Page:The Fremantle Wharf Crisis of 1919.djvu/31

THE WHARF CRISIS OF 1919. to order a stoppage of all traffic for three minutes at 3 p.m. Fremantle citizens have never before witnessed such a funeral at the Port, nor were they ever before moved as they were that day. Long before 2 p.m., the hour appointed for the cortege to move off from the Trades Hall, whither the casket had been moved at noon, covered with floral emblems and four big bows of blue and white ribbon, every avenue of approach was blocked by great crowds of people. The Australian flag fluttered at half-mast from the building and the Town Hall, and many business houses in the town also paid this mark of respect to the deceased. Whilst the funeral passed every business house and every hotel remained closed. The long procession was headed by Mr. Renton, mounted on a black horse, and behind him came the Fremantle Band, playing the solemn music of "The Dead March in Saul." The members of the Disputes Committee, with Messrs. Frank Rowe (secretary of the Lumpers’ Union), and J. Widicombe, were the pall bearers. Behind the hearse was a carriage laden with floral tribute and behind the mourning coach marched every Labor member of the Federal and State Houses then in the State. Over 5000 people marched in the procession, and when the graveside was reached the casket was borne by Messrs. George Sallur, C. and T. Hill, J. Beveridge, J. Baker, and A. Foster, workmates of the deceased.

Whilst this great concourse of people participated in an event which saddened thousands of hearts, the people of the city and suburbs were also reminded that the last rites were being paid to one who had made the supreme sacrifice in the cause of human liberty. For at 3 o’clock every tram and every train came to a standstill, and thousands of hearts went out to the bereaved ones in their great loss. At Kalgoorlie, too, every train and tram came to a standstill, and every shop and hotel closed. At the Midland Workshops all the men ceased work, and throughout the metropolitan area unionists everywhere stopped work for three minutes.

At the graveside, Mr. Thomas Walker, M.L.A., delivered an impressive address, in the course of which he said: "This is a sad occasion to me, as it is to you, to be here to bid a long farewell to a fallen brother&mdash;a brother fallen, it is true, but fallen in a fight for honor, principle, and for his fellow men. It is not a time when we should raise bitter feelings, when we stand by the graveside in the presence of the bereaved&mdash;it is our duty to think but kindly of the departed, and to give nothing but sympathy to those who may survive. And yet I venture to think there is scarcely one here in the fulness of life but 31