Truth Whole Truth & Nothing But ANZAC : Melbourne Indymedia

THE TRUTH, THE WHOLE TRUTH AND NOTHING BUT THE TRUTH
On Monday the 25th April the nation will celebrate ANZAC Day. John Howard
and the Queen, God and Country brigade will be presenting a one dimensