Page:The Fremantle Wharf Crisis of 1919.djvu/24

THE WHARF CRISIS OF 1919. the wharf with the employers, blood must have flown freely and the torch of industrial revolution set blazing throughout the country. It throws an interesting side-light on the workings of the human mind under great stress that at such a crucial and dramatic moment, when Mr. McCallum advanced to meet him, the Premier should extend his hand with: "How do you do, Mr. McCallum." The extended hand was accepted, but there was not, and could not, be any cordiality in the shake, and the probabilities are that had the meeting taken place under less trying circumstances it would have been omitted altogether. The Premier was as much agitated as the men’s leaders, and probably he was not acting normally when, with his own life and the lives of many others hanging in the balance, he made use of the commonplace greeting and proffered his hand, any more than Mr. McCallum was when he accepted it. For a minute or two after the greeting the Premier conversed apart with the police officials. "We can’t hold them any longer," Detective Inspector Mann was heard to whisper "and if we attempt to do so it will mean the sacrifice of many lives." The Premier thereupon agreed to withdraw, and thus averted what must have assuredly been an appalling loss of life.

SUNDAY’S MEETINGS.

Simultaneously with the meeting of the men on the Esplanade at Fremantle on Sunday afternoon, a monster meeting was held in the city at His Majesty’s Theatre, which was attended by over 2000 people, and was addressed by Messrs. McCallum and Renton, the latter appearing with his head in bandages. Both received a great reception. It was during his address that Mr. McCallum made the statement which was the following morning seized upon by the Premier as an escape from an intolerable position. An address was also delivered by Mr. Thomas Walker, M.L.A., and then Mr. A. H. Panton moved the following resolution, which was seconded by Mr. J. J. Simons and carried unanimously, amid much cheering:&mdash; "That this meeting condemns the action of the Government in arming the police and using bayonets against citizens of this State, and calls on Mr. Colebatch and his Government to withdraw the Nationalists from the waterfront." The same night a tremendous meeting was held in King’s Theatre, Fremantle, where Mr. McCallum was the principal speaker, and he again received a tumultuous welcome. During the forenoon, immediately following the riot, a meeting of returned soldiers was hastily called and held at the foot of the O’Connor Monument. Here a resolution was carried pledging the returned men to 24