THE PEACE CRUSADE IN OLDHAM - NEWSPAPER LETTERS

OLDHAM CHRONICLE
8th August 1917 (Wednesday)
THE PEACE MEETING

Sir, Will you please publish this protest against the disgraceful proceedings of Monday night?

No incitement was given by the promoters of the meeting, as the meeting was never commenced, but the crowd had evidently been primed with false statements respecting the aims of the meeting. After the dispersal of the meeting, and led by members of the N.Z.A.F. there occurred those brutal assaults which can only excite the disgust of every lover of fair play. The attack on Mr. A. Winterbottom was particularly revolting and cowardly, and his wife who appealed for fair play, was struck twice by a soldier, whilst another lady was knocked down by one of the gallant men. The raiding of the I.L.P. rooms was, I think, preventable, as a very small force of police could have held the approach thereto.

If responsible citizens of Oldham have any sense of decency and fair play they will, I am sure, protest against the disgraceful and brutal conduct of Monday night and demand an inquiry as to why the crowd was allowed to become so unmanageable.
Yours, etc.,
EYE WITNESS