Please wait. Contacting image service... loading

Article text

WALSH DEFIANT.
Repeats His Offence.
Challenge to the Government.
Oil Friday a veiling Mr. Walsli addressed
a large gathering in tlie Socialist Hall. Mr.
J. Shecliait presided.
Mr. Walsli said that every time he met
"M».« din n aWvl him when ho was
going in? (Laughter.) She also insisted
that when he went in lie must go on a
Lunger strike. (More laughter.) He hoped
tlie Government was not going to evade its
responsibility in locking him up. ( \ oicc:
It is afraid.) If it was afraid it should
resign, aud if not, it should do its obvious
duty, which would be to proseeuto him.
after lie had finished that night. Seeing
that the' Seamen's Union at all its branch
meetings had carried a resolution not to
move a ship while lie (Mr. Walsh) in
gaol, they would test the "scab" organis
ing ability of ' Admiral Clarkson. He
wanted every seaman present to hold up
his hand.
A largo number of lands wore held up.
Mr. Walsli said one reason lie had for
asking the seamen to hold up their liands
was so tlmt there would be no possibility
of the Government reporter going away
with the impression that there were no sea
men present. Another reason wis that lie.
wished to advise tlie seamen to remain
out on strike. (Applause, mid cries of
Certainly, wo will.) Ho did not want tlie
seamen to offer their services to tlie ship
ownersNmtil the strike was settled. He
wanted them to do all they could to throw
this city into darkness as soon as tlicy
could. (Applause.) It was the dilty of
eveiy trades unionist to throw thia city
ir.to darkness, and to make it impossible
for the civil authorities to do without tiic
help and support of tlio inombors of tlio
Seamen's Union. (Applause.) There was
no possibility of tlie Government, if it had
tlie courage, evading its duty and prosecut
ing him 'for the advice lie tendered them,
and keeping so perpetuating tho strike
until tlio seamen won. 'I'lie Minister of
Railways in Brisbane had recently tele
graphed asking him to allow tlie seamen
to move a vessel, and lie telegraphed back
requesting that the ' red flag prisoners
should bo first released Jrom gaol. Tlie
reply he got was that tliey wore Federal
prisoners, and liis answer to tlio Minister
was that it was a mistake for a Labor Go
vernment to provide gaol accommodation
for its political opponents. (Applause.)
The law had no for a "Bolshe-
vite." Tho pnly placo that Australia held
for a man who wished to be holiest was
the inside of a. gaol, and lie wished to
reach there. If the fine was collected and
iaid on liis beiialf he would repudiate it.
Ho would find ways and means of evading
the payment of the fine. There would be
no peace celebrations if he had liis way.
The Barmen should make it their duty to
bring the hour closer when it would not
be safe for people in Melbourne to walk
out after 7 o'clock at niglit. He liafi heard
that a Japanese boat was taking coal to
Fort Pirie. What was going to be tlie re
sult of that? He objected to Japanese
being used to break down the standard of
wages in Australia. At the Trades Hall a
man had asked him what he proposed
doing, and lie replied suggesting that a
proposal should bo made to tlio Trades Hall
, Council for thC' formation of Soviet ciiY-les.
The man whom he Bpoke to said— "I know,
you wont a bloody revolution." (Laughter.)
Before tlie strike was over an atempt, al
ready launched, would be finished, that
was to bring about an organisation of sea-
fnen .. all over tlio world that would in
future lay down the plans on which the
capitalists could go to war.
A resolution was carried congraluating
tlie seamen on tlie fight, tliey were waging,
and pledging the meeting to see the trouble
through.
At the Bijou Theatre.
Speaking at. tlie Bijou Theatre yesterday
afternoon, Mr. T. Walsh again repeated
the offence for which lie was convicted He
f1- the magistrate forgot, when lie fined
um £100, that he might as well have made
it £100,000,009. He begged imionmts not
to collect a penny towards defraying tlmt
hue. Ho desired to take the opportunity
ot again advising tlie members of the Sea
men s Union who were present o keep on
strike until they had got what the
wanted. He challenged the Government
to prosecute him again, and said that if
ho or any other member of tlie Seamen's
Union were put in gaol during tlic str ke
the men would not go back to work until
they had been released. .puiii
At Socialist Hall.
Speaking to a sympathetic audience
Inch filled all parts of the Socialist Hall
in the evening, Mr. T WAlci. 1
l!i0nP>itrire 0f set,tlin« mdtwtria? disputes
by arbitration, and said, in order that nn
tinue the strike, and not o ncrent Con"
plciyment fro mtheir bosses untS tl.' T"
mands had been acceded to
$