DISGRACEFUL SCENE

Dominion, Volume 12, Issue 268, 8 August 1919, Page 7

DISGRACEFUL SCENE

COWARDLY MOB ATTACK ON VICTORIAN PREMIER LA WLESSNESS IN MELBOURNE (From*the "Ago.") Melbourne, July 22. serious riots, which wero disgraceful t*> .tlie Perpetrators and menacing to tlie well being of the community as.«i whole, occurred in Melbourne yesterday. The flishirbancea were a sequel to those that took placo on Saturday and Sunday n;ght, and they' were undisguisably a concerted attempt on the part of returnfl;l scrldiers to take their revenge upon the police, and upon one police officer in particular,' for the antagonism that, it was alleged, nad .previously been shown ti. returned soldiers and women' and children in the streets. The instigators were about three hundred or four hund<v>d members of tlie Victorian branch of the Betnmed Sailors and Soldiers' lmwrial League, who assembled a: a meeting in the morning to give vent to tleir 'indignation ngainst the police, and to decide upon a.course of. action. As tlie dav wore or. their numbers and their ill-temper alike increased, and they only dispersed after they had raided the Government oflic-js, assaulted and wounded the Premier, injured several policemen, nnd committed numerous acts of wanton Attraction tj Government property. A meeting of tho Cabinet was being held at the time, and before leaving tho Cabinet room to see tho representatives of tjie. soldiers, Mr. Lawson consulted with his colleagues regarding tho situation. and somo minutes elapsed before be raade an appearance. By this time tie crowd had growr impatient, and Severn! hundred of theu broke away from tho main bodv and swarmed up tho staircase to the corridor leading to the Cabinet room The soldiers' representatives had beer, shown into the Treasurer's room to await Mr. Lawson, and, abandoning any jiretence at ceremony, the newcomers also crowded into the room. The' staircase and corridors were blocked, and it was only with great difficulty that Mr. Laweon fought his way into the Treasurer's room.. Here speeches wero made by tho executive Jnemoers, who demanded the jvlease of the men in gaol and the remission of fines inflicted. Mr. Lawson, who wa-s persistently and angrily interrupted,' told the men that law and order must be observed. They had fought for liberty, and there could bo no liberty without law and order. Those present were, not in a proper mood to discuss dispassionately the cases of the men who bad been imprisoned

"Drag Him Out!" Tho men shouted that they did not want to hear any "guff." They wanted their comrades out of gaol, and would pee that they got out. They wanted from the Premier an answer right away. It must bo "Yes" or "No," without any reservations. After the Premier had failed to make himself ! beard above the babble and , disorder, there were, 6houts from the men. ''Got him outside,"' "Drag him out." Mr. Lawson agreed to address tho men in the street and once again fought , his way through the mob to the Cabinet room. It was arranged that he should address the gathering from tho portico outside thr- Lands and Works board room. Tho crowd in the street moved down towards the centre of tho building, and hundreds swarmed "on to.the portico. Some sat on the parapet, others hold on to the mane of tho lion forming of the ctono representation of the Royal coat of arms. Others secured a footing on Wis parapet, am) clung to the tail of the unicorn.

By the time Mr. Lawson, attended by the Chief Secretary ;Mr. Ba'ird), Mr. Hutchinson {Minister .of Education), Mr. Clarke (Minister of Lands),' aud Mr. D. Maokinnou (honorary Minister) made his appearance before the throng, the temper of ttoso below was at fever-beat. After waiting a moment or. two for comparativo eilcnce, Mr. Lawson said—"Gentlemen." There was an immediate uproar of voices, and derisive cheers. • "Weil/' said Mr. Lawson, "Diggers!" (Great cheering.) He told them what had happened inside, and why it had been decided that ho should address them from the portico. Mr. Lawson said it was realised that the soldiers had fought for law and ordei' and for the preservation oi ihe liberties which all in Australia enjoyed. (Uproar.) The Government stood for law and order, aud the law. provided that where a man was imprisoned he might be re leased on bail. (Angry cries of "Wo don't want bail; there is no bail in the military.") Continuing with great difficulty, Mr. Lawson said the proposal ho had to make was that, tho crowd should appoint a committee of, say. half a dozen men, to immediately confer with him regarding the imprisoned men. Moro angrily still, the crowd ahoute.-l that that was not what they wanted. They wanted "Yes'' or "No," there and then. If the Government did not liberate the men the gaol would be stoimed., and they would be set at liberty. "You would not do thnt," said Mr. Lawson. "Appoint vour committee, and the men can bo released on bail right away."

