Evening star., 1932-10-27
|J0B[ESS MARCHERS
|CLUBBED IN LONDON
Disorders Break Out When
$4,000 Mass in Park
in Heart of City.
CONTINUED From First Page.)

Continued From First Page.)
present reminder against accompanying
strong words with deeds.
Inside the park there was little trou-
BILE. The crowd packed in about the
speakers platform, allowing plenty of
room for passersby to move.
Soap Box Orators Speak.
Speakers shouted from nearly so plat
forms and soap boxes, but after little
while many of the audience. surfeited
by speech making, went to other parts
OF the park, where hunger marchers
sat on their packs in the grass and
ate their sandwiches.
Approximately 5000 police, mounted
and afoot were assigned to special duty
for the occasion, demonstrating the fact
that never before had Scotland Yard
taken such elaborate precautions to deal
with demonstration by the workless.
Radio van motors and motor cycle
squads kept headquarters in touch with
the dozen Or more contingentS OF
marchers, as II the whole business were
a battle maneuver.
Veterans Weary and Footsore.
A drizzle and chill wind. to which the
marchers have long since become ac-
of the various columns as they moved
in from the rim of London with red
flags flying.
The marchers moved on the park
from these suburban centers: Wimble-
don Deptford. Brentford, Edmonton.
Stratford, Hammersmith, Tottenham,
Battersea, Greenwich and Stepney.
The long distance walkers were easily
distinguishable from the rather pale
faced recruits who joined their ranks
near London.
Many of the veterans in the lines
were obviously weary and footsore, and
some carried their worldly belongings
on their backs The Daily Mail called
these the 'dupes of Moscow being used
as pawns in Communist propaganda.
The Hammersmith Borough Council
refused to receive a deputation Of South
Wales marchers who wanted free baths
for 800 persons in their group this
Three Laborite members Of the
Council. in protest of the decision,
walked out Of the meeting, while the
marchers walked out of Hammersmith
bound for Hyde Park, without bath.
Marchers Reject Blankets.
At Edmonton the marches refused
to use 80 blankets offered by the Mid
dlesex Public Committee because they
said the blankets we're dirty.
Few of the hunger marchers were
hungry because local residents and or
fed them well. At Willesden
tx~a IL fo ctn foo
butter sausageS and eggs Besides each
man was given a large package of food
to last him through the day.
The army numbered about 1000 as
it passed through South London. Forty
men from Camberwell, escorted by go
policemen, joined the ranks as the
column trudged on toward Hyde Park.
One of the few picturesque units was
a delegation of Welshmen. uniformed
like an army with haversacks, heavy
walking sticks, red neckties and red
Bagpipers and drum corps
marched ahead Of them.
Before they left Hammersmith there
was a preliminary mass meeting with
speeches and singing Of THE Red Flag
and other revolutionary songs. A hum
dred police stood by quietly until the
march was resumed.
Police Leaves Cancelled.
Scotland yard ordered its men to ac-
company the professors and to guard
them in Hyde Park, but not to in
terfere with peaceful demonstrations.
The order was to exercise forbearance
and avoid clashes, but there also were
instructions to the marchers not to en-
gage in any activity that might pre-
cipitate breach Of the peace.
The fact that leaves for hundreds
of policemen were Cancelled indicated
the extent of preparations the au-
thorities were making to receive the
marchers who have demanded the right
to present petition to Parliament.
The vanguard of the army moved
into London yesterday with w. A. L.
Harrington at its head. Harrington
was described by the police as a Com
march on London in 1880 and claims
responsibility for the Invergordon naval
mutiny last year.
A contingent of 200 marchers which
reached the suburb of Acton last night,
marched into the town with red flags
flying to the music of piper. A SOL
dier in uniform who shouted jeers was
chased.
The London County Council made
preparation to receive the jobless in the
so-called public casual wards" for the
destitute, but the leaders have declared
they won't accept these accommoda-
tions.
One objection is that they are scat
tered throughout London and they de-
sire to keep the marchers together.
The question of food and shelter for
the remainder of the Army's stay in
London was equally in the air, the pro-
moters of the march having declared
none of the recruits will return home
until after q petition of their grievances
has been presented to Parliament NO
vember 1.
The prospect of deputation appear
ing at the bar of the House of Com
mons, which has been demanded, ap-
pears remote, although a deputation
might be received in Parliament by one
or more ministers.
The hunger marchers wish to protest
against the so-called means test" I'M
der which the dole is given to Great
Britain's jobless. They claim this test,
designed to investigate an applicants
means of livelihood, works hardships
and unfairness.
Prime Minister Ramsay Macdonald
has promised to re-examine some fea-
lures Of the test, but has declared its
abolition is impossible.
BINGHAM Statement
ASSAlLED BY LEWIS