South African Crisis

Taranaki Daily News, Volume LVI, Issue 169, 16 January 1914, Page 5

South African Crisis

EFFECT OF MARTIAL LAW. t ; STRIXoEXT PRECAUTIONS. J3y Cable—Press Assu: ;.u o;i —Conyright Capetown, January 14. The railway *it'i;\tion at Salt River nnd. otli: r points in the ( ape province if rather better this morning. The proclamation cf martial law in the northern provinces and the exceptionally drastic regulations are supposed ti> bo having: a steadying effect on .TOivprr-rs. Various trades in Capetown are nevertheless discussing the advisability of (Striking, many being strongly 'disposed thereto. The (iovernor-General's proclamation In th<? streets of the city as in other centres of tile Union applies equally to the Ui[ie province, except s6 far as (martial law is* concerned. The Federation's genera! strike order applies for the present only to the : Transvaal ami tiio Free State. It is understood the Cape Federation will call j . ft general stride in the Cape province ! i or not, according to circumstances. . •" The martial law regime is divided in-

to nine 'Control areas, each tinder the of ail oliicer-who has absolute power. The ordinary law remains in . force and the civil courts continue, but cannot over-ride the orders and actions, of tho control officer or any officer administering martial law. Arrests may be made without warrant. All commissioned officers have full power to

commandeer and requisition as --n war time. A control officer may restrict the movements of any person witliir. ins area, also regulate ami restrict movements o£ natives notwithstanding anything in the .statute. Publication in newspapers or otherwise of false or alarming reports, or infornut : on calculated to promote ill-feeling is prohibited, also intimidation by strikers or qsc 'of opprobrious epithets, including ''scab'' and '-blackleg." ■ 'Draamitards," or even "suspected Eynainitards" may -be shot mi sight, also persons with explosives in their possession which cannot be explained may be sentenced to death by a military tribunal.

Unauthorised persons in the neighborhood of railways, telegraphs, telephones, power stations and waterworks are also liable to ibe shot on sight.

The situation is easier. The strikers lost ground to-day and the country population, English and Dutch alike, is tallying to the support of the Government, <ll naaim it r. Thanks to the special constables, who are mainly responsible for patrolling the railways, the main lino services throughout Wie Union have been maintained with Wonderful regularity. , There is a marked contrast in the Conditions here. Yesterday police were BW'arming -everywhere, and to-daiy armted, jniounteds patrol the thoroughfares. 2sone are. allowed to enter or leave the city without a permit. Additional regulations require citizens to obtain a Special permit to be out of doors between eight at night ami five in the morning. Crowds of applicants for permits assembled.

Two men arrested at Benoni were rescued by a mob of strikers, who also thwarted the' attempt of the police detectives to raid the Trades Hall and arrest Bain, secretary of the Trades Federation. s, Johannesburg, January 14. Dynamite continues to I>e found on tile railway. A quantity was discovered this morning at Booysens on the rear line -by a patrol of the Imperial Light Horse. The Transvaal Leader newspaper says the decks are cleared for action. A (struggle between iState -and syndicalism lias begun and the only hops remaining is tliat it will be fought to a final conclusive issue. The Johannesburg Mail anticipates that its publication will bo suspended for a time in consei|Ucnce of its being « trade union office, while one of its competitors, being a non-union oflice, ■Continues uninterrupted. The Mail considers the position scarcely likely to furnish a very strong incentive to" other employers to follow the Mail's example, nnd proceeds: -The fault is not that of the system, wherein we still believe, but -of mad rule the Federation to-day and seem determined to lead all \vlio wiU follow them to ruin."

Xlif Mail tenders its sympathies to tliosd who are forced in co-operation in achieving their own ruin ami shattering tlicir own ideals. In .(ohanue-hur;.' a copy of the following cable whs posted outside the Trades Hall: —"From Hunt, secretary of the •Federation at Perth. Western Australia, .tc secretary of Federation at JohannesImi'g: Sympathy in your stni"f,'le for ifreedom. Financial assistance if wanted. Hftld out. The whole of Australia with ymi in your !ij;ht against the fiotha' Government." The Trades (fall is now barricaded ■ With boxes, liquor and furniture, mainlv at the back of the linll. but the main door :is, also barricaded.

