SYDNEY’S LOYALTY.

Taranaki Daily News, 10 May 1921, Page 8

SYDNEY’S LOYALTY.

JIREAT DEMONSTRATION, A SOCIALIST IN PERIL.

By Telegraph.—Press Assn.—Copyright. Sydney, May 9. The loyalty demonstration in the Domain, in reply to the Hag-burning incident, was unprecedented for its size and the display of loyalty. It is estimated that 100,000 to 150,000 persons participated. At times serious trouble was threatened, a militant meeting being rushed and broken up, a red flag captured and burned amidst an uproarious scene. The police, who were present in large force, made several arrests. A number of Socialist speakers were pulled off the platform and received a rough handling. E. Judd, who was addressing a meeting of the Socialist Labor Party, incensed by constant interruptions, drew a revolver. A wild rurih followed and with the greatest difficulty the police managed to rescue Judd from the angry crowd. The police took him to the police station, where he was charged with being in possession of a revolver without a license and behaving in an offensive manner.

Four others were arrested for riotous behaviour.

Judd and about a dozen others, including the Superintendent of Police, were treated at the hospital for injuries, mostly minor, caused by crushing. Resolutions were adopted that the Union Jack is the flag of Australia and that the red flag or any other emblem of revolution shall never be exhibited in this State, and in view of the dangers threatening the Commonwealth and the State we combine for the purpose of eradicating from Australia all enemy agents and sympathisers who are out to disrupt the integrity of the Empire. The speeches were fervidly loyal and hotly indignant against the insult to the Union Jack.

Returned soldiers, whose league was chiefly responsible for f;he loyalty demonstration, sought vainly for Donald Grant and Garden, two militant leaders, whose previous utterances had irritated them and upon whom they threatened vengeance, but the quest failed. Other leaders, whose meetings were broken up, had to receive police protection. At night a demonstrative crowd gathered outside the Communist. The police were in strong force and prevented the breaking up of the meeting which was proceeding inside. Amongst the Domain meetings whs one organised by the Ausralian Labor Party section of the Returned Sailors and Soldiers’ League, who displayed their banner, but no Union Jack. This incensed the crowd, who demanded the flying of the Union Jack. They finally rushed the platform, hoisted the Union Jack and dispersed the meeting.

The whole demonstration was a memorable display against disloyalty.