RAND LABOUR WAR.

Manawatu Herald, Volume XXXV, Issue 1130, 7 August 1913, Page 4

RAND LABOUR WAR.

TERRI BUS STREET SCENES

SiEGE OF THE RAND CLUB

SWEEPING RIFLE FIRE

MANY KILLED AND WOUNDED.

South African papers, dated July 6th, which came to hand by yesterday’s mail, contain full accounts of the alarming condition of affairs created on the Rand through the labour disturbances. These, read in the light of the details furnished by the Cape Times and Reuter's Johannesburg correspondent, show that the extent of bloodshed was of a very much more serious nature than may have at first appeared from the necessarily abbreviated cablegrams. According to the Cape ximes, Saturday, July sth, will ever 1 etuain a memorable in the history ot the Rand, Early in the d&y martial law was proclaimed. During the afternoon a desperate and determined effort to wreck the Rand Club resulted in serious bloodshed, several ot the attacking crowd being killed and many wounded. Men in the mob faced the troops, some of them with a coolness and dating for which they paid with their lives. Eventually the adjacent streets were cleared by a sweeping rifle fire. Later on an attempt was made to destroy Chudleigh’s magnificent building in Eloff Street, and here again there was bloodshed. list of casualties. Altogether 167 people were killed or wounded in the streets of Johannesburg on July 4th and sth, as follows : Shot dead : Eight Europeans, one native. Died in hospital ; Five Europeans, two natives ; total dead, 16. Total wounded and injured, 15!, of whom 75 were detained iu hospital; 33 were treated, but not detained, and 43 were attended at the fire station, suffering from slight wounds. The dead comprised : —C. S. Forbes, accountant, Johannesburg Municipality ; G. Budricks, commercial traveller (Russian) ; J. Maloney, bricklayer; J. Labschagne, miner ; H. Rosenberg, proprietor of the Carlton Bioscope ; F. Wood, a youth, railway employee ; H. Hackett, dentist’s apprentice ; P. Coleman, miner ; R. J. Thompson, J. C. Benson, Van der Merwe (Fordsburg) ; J. T. Zillwyker, miner ; S. Cook, miner; Viera, miner (Portuguese), and two others not identified.

STRATEGY AND DESPERATE DARING.

The siege of the Rand Club continued for hours, and was characterised by a remarkable strategy on the part of the military and desperate daring by the mob. There was no prearranged plan by the strikers.

The removing of arms and ammunition from a shop outside the club by the military attracted attention to the club. A few minutes after the military had left about thirty of the mob, mostly armed with revolvers, rushed the club. The bar was completely smashed in five minutes. Then the cloakrooms were raided. Some members were upstairs and unarmed, but the invaders, probably fearing a return of the military, who had temporarily withdrawn, contented themselves with smashing the ground floor and then retreating. The mob outside had now increased by thousands, and the dragoons rode through them amid boohoos and showers of half-bricks and stones. Thrice the dragoons scattered the crowd, meanwhile being stoned from all quarters. Then an officer ordered the men to dismount and fire. The first volley from the troopers dropped six of the mob. Two other volleys were immediately fired with deadly effect. It is reckoned that these three volleys were responsible for ten killed outright, besides those wounded.

A RIFLE DUEL PRONE

The troops had meanwhile been fired on from the tops of buildings and in front, and were forced to take cover. But soon the soldiers were so disposed as to command three sides of the club for a distance of 200 yards by nine picked shots advancing in three directions and firing. The mob were warned of a line of demarcation, past which they must not go. On one side, however, four strixers, armed with stolen rifles, lay bn the ground and kept up fire on the soldiers facing them, who also were on the ground. It was a remarkable spectacle to see the strikers thus fearlessly face the troops and hold their ground, Ultimately they were forced to re-

