PROHIBITED MEETING

Evening Star, Issue 20133, 25 March 1929, Page 8

PROHIBITED MEETING

EVENTS AT BALE SWIGS GOVERNMENT'S PRECAUTIONS Press Association -By Telegraph—Copyright. GENEVA, March 24. (Received March 25, at 11.15 a.m.) Since Saturday Bale has resembled a besieged town. All the surrounding villages hold troops, including three battalions of infantry and cavalry. Frontier guards and motor lorries are ready to march into the town if tho Communists hold the prohibited demonstrations. The principal buildings, including tho telegraph and telephone offices, and tho Consulates, are guarded by soldiers, and the police arc armed. The police occupy the raihvay stations. All persons seeking to enter Bale are examined, and all suspects are iorccd back or arrested. The police raided the local Communist newspaper, ‘ Vorwacrts,’ destroyed the type, and confiscated the edition, and placed a guard over the building. Several well-known Communist leaders were arrested at Geneva, Lausanne, and Berne when entraining for Bale, and were imprisoned. Army pioneers, armed with quick-firers, strongly guard the German frontier. An important group of German Communists were driven back. The army has commandeered the Bale radio station for military purposes. Tho Federal Government is sitting in continuous session at Berne to deal with, emergencies.—United Service.