Omaha daily bee., 1907-09-08
FIGHTING In BELFAST
Strenuous Scenes During Labor
Troubles in that City.
WOMEN SHOT DOWN BY SOLDIERS
Streets Become battle-ground of
Determined Factions.
CoNSTABULARY STARTED TROUBLE
Began Agitation for Higher Pay and
pa4far Noudifiops
WOMEN SHOT DOWN BY SOLDIERS
CoNsTABULARY STARTED TROUBLE
FRowNED UPON BY AUTHORITIES
Many Transferred to Undesirable
stations when Riot and
BloOdshed ConvuIsed q
City. ,c\ =

Bloodshed ConvuIsed .cS
city, %sMM$I
BELFAST, Sept ,cNSS-Be-
fast loves q fight <SS not like
the shoot to hll"\ ooS of settling a
strike, and when the dtary, goaded TO
desperation by the striking carriers ana
dock laborers and the hooting moDs,
killed three in the crowd tie -rioring was
quickly stopped. The labor troubles here
began as far back as June, when dis
putes arose between the dock laborers
and the shipping companies in regard to
the unloading Of vessels. On June 26 the
lockers in the employ of four of the
shipping firms came out on strike. The
next day their example was followed by
the carriers, and labor was imported from
England under police protection.
In the early days of July the masters
sent an ultimatum to the men and de-
cided upon a lockout IL their terms were
not accepted. They declined the lord
mayors proposal to meet representatives
of the men, and this refusal was met by
the mems leaders calling the men out IN
strike. From this date numerous dis
turbances arose, police were stoned, vans
held up, and in one case set on fire On
July 22 the action of the crowds was so
serious that the police made a baton
charge
COnstabuIary Begin Trouble.
The situation now became complicated
by the action OF the constabulary, who
began an agitation for higher pay and
better conditions. They made great
demonstration on July 81, marching in
single file to the barracks to interview
ha
were refused, and the lord lieutenant
commented severely on the method and
time chosen by the police to bring for
ward their grievances. On August q 400
of the constables were transferred to other
stations.
Meanwhile. the strike trouble proceeded
unchecked, and the military force whica
had earlier been brought into the city, was
increased. On August the streets were
occupied by military patrols, and some of
the soldiers two days later were severely
stoned by strikers The hostile demonstra-
tions increased by day. and eliminated in
the terrible conflicts of Sunday. August
H. and Monday, August H. A Belfast mob
is notorious above all other street crowds
in the three kingdoms for lawlessness when
its passions are aroused. The events of
Saturday did not mark any definite stage
III the -uOWnWdEu pdli lo"dIuS dudlSHys
But on Sunday the trouble took on a new
and menacing complexion. The police were
attacked by overwhelming forces of rioters.
not because they interfered with picketing.
but simply because they wore the uniform
of authority. And by Monday night the
riot had organized itself for the most de-
termined onslaught of all 1t had collected
ammunition in the form of paving stones
and the paving stones of Belfast are pc
culiarly suited to the business of street
fighting. 1t had roughly outlined a plan
of campaign, which included the dousing
OF lights and the preparation Of entangle-
ments of cavalry. There Is broad line
to be drawn between the acts OF mob
which, in the heat OF sudden battle, makes
use of the missiles that are ready to hand,
and the conduct of another mob. or Of the
same mob after It has tasted blood, in de-
liberately arming itself with stones and
broken bottles. to be used after dark In
an organized attack upon the guardians of
the public peace.
Troops showed Restraint.
LITTLE need be said about the events OF
Monday night except that the loss OF In
nocant lives is none the less deplorable be-
cause the resort to ball cartridges was alb
solutely necessary in self-defense' II the
few shots which were fired had found their
billets in the miscreants who used broken
bottles as weapons In a hand-to-hand
struggle strict justice would have been
done. The one redeeming feature OF the
situation was the self-restraint shown by
the troops under conditions which put the
severest stress upon discipline The shoot
ing OF civilians In street rioting is an
event happily SO rare In our country that
there is a disposition in some quarters to
find an official scapegoat 1t Is suggested |
that the authorities showed belated firm |
ness in dealing with riot. One need not |
cite the incipient mutiny OF police In the
defense OF the executive arm or the law !
1t should be SUFFICIENT to point out that
the executive, confronting such a situation |
as that which developed at Belfast, must |
always prepare for blame, whether 1t re-
sorts to military measures early or late
In the former case II Is indicted on the |
ground Of harshness and provocative meas |
ures. In the latter It is accused OF dila- !
toriness and want of resolution. But the /
executive in a civilized country will al |
ways prefer to be blamed for shooting too /
late rather than too soon.
There was a foretaste on Sunday of what 1
was to come next day. Just as 1t was get /
ting dark the police were attacked by mobs |
off Grosvenor road, nine constables receiV-
ing serious injuries. The military, consist |
ing of detachments of the Essex and Sus- |
sex regiments and the Cameron Highland
ers. were at once called out II was about ,
o'clock when section of the infantry, I
with fxed bayonets, came on at the double /
down Mcdonnell street. A veritable can
nonade OF paving stones bricks broken
bottles and other missiles greeted them.
Each side OF the street as they passed fur
nIshed its quota OF stone-throwers. Away
IN the darkness OF the back streets could
be heard the screams Of women and the
curses OF men, while stones came patter-
ing on the streets, roofs and sidewalks.
TheN soldiers retraced their steps TO AL
bert street. where they reformed. Two
more charges followed, the police moving
in an apparently invineible mass. SOL
der was wounded and was carried from
the ranks by two OF his comrades to the
temporary hospital at Cullingtree Barracks.
WaVv4 lI.rfUaa E,FI