Just as Mr. Lawson was finishing, from the street below came the sound of crashing glass. There wasa movement in tho crowd, and for the moment it looted as thouglli all in the street were intent on getting into the building. Sc'vernl mpnin the. crowd repeatedly ;nade f.igns to those on tho portico to throw the Premier over the parapet. The Attack on Premier. "Will you listen to a fellow digger?" (isked Sir. Lawson, indicating tho Chitff Secretary, Mr. Baird. There were .cries of "Yes?' and "No," 'but Mr. Baird could not make himself' heard even lia'd he attempted to speak. Having failed to pacify tho mol), Mr. LaTson suggested to those around him that he might again consult his colleagues. Leaving the portico, he passed to the board room, with the object of passing along the corridor and theneo to the Cabinet room. But that did not fit in with the views of the soldiers and others who had been on tho . portico. They surged . round the Premier, who tried to reason with them, but' it was useless. A. hundred men wearing returned soldiers' badges mounted the largo horseshoe-shaped (able in the room, and shouted to those near the door to Jock it. "Don't let him get oway," they said, indicating the' Premier; "mnke him give his answer now." Whilo the Premier was lighting his way to the door the soldiers l«jt their last relic of selfcontrol. ' Papers wero recklessly torn into shreds, blotting pads were thrown into the street. Coal from a scuttle was upset and trampled into the carpet. Tho fender was smashed, and fire-irons wero removed. Every drawer in the room was riflfi inkwells were thrown to tho floor, unci pictures were torif from the walls. During the uproar the Premier wa9 edging his way to the door. Without warning, he was 6truck in a cownrdly manner on the head with an inkstand. Tho blood from his head spurted out and ran down his neck. In an instant his collar was saturated with blood. Mr. Law£>oit put his hand to his head, and, looking his blood-stained finders, asked, are going, to do with me. No digger did that/' said several returned men. "We don't stand for that sort of thing " Three or four soldiors formed a, ''pocket" and escorted the I remier inlo the corridor. The crowd hustled him along the corridor, smashing lamp globes and plate-glass doors as they wen'.. It 6wnrm»d into tho rcorn or the Secretary to the Premier (Mr. Short). Mr. Lawson escaped, into (ho Cabinet room and tho door was locked. In a few moments tho joom of the Premier's secretary was in a state of wild disorder. Men stood on ' chairs and tables. Important official documents were strewn over the floor in liny pieces. Bookcases and shelves were ransacked, and the pontes of drawers, that ivere net locked who thrown about broadcast. Pens, ! iuk<">!!s, paper weights, am! other ar- ! ticks were stolen. Several men were '■ seen putting books belonging to tho department into their pockets. C4lass do- I canters and tumblers wero dc-'iberalely : smashed. Aji overcoat disappeared from behind a door. There was a wild clamour for admission to the Cabinet room, but Ministers kept tho door loosed. Denunciatory speeches were delivered by men standing on the tables. In the midst of the din tbere was a nry, ''Hero ore the troopers." A man jumped to tho table and asked, "Has ai;y rn'in got a revolver or firearms? Aim yourselves, boys, and we'll fight the — to the doath." Immediately there woe a wild rush to the fireplace, and pieces of coal

