Page:The Fremantle Wharf Crisis of 1919.djvu/26

THE WHARF CRISIS OF 1919. the rights of citizens against the armed tyranny of the Government. Another meeting of returned men was also held at Fremantle Trades Hall the next morning, between 300 and 400 attending, and the following resolution was carried unanimously:—"That this meeting of returned soldiers views with alarm and disgust the act of the Government in using armed forces in Fremantle, and pledge ourselves to resist any such future act of the Government."

NEGOTIATIONS RE-OPENED.

Sunday night passed off without disturbing incident. Early the next morning the Premier, realising that force had failed and could not again be employed to settle the dispute, found in the speech of Mr. McCallum the previous day a passage whereby he might find a way out of his dilemma and re-open negotiations. Mr. McCallum had stated:&mdash;
 * "I want to see the trouble ended, and I hope that even at this eleventh hour the Premier will re-open negotiations and see if an amicable settlement cannot be reached."

The Premier sent for Mr. McCallum, and he and the other members of the Disputes Committee journeyed to Perth and met Mr. Colebatch at his office. After deliberation it was decided that the Disputes Committee should formulate proposals and submit them to the Government at the earliest possible moment.

EFFECT OF THE CONFLICT.

The news of the conflict on the wharf on Sunday spread as on the wings of the wind, and unionists everywhere rallied to the support of their comrades at Fremantle. A mass meeting of railwaymen was held the same night, when a resolution was carried leaving the Executive a free hand to act as it deemed best in conjunction with the Disputes Committee. The Collie miners called a stop-work meeting and placed themselves in readiness to proceed to Fremantle if called upon to do so. Similar assurances of support came from the miners at Kalgoorlie. To a man the workers had been, by the tragic use of armed force, welded into an army of men ready to act in whatever direction those controlling the position might direct. Happily, however, the Government had learned its lesson, and those on the spot knew that the police would never again be asked to repeat the fatal mistake. As a matter of fact, the majority were withdrawn from Fremantle on Monday afternoon.

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