treat, but as the troops rouud the club were the object of a wellmaintained fire from the roofs, it was soon seen that the soldiers were in a difficult position. Members of the dub had several narrow escapes from bullets coming through the windows. However, the mob's shooting was weak. Only two soldiers were hit, while the troopers’ fire was deadly on those occasions when the mob pressed over the line of demarcation. “KILL ME IF YOU LIKE-” The soldiers never fired except on the first occasion without three warnings. One striker, with amazing coolness, walked over the line and stood. A trooper gave him three unheeded warnings and then killed him. Another striker is reported to have walked over with outspread arms, shouting, “Kill me if you like.” A trooper similarly warned and theu shot him. Two ot the mob persisted iu showing their heads rouud the corner ot the building, from which they were repeatedly told to get back. These warnings were unheeded, and others of the mob, taking courage from the troopers refraining from shooting, joined the pair. More repeated warnings were unheeded, aud other heads were pushed out and the troopers jeered at and invited to fire. A trooper theu gave three final warnings. No attention was paid. Two shots rang out simultaneously, aud both men received a bullet in the head and dropped. The incident had a great effect on the mob, who afterwards were more careful at this point. The temper of the mob was such that had they succeeded iu defeating the soldiers and taking the club, it is believed every member inside aud probably many servants would have been shot without mercy.

BURNING OF PARK STATION

The trouble at the Johannesburg railway station began after eight o’clock, when the local train was slowly drawn out of the station to make way for the Capa train. Suddenly the quiet was disturbed by the thrill whistle of the ten policemen stationed at the ticket office. Round the end of the ticket office it was observed that the police were unarmed, with the exception of their short batons. A fierce fusillade of rocks drove the police from their and one of them fell severely injured with a cut over the temple. A bystander dragged him out ot harm’s way. Immediately following the volley of stones revolver shots rang out, and globes were smashed by the bullets on every side. The police were driven off the station, and then the mob proceeded with the work of destruction. Every window on the station was smashed. The bar was burst into, and the mob proceeded to destroy and consume the liquor in the bar. Their attention was directed to the railway bookstall, which they quickly turned into a ruinous jumble, the great glass advertisement case being quickly demolished.

FIRING THE TICKET OPPICI

One of the mob then set the ticket office alight with burning rags. The bookstall on No. 5 platform was the next thing to attract attention, and it was also soon in flames. Immediately on the flares being observed an onlooker called up Marshall Square and informed the authorities of the position of affairs. Two women who had taken a leading part in the work of destruction drew the crowd off to watch the effect of their work. The troops then took possesion of the station. The firemen arrived on the scene at the same time, but too late to save the ticket and baggage offices, which were alight.

On going out of the station a spectator found that it looked as if there had been a siege in the place. Everything moveable was torn up, and everything breakable was broken. The bar was completely gutted, both bookstalls were wrecked, and the furniture generally was rendered useless. No sooner had the military arrived than the 10th Hussars cleared the thoroughfare in the neighbourhood of Noord Street, and the infantry took up positions on both platforms. Two officers of the 10th Hussars were seriously injured. FLAMES AND CHEERS.

Flushed with their success at Park Station, a small section of the hooligans made tracks about ten o’clock for the Star Offices. The attack was begun at the back of the premises in Pritchard St. A regular fusillade of stones, brickbats, etc., took place to the accompaniment of sounds of broken glass. In a few minutes not a whole window remained intact on the first four floors. A

log of wood was next requisitioned as a battering ram, but it proved unequal to the task of knocking in the back door. A posse of foot police then appeared on the scene, and charged the mob, who scattered like chaff. Having failed to gain access at the back, the mob made a run for the front, and soon the frail glass doors gave way. Mounted police now appeared, aud charging cleared the street. On the heels of the police there followed three fire engines. The esape stopped at the corner of Sauer and President Streets, but the firemen were literally bombarded with stones. The other two engines went right past the Star premises, and turned up a street to the left. No signs of any fire were then noticeable. The crowd began to congregate again, aud the mounted police again charged. Four shots rang out, fired by whom it is impossible to say, and chaos reigned for a time.

