The Topeka state journal. [volume] (Topeka, Kansas) 1892-1980, 1920-10-18
HUNDREDS HURT
IN ATTEMPT TO
ATTACK PREMIER
Thin Blue Line of Police Holds
Charging Rioters.
Whitehall and Downing Street
Scene of Wild Disorder.
SANG AS THEY ADVANCED
Only Desperate Charge of Police
Saved Lloyd George.
All Britain Paralyzed by Walk
out of Coal Miners.
ALL COAL NOW SEIZED
Government Takes No Chances
With Available Fuel.
Transport Workers Not In
Hurry to Follow Miners.
Government Takes No Chances
With Available Fuel.
Transport Workers Not in
Hurry to Follow Miners.

London, Oct. 1S.-Rioting following
calling of the nation wide coal strike
broke out today in Whitehall and
Downing streets on which the govern
ment offices and the premier's resi-
dence are located. Forty were injured
in fighting between police and rioters
at APO pm. The fighting was still
continuing.
At $40 pm. II was unofficially esti-
mated from fifty to one hundred per-
sens were injured either by flying
stones or by being crushed and tram
pied upon.
Mob Charges Police.
The rioters met repeated charges of
the police, with a shower of missiles,
tearing up the pavement and ripping
down balustrades. Many police were
knocked from their horses and the
animals ran wildly thru the crowd.
At 1850 pm. the police got the crowd
on the run.
The police came on again and again,
hitting out right and left with their
truncheons at the heads of the rioters.
Many injured were carried into
Downing street which looked like a
hospital. with many laid out on the
sidewalks and others being carried
into houses.
Traffic was diverted from the area
in which the riots occurred and police
corGons were established at some dis
tance frcm the scene of the fighting to
hold back great crowds which throng-
ed toward it from every direction as
news of the riot spread.
Crowd Carried Red Flags.
The or Nd carried red flags in its
froEt ranks and sang a revolutionary
so-g entitled THE Red Flag"
Ine fighting extended from Down
inS street thru Whitehall, a distance
of one block to Trafalgar square.
The riosing started about IL a. m.
WHOM comparatively small crowd
tried to pass police Gordon across
the head of Downing street.
A procession of several thousand
unemployed had entered Whitehall in
an effort to reach the premier's resi-
dence At the head of Downing street
they encountered the police, who
numbered about 800.
Repulsed in their effort to pene-
trate the Gordon, the marchers rushed
the constablcs who drew their batons
and dubbed several of the men in the
crowd.
Started Battle With Song.
The crowd. displaying red flags and
shouting, milled around in front of
the line of police who stood grimly in
their places until a second crowd of
several thousand came marching from
the Thames embankment
The main body f Amonstrators
marched around Whitehall singing
and shouting jibes at Premier Lloyd
George. who was presumed to be in
his residence behind the police cor
don.
The mob made a second effort to
smash thru the police Gordon. This
time football tactics were used by the
rioters who charged the police repeat
t1a
the head of Downing street three deep,
and were backed up by mounted men.
the situation steadily became more
ugly as the mob was kept away from
its obJective-the prime minister s
rcsidence-and police reserves began
revolutionary scene.
Incitcd by Speakers.
The police marched into the govern
ment buildings in Whitehall and were
there ready if they should be needed.
Mounted police were also held ready
in streets leading to the scene.
At last the mob. after listening to a
number of speeches made by police,
again attacked
This time they smashed thru the
human barrier and penetrated almost
to Lloyd Georges official residence
before police in a flying wedge, led by
horsemen, counter attacked and swept
them out of Downing street back into
Whitehal.
Here the retreating rioters were
hurled against those still surging for
ward and attempting to get into Down
ing street A scene of great confusion
resulted. Many were knocked down
and trampled.
Thin Blue Line Held.
The injured were picked Up as rap
idly as possible and carried behind the
police Gordon which had been re-
esta tablished at the head of Downins
street and now stood a thin blue line
confronting the rioters
The police now took the offensive
and charged in an effort to drive the
crowd out of Whitehall
Thrown against the balustrade in