were hurriedly thrust into pockets; tongs, poker, and firo shovel wero snatched up, and in a body the mob rushed to 'the street below to meet the troopers. People in the vicinity of the State officos must have realised what an irresponsible and terriblo thing :s an angry orowd. Though the crowd, fortunately, was not unanimous in favour of violence, a large section appeared to be ready to adopt any measures to guin tnoir end. Whilo tho Promier was endeavouring to address them somo of the reckless members called for violence if their demands were not. granted. Mr. J/inson's refusal to comply angered them exceedingly, and when he stopped speaking, amidst a pandemonium nf irate voces, someone in tho crowd suggested a gei.ei'al rush into tho building. Half a dozen men sprang forward, and ipushed and kicked at' the heavy doors in an eflort to force them .open. With mingled laughter and angry shouts tiio crowd followed, but tho doors held faft. A man, half mad with excitement, leapt at the nearest window, and burst the glass through with his list. liis band was badly gashed. Other men climbed on the window sill, and, kicking away the glass, jumped through to the inside. In a moment they had opened the doors, and the crowd were swarming upstairs. A large section, however, remained in the open, and after a time 'v.ord passed round that the police were coming. Then most of those who had gone infide the. building scampered ■ out acain. Half a dozen constables walked along the pathway from Spring Street, and stood before the Treasury doors. They were greeted with licots. Tho more disorderly members of the crowd ran down the slopes into the TreasuryGardens, and began to pick up pieces of. stone from tho rockeries. There wero cries of "Stop them." Several missiles flew through the air, and a large piece of rock crashed through an upstairs window. A man ran from the gardens with a large crowbar, and others appeared with stones. The situation looked ugly. Suddenly the shout was raised that more police were coming, and the crowd began to break' up. From the Spring Street corner a large body of foot nolice appeared, and they were followed closely by another force from' Collins Street. Thero was a burst of hooting and jeers from the orowd; more stones flew, and several constables were struck. The police charged with their batons. The crowd broke and scattered, the larger section beating across the gardens with the constables in close pursuit. Women screamed and ran into Spring Street, and there was general disorder. In a few minutes, however, the pathway was cleared and order was restored.

Before the last of tho deputationists left the building, Captain Burkett advised them to return to their club looms, and to refrain from any form of disorder. Tho trouble, he said, had not been caused by tho returned soldiers, but by tho, Bolshevik 'element from outside.. Ono policeman was treated at the Melbourne Hospital for a wound on his head, caused by a heavy rione which broke through his helmet. ' Another received a severe bruise on ,the shoulder from a piece of iron, and several others sustained minor injuries. , . The Premier's Injuries, Mr. Lawson spent the week-end in bed. Yesterday's happenings imposed a great strain on him, and after he was struck with, the inkstand he looked like fainting from loss of blood. Ministers assisted to bandage his cut head, and later he was attended at the offices by Sir Charles. Ryan, who stated that -Mr. Lawson had received an ugly gash. The wound was two inchcs long, and had gone right through the scalp to the bone. Fortunately the 'bone was not injured. Mr. Lawson later had 1 his head swathed in bandages, and showed 'tho effects of his trying ordeal. Although far from well, he" attended tho adjourned Cabinet meeting last night. After the Cabinet meeting at which tho attack on the offices and tho assault of tho Premier was discussed, Mr, Lawson made the following statement':—"Tho Government will resist at all hazards any attempt made by returned soldiers or any other section of the community to intimidate or overawe the Goveriimont in tho discharge of responsible duties, nor wiT. it allow any section to enforce its demands by threats of violence. In a free and democratic community, whero every man and woman lias a vote, there is no justification'whatever for the mothods adopted that day. Such methods are undoubtedly destructive of free popular government. The attack on myself I do not regard as in any way personal; it was an attack on constituted authority. It was apparent to me that many of 'hose who took part in tho demonstration were young men, and that many cf them were not soldiers. It was also apparent that ainny of the soldiers deprecated tho violent nature of the demonstration. It must be plain, however, that those who were responsible for organising such a gatherin? cannot altogether esoano culpability for tho ultimate lengths to which tho demonstration was carried. Such gatherings are apt to draw into their ranks some of the worst elements in the community, and will undoubtedly get out of J control, ,as was the case that day. , ]