Theu the flames went up, to the accompaniment of cheers from the strikers. Troops formed up on the square, aud the burning ot the Star Offices was au accomplished fact.

WITH OPEN MAGAZINES

Following upon the demonstration in front of the Rand Club, the dragoons, after a ride eu masse round the streets, dispersing several assemblages, took up a position in the middle of Commissioner Street, aud were able to sweep the principal cross streets with their fire. The dragoons went into the firing line in relays, aud with open magazines kept steady watch. At intervals there were volleys, but for the most part sharpshooting was what was indulged iu. The soldiers had orders to fire on assemblies of six or more who refused to disperse. As lar as ascertained, hooligans did most ot the shooting on the strikers' side. Their modus operaudi was to peep rouud corners and take pot shots at the troops. Up to four o’clock the casualties had steadily mounted up. Four, men dropped iu one volley. There was a sensational incident in the early part of the proceedings. While the military were calling upon the mob to disperse, one of the strikers recklessly rushed into full view in the middle ot the street, stretched out his arms, and invited the troops to do their worst. This behaviour had its reward for the man dropped dead with the first volley, and lay —a ghastly sight —stretched on the ground.

RED CROSS WORE. Market Street was used as an ambulance depot. Hither the dead and wounded were conveyed, and some of the cases were treated in a neighbouring chemist’s shop. Three motor and horse ambulances were at work, plying between the scene of operations and the hospital. The uniformed ambulance corps were in attendance, supplemented by a number of strikers with red cross badges on their arms. Some of these red crosses were traced in human blood. One of fhe uniformed ambulance men was wounded through the arm by a shot from the military. It happened while he was crossing the line of fire under the protection of his red cross. Unfortunately, some of the strikers took the opportunity of crossing the street at the same time, thus drawing the dragoons’ fire. DESPERADOES AND DYNAMITING. The position is not unlike that existing at the time of the Reform Movement and the Raid in 1896, and the pre-war of 1599, but the populace which is involved is much larger and different inspirit. The uneasiness is due less to the presence of mobs in the centre of the town, whom the authorities are quite able to manage, than to the existence of desperadoes, who are not really legitimate strikers, and who, it is feared, may resort to dynamiting prominent buildings and mansions. There are frequent threats ot outrage by these desperadoes, who are much more difficult to trace and checkmate than a large mob. POSITION REVIEWED. Reviewing the position, the Cape Times remarks editorially ; “So far from being reprobated by the strike leaders, these acts of violence had been publicly encouraged in speeches which intimated that demonstrations ‘in force’ would be made all along the Reef and in the centre of Johannesburg. And the probable nature of these demonstrations was indicated in the issue of the Worker, published in Johannesburg on Thursday, from which we quoted yesterday. This, the official, organ of the South African labour Parly, expressly stated that it was no longer a question merely ot the reinstatement of the Kleiufoutein strikers. An 1 industrial war’ had been declared, and in such a war permissible methods were ‘murder, arson, and destruction of property/ This official permit was intended to be read by 25,000 strikers ; and the total force of police along the Reef, with all the reinforcements made from outlying districts, was about 3000 men. Had the Government in these circumstances failed to call in the military, they would have handed over Johannesburg to the dual control of the strikers and the rabble. What would then have happened may be judged from what actually did happen, even in presence of the 3000 troops, on Friday and Saturday, A newspaper office,burned, a railway station office fired, trains held up, shops looted ; an attack made on the Rand Club, which would certainly have been successful bad ,

the troops not kept the invaders back with the rifle ; and assaults on the power stations, upon which the city depends for light and transport power. These are sufficiently indicative of the anarchy and chaos which would have supervened had no military been summoned to the aid of the civil power. The answer to the first question, therefore, is that never in history has a civilised Government been confronted with a situation where the employment of troops was more pla inly justifiable, and even obligatory, than on the present occasion.”