Series 01 Part 02: Hughes family correspondence, 3 April 1917-22 September 1918 - Page 108
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[Page 108]
(4.)
the work goes on. The gas men were called out this morning, & already hundreds of volunteers are working in their places. Coal, sugar, butter, & goodness knows what else are declared "black" and no carter will carry them, but still we get them, & life goes on. Last week two men who were doing voluntary carting were pulled off a lorry, & were being seriously injured with stones, when one of the volunteers drew a revolver & after shooting twice at his assailants' legs, shot one of them straight through the heart. There was a great procession of Unionists at the funeral on Sunday, but so far (Tuesday night) there has been no further acts of violence. Of course logs & rails are being collected daily off the railway lines, but no serious accidents have happened. Dean Talbot of Sydney, & our old friend Mannix of Melbourne are expressing sympathy with the strikers, but practically everyone else is thanking Providence that we have at last a Government in office which is strong enough to stand up & fight these raging socialists who threaten to usurp control of the whole country.
The I.W.W. (Industrial Workers of the World", an American importation) has been declared an illegal association under the War Precautions Act, & thirty six of them were sent to gaol yesterday for six months, & more are being "sent up" today, and most of the leaders of the strike have been arrested, & are now awaiting their trial. Some people say that it will all be over in a week or two,