alas for the i-mjjfessiveiress of Mr. Horndefsoii'-s speech. Mr, t>, M'Kerj-eti., otto of the "dear deported:" at tljitt inoftonfc recftgjiised his brotjjej' in t)ia Idtnich, and tfi a Stern nnd'vrild .Oals(tonian'acepttt shouted, "Hollo. Tarn S Is that yon-?" ■ . '' ".Ajhj, inoiij a))s ! ii.ro yo no ootiiin' aff ?" T'affl. Wiere-upan the osilo mada long and intimate domestic inquiries "about the a-rild ha«o" frhilo Mf. HdHdensoii fretted and fuinefl nntl the sigh* other exiles smoked ia calm indifereiice.

" At Idfigth the M'Kerrotts ceased ffftm burring, a:iid Mr. Hendwsfttt continued, "We Jiavio nia4o all .arfangß.rnents for estondhig you -hospitality. in Loiiden." Mr. Hmiderson wttiW oppareiitiy for >igmo disglny of ap.jwc.<;.!fti;iV;D ent-iujsi&stfi iVcm tjbla Nfite, biit jicme being forfJj-; Mining he debiaed , to impress tlio exiles wttVtlie various Imitmirs and.titles h_eW in thn British Labo»? world by tho ttcce|)t'ion Oomniittee, ajul again,emphasised- tlib fact that *'6very si*raiiEßmont has teen i?,ia4a for your Jibspitajity in Loudon., Thero ii a jkoisrtenrtio- of nvee,t> iiigs we Want to. submit to you. We want to know felieip ypu ft-iU land sii tliat we may take you iti eiir rare and 3o ovcrytniaig possiWo'on.your behalf."

'■ A Bombshell tarn tho Umgeni. , Hβ paused again, and lift. J. T. Bain, tho NumbeT oU<s of tUo Nine, purled his ■mw.stadie Slid nttifinwrei, "TJiisjis the psychplogicftl .wiDWent." Advancing to the rail., he., said: "1 have'' been requested to Wake- a statement to ,vqm as regords our being Jiere. Firet, I liave te thank yeii # aira all the tratiet unionist and. Setiiali§ti njoveiiioni of Great firitaia for tho kindly greeting yott h&ve given iis this momma. We have been placed oft hoard tins vessel against ovir wish, and we don't irttqnd to l«iiye it Jiutd we arelanfietl back in-i§putlj -Afrfca.". . Jf-ad tjie tJnjgciii sttddefily .parted smm« .ships the Recejition Committee- epiild iiot Jiai'fi Wn lboro 'duinbfouMed than hy this dramatic ■aij.noiiiieemoiits. "I rssp'oct- ySii-r .determiivStian, but what about , put fatujo. acttons?" sta:Q-iri<J-red Mr, Seiulerson. . j'Wo want to pui our ptogrammo before yoii, fh.e.re is. to bs a dinner at tlio House, ©f Co-m----motis.." ■■ ■ .

"And a ftieeting in. Hyde Park," .m-ur-mured Mr. Aiideirson. Sir. Bain tugged at hia moustaehb and the other esifes went o.u smoking* a-ii Wfc fe-8.-. JFKerrcll, who, Wβ. thought , o£ anotter questdou ho ft-a.uted: ■to ask his brother. "Cii,n'-t we qomo eu board?" pleaded Sir. Hendersonj forestajling Mr. M'Keirifell. ' • ' ' "I will ask the Captain," replied Mr. fiai.ft in a- jjoiJ7Cßm:injttoi toiv&.

puring jfr. Bain's Search for tho eapiiim tho .JFKerroHs. recalled tlwJr b.ojv hood, iuqiririid after each other's health, and the hgp.Bh'of tlveif relatives a'flcl friends: and the otter seven exiles went on smoking, .

"What a emuV ""i'q- Wen l?eto sad Jock?" said tllo esiie M f K:er;reii,. and the ,stay-at--h.6m© M'KefreJl "keniiet," and 3fT». iSeddon mutterfid under his brea-th, "What. a. feiwl*- .

Mr, Bain .returned with tho information that tho captain had his orders not to. allow anyone, on board. "Isn't it possible far you to eorno sad jpiii us'in a. asked Mr,.'licnde.j:son.

Mr. Baiii raij h-is fiijgers, through; his white hair arrd replied; ''If we leave tftis, vessel wo cut. ourselves adrift." t

"su.t wo ijapo niaclo exceedingly, olahOiate' arraiißcraents," uisedi Jfv. Heu? derSoji. "Tlio whofe-of tjte Bri.tisli E,v -boar .Diopetneitt h ospecting you. fhe : pregrniiim.B oppnK o« Tblwsqay with a diwier at tho House of Commons." "And ttefo is to be a. Park," reiterated Mr, Amlersoin "Yea. tto'vß.scen all that in ihij Press, , ' said Jtf.. Baiu. looki.iig hoi'ed, "Wo- see your sVk-,". began Mr. EeiiderspDj vi'Sicfldiifjigly.

"You evidetttly doft't see it as wo s.<!o it," ftiioi'tod Mr. Bain, who again Ihkl rosoffc '% Ms nwiistaftlje.

