The Washington herald., 1920-10-19
GRIM TROOPERS
RIDE MOB DOWN
Latter Reply With FusiIlade
Of Stones-l50 Injured
And Over 200 Arrested.

London, Oct. 1s.-white Hall, the
seat OF government OF the British
empire. was this afternoon and to-
night the scene Of a battle Of ele-
mentsry savagery, when 10000 un-
employed attempted to storm No. 10
Downing street where Premier
Lloyd George was conferring with
London borough mayors concerning
measures Of relief in the coal strike.
Again and again mounted police
with truncheons drawn. gsIloped at
full speed into the dense masses
Of people-screaming and yelling
horoes OF men and women-lcnock-
ing them down and trsmpling them
under the feet Of the police horses
while the mobs retalisted by throw
ing cobblestones and other missIes.
Brlcks, stones, paving debris bot
ties and clubs shattered windows OF
the treasury, the war of1ces. the
kings privy council, the home or
nee and other government build
ings.
Carry Red Flsgs
From every working class, includ-
ing the notorious workers from the
docks, early in the afternoon long
hIes twenty abreast marched toward
Downing street with their red flags
their torn and tsttered clothes. their
races pinched from hunger, and their
despair showing plainly in the fierce
grow OF their eyes, they were met
at the narrow entrance to the
premlers home by a double Gordon
Of police.
AS the mayors leading the i'm
mense parade promised the suthori-
ties that the men would remain
quiet while conference was held
with the premier, the police closed
an possible entrance to Whitehall.
For nearly an hour there was a IuU-
Nothing happened except restless
mutterings by mob leaders who
| made several Intellectual attempts 20
parade the men directly past the
premier's residence
After several attempts the police
! Gordon was pushed back. the leaders
with their human mass behind them
| surging like sea waves, forcing the
vanguard Of the police from their
pathway.
soon an inextricsbly mixed rest
less mob resulted. pushing It's dense
throng against the struggling police
Mounted Leader Appears.
Suddenly from out the mob sp-
( peared resourcefUl leader who.
astride a great white horse. rode
through the crowd and attempted
10 force a passage through the DO
/ lice lines
He was dragged to the ground by
the men in uniform.
/ This
IpandemOniUm broke loose. Tn.
crowd became Unmanageable. broke
through the lines Of police. hurIfng
missiles Of every description and
tearing down balUstrades OF build
{ ings they passed.
As the rioters progressed, fifty
mounted police were formed into .
wedge and charged the mob, driy-
{ ing the crowds back from narrow
/ Downing street and breaking many
banners carried in the parade. At
TINS the anger of the crowds grew
and stones were hurled which broke
windows in the treasury building
Despite the strenuous efforts of the
/ police and the use of their heavy
sticks, the mob returned again ana
again, surging in dense formation
IN terrific attempts to re-enter
Downing street.
Two Women Hurt.
Two women were seriously in
Jured by stones flung at the crew
OF a hre engine which was speeded
into Whitehall in an atternpt TO
dispsrse an angry crowd which had
gathered before the Privy Council
office and smashed several windows
Late at night the police had been
unable 10 entirely disperse the riot
ers' who, in groups large and
small, were haunting the back
streets Of the Whitehall district.
{ spreading destruction. hurting mis-
siles promiscuously, and forcing the
merchants along the Strand 10 bar
and shutter their windows in order
to protect their shops from damage
by the angry mobs.
During the rioting the Premier
( did not attempt to leave his house,
} despite the fact that the mob kent
I shouting, Come out"
Two Hundred Arrests Made.
During the sfternon and night Il
is estimated that $50 men and WON
en- were wounded. many Of them
( seriously. More than 200 arrests
We're made.
The scene at the administrstiy.
center Of the Empire following the
clearing Of the streets, resembled a
besieged city. Windows Of govern
ment buildings were boarded up.
I Downing Street itself was strewn
with debris, and in several places
were little pools OF blood OF the
rioters
The marchers, forced by the police
out Of Whitehall, ran towards Ira
/ falgar. shouting derision at govern
I mont employees who were watching
the excitement from windows
Epitomizing the attitude OF the
workers was a banner reading:
| In 1914 the country and king
needed you: In 1918 you did well
and nobly: in 1920 you are unable
to get work in your country-ht