A MENACING CROWD. POLICE USE BAYONETS. LEADERS KBIT IX HALL, Received 15, 5.3 p.m. Capetown, January 14. A large menacing crowd demonstrated in tiie street near the Trades Hall, but after »onu> stone-throwing tliey were foreed b|tck by the police at the point of the bayonet, two ibeing bayoneted. None of the police were injured.

| A mrai'ber of arrests were made. Tin- polite were reinforced to 200 around the hall, wherefrom a ret! flagcontii|i:ally waves. i'a.in re-entered I*l ;c hall ar.d described the conditions of himself and his bodyguard, stating that all wan well. The neighborhood of the hull was cleared, and a close cordon of police, with fixed bayonets, prevents any access. Mason, and. leaders, are inside, the apparent'intention of the police bein# to quietly keep them there at leis-

lire. All the mines in the West Rand are working. •STRIX't;ENT R Ml; ULATIOXS. DRASTIC MEASURES ADOPTED. SICNALMAX SENT TO PRISOX. Received 15, 0.20 p.m. Blomfontein, January 15. Jlurtial law has 'been proclaimed in the Free State. It is especially severe, a strict Press censorship being established 'in addition to other regulations. Colonel Dutoit, the control officer, prohibits the. strikers from leaving their hemes, forbids the display o£ the red Hag, prohibits the rendering of any assistance to the strikers, direct or indirect, either in funds or goods.

Tin- ' strikers stooped .1 tyfht engine at (ireyville, Durban, yesterday, and maltreated and carried off the fireman. The control oflieer ordered the .strikers to release the lireman to-day, otherwise stern measures would he taken. The strikers complied. The control oflieer sentenced :i signalman, whose signals lirst upheld the engine. to twelve months' hard labor, lie is the iir.-t .railwayman that has been convicted under martial law.

EAR.MI'.RS STAND HUM. UIVAL OPPOSITION" LEADER. M All ITZ! > U KCi 1- UK E WAI! M. Received .1.-), 0.25 p.m. Capetown,"January 15. Al a mass meeting of farmers at ■Stelleliliasclifi Mr. Men-iman nrircl, l!,e Coveniment. to stand linn. There must, he said, lie no more treaties with the Federation, and no more interviews with the men who had revolvers in I heir pockets to enforce their demands. This relates to the Carlton Hotel compact at Johannesburg in July, when Haiti and other labor leaders met General Botha and .Air. Smuts after the rioting. iSir Tlios. Smant:, Leadw 01 the Opposition. said that to-day it was the duty of the Opposition to stand by the Government. The country was not prepared to hand over the reins t 0 a self-appointed .luuta like the Tvades Federation.

Eutliusiasm was characterised at similar meetings throughout the Union. Afaritzburg-, January 15.

A meeting was held for forming a Committee of Piibljc Safety, but the Mayoy, adhering to the attitude lie -adopted yesterday, considered that sucli a committee was unnecessary. Colonel Clarke, control officer. raid he had a wire from the Minister of Defence stating that Maritaburg was the only town in the Union where the local authorities decfined to help the (Joveniment. He was empowered under martial law to nominate a conunittee tiimself, and l nominated line .Mayor us a member. .

After some, discussion, a committee was formed, and the Mayor agreed to serve, numbers of special const allies enrolling.

tCKSK .AT TKADKS >IAJX. KTKIKKRS II^SOLi;T.G. 11-AU, COMPLETELY ISOLATED. A STATE OV SIEGE. Received 15 ; MO ]). m. Capetown. January 1 4. .l-rom (wo to three hundred men. i'r.lly armed, arc inside the Trades Hall. T!..'y j arc determined to resist all attempts to *tonn tln> luihljn.y. The police do not yet intend making a raid, as those inside are u* »"ond f.~ in jiaol. The hnli U completely isulaicd, the li<jU, water. and ielephorev cut oil'. A correspondent, who crawled over the hack roofs, pc ; :sed the strike. picket'. will, h strike- |ormi'. lie found a remarkable jrfcm' 'nside, Uio inmates Ikjin£ all fully antsed. They expressed themselves deternined to resist all attempts Id >tonn the. building. All windows and door-'. worn barricaded \rvtii bo.ves filled wit"!i brick*, places being left for rille Jir'n#.' Other bo.ves were full of ammunition. The defenders are living chiefly on fruit, quantities wlvcreof were l>rou<jbt. hi days ago. They lrtu r e aiso some bread some days idd. Many of the men have only trousers, boots, and shirt?. They are unwashed, gaunt and hazard in appearance. Tliejr ■njutteral that tlic hall would not