The Labor enquirer., 1886-11-27
company Of Life Guards, drawn right

company of Life Guards, drawn right
across the road. Before the meeting con-
vened I with other conra les VIA liked
around the neiehboring thoroughfares
and back Streets and found companies
of police drawn up in various places and
the soldiers in st. Georges barracks, at
the back Of the national gallery. ready
to come out at minutes warning. Al
together about 10000 police and soldiers
were at hand, to say nothing Of the nu-
merous detectives, male and female,
who were dogglng the steps Of the more
prominent members of the Social Demo-
cratic Federation.
No attempt was made by the force
however, to keep the people out of the
square SO that long before the meeting
convened our men had possession OF the
pedestal of the Nelson column, and prac-
tically occupied the square. The "peace-
at-any-price" walking sticks which so
many ofour men carried and which are
about two inches in diameter at one end,
Iprobably did not help to allay tn, fears
of the police, who were remarkably civil
on this occasion.
Directly the show had passed an at
tempt was made by one of the appointed
chairmen, Ward, an ex-armv man, to
face the poll 9 on the balustrade on the
side and speak. He was, however, un-
able to do this and was arrested. Few
saw the arrest. however, as all attention
was concentrated on the Nelson monu-
ment where the second chairman, Bate
man, a compositor and an ex-soldier
made his appearance amid forest of
red flags and burst of cheering The
meeting had commenced and the
speaker was surrounded by thousands Of
strong arms ready to defend him from
arrest ifcalled upon. Authority seemed
to be paralyzed and the meeting went
on, Tom Mann, an engineer, and An
drew Hall, a navy, being the speakers.
The proceedings lasted half an hour, the
resolution was carried amid enthusiastic
applause, and the meeting was closed
with three ringing cheers for the Social
Revolution sucl as could be heard in
the aristocratic clubs of the West End
and in the government Offices in Parlia
ment street, The subject matter of the
speeches is to be found in the words o1
Mann: "The British government has
said that the Social Democrats should
not be allowed to meet here to-day. We
are here" r.
WHY the authorities at the eleventh
hour allowed US to hold a prohi Nitec
meeting without a conflict it is Difficult
to say. Perhaps it was because they
were not quite sure of the 10000 armec
men under their command. The police
\ who at end our meetings by order anc
who hear our speeches are no
devoid of reason, and in fact we know
that many of them agree with our views
The soldiers too are gradually becomiRs
permeated with Socialism. A redcoat il
often to be seen al our meetings; tn
unem ployed often join the army, anC
we are wen aware that IN the ranks o
the British army are large number o
Revolutionary Socialists. The authori
ties are beginning to find this out, an
orders have just been issued that NJ
soldier in uniform shall attend our meet
ings. Capitalism is in bad way whel
its own forces are being impregnateC
with what they are pleased to call ou
'insiduous doctrines" No wonder the
hesitate to force on a struggle in whicl
they might come out second best.
We are going on with our unemployed
agitation right through this winter, a
last winter. Our victory of Tuesday las
will be ofgreat value to us. We 'hav
defed capltalistic authority with tn
greatest success and thus encouraged the
workers of London to considerable ex
tent, whilst discouraging the forces o
fraud and class rule.
JAMES BLACKWELL,
LONDON, Nov, II.