"Sowo pf J'pu , havs> vory bad eliar* acters," smO Mi , . facetiously. '■' Alul ,vott sire all iHustrraits liontfiil,'" reSpoiKlwl Mr. Bain, tugging stfc liis iiixii , . '"Wo h.avo, boen wisll froftteJ on lioawJ," iio Tidckdj atisifl'c.rjii.g Mr, H&n-'Jc-rson. "Wo .imvo lieen fortiinole in Slip (iftpiaiii." Kiieaiii'agwt by tho cnHvcrsalipil of their cliiof, the ottier oxites lwgna t-ra talk Ssetfreeu svhifl's of srucfe. '"ffiero is «Imost- {is much seeraey ai this oiitl as at the oilier," murwni-cd Mr, Morgan. "You will flgla your Tialtlo Iseilor ashore ilmn in iiw ship," argued J[r. Audflrson i» the niaiiiior of n pntiont parent pcrsuiidiii" a. pr-evisli ehiW. s. "Arp .van waiting to ha cvrokiJ?" a sired ,M,.V. Mendn-smi. Mr. BiiiH.wactgcfl hi,s head n-isah , . and .lieu iu a unrsf of couliticiict! ciduito-

cd; "Wo have prepared a slateiivont ■for von and tho I'less. When >ou Have read it you will understand our position-."

'•■ Tito elii-ef of -the exiles again mftcloJus exits jib A during his nbsoaco letters jiji.d newspaper cuttings werft eouvoycii t»y means of a rope arid a boat-hook to those of the departed who cared to read them, aiid tie Jii'Kerreils .escbanged anecdotes. At tills stage severs! of tlio exiles recognised Mr, Henderson; one flvon admitted that ho hnd seen him in Hydo Park years ago. After this siscovery ho re'garded Mr. Henderson with a nnw interest.

When Mr, Pain returned he tossed a foolscap envelope into the iamifrh, tod Mr, Henderson safd': "Wo will disraiss your statement and then return to tha ship." ■.' Mr, Bain nodded and sounded the fitsfc noto of "The lied Flag," whibh tbs nine sang iii vigorous chorvis.

Second Appeal to the Wrtfc Tho Reception Committee disoasse'd the statement for aa hour in tfeo privacy tit tho 'lilbwry Hotel, and thcii ro* turned.to tho Tlni.geni in toe Press Eioatj which they used without permrss.ioiu 'When a Press representative objected to this manoeuvre, Mr. Henderson replied: "Oil, if you aro going to talk like that wo sliant' go to tta ship at alll" Tor long after tho toiiiiiiiUee's secowJ expedition to tho TJmgehi the. issues" liune in the balance. Arrived at tlio. sjdo of the L'mgcni again tliey exlwftoci. thfty pleaded, they TBaseiied, they oi?or6(l agaiii tho rich bancjttct; they temptel »itb tho green fields aftd dotnonstratiea of Hydo Jark. K*efl. the sfris's o/fieers ttcro merfod to pity. Thdv handed do*n to Mr, Scddob, vfifcli their best wishes for his success, a feottlo of ivkisky. Bufc tlio esfles wcro adamant, Tho most that they vrould promise was a further conference on t!je point "at t.lio tuttelieou table." Mr, Henderson and Co.—an unhappy Cβ.*-tten-t nghofo at .Rrevesend and tried a now fiiovc. Thaj listved the owtier; of the Umgteni for permission to baatd her. Tliis was granted in xespcftt of Mr. H-oiidG.rSon and ■Mr. Boworman. AtnM inahy iippsals to "Do your best, oM man, ,, ' and: ''Doti't forgot about tlio dteUor," they: set off ■Oβ tho last-appeal. They 'Wefo fcliß fjvrt men, apart from to fiaiti ad-fliis&jon to tho Xftngciti- This ■was at 1:2,4 a p.m.

Autocrats Unbend. the? wet tbo South Afrieails,_ Mid J{r. Baiii and Mv, Paut-sitia agiijn declared that fey would not l&dve the TJmßisni until forcibly ejected. Ut, Henderson argued that thuir protest, ■would t>6 just as ofeo'tivo; legally if they ■rttado it formally and rtstired graeofiiUy, ■Bflsidpg, tbero were the -di'imsr, the hnspitaHtv, the hotel awaiting them, 'Itec were Eopd Jvords, afid tiro innci tlocidecl to think !hb ntftttetytfrer. Far ,flh hour istt. Henderson and Mr. Boivfer-ln-fta eace<J the quarter-deck. ■ Then Sir. si«.pped up and whispered SQinethmg. Wo in the iauiichos betoW coiild net hear it. . But froni Hid huf*b ■and happy SwHo thut all tire norners of Mi , . Heiiderson's fa.co and Btfread in hnupy ripples tiil Ms eloHies Quivered , , ins knew tlio messagft ffa.s.

"they *i!I tad." It was shouted n> moment later to the, waSma lioaif;. TJift paiigtvav Was lowered., and at- 3 f>,ro. the exifes «tepned(" from tile, ttopsni. At 3,3 p.nv. they TijTided at Grarosend oil British soil, fihecTs and eoti'iter-eheor.S greeted each op«ratfe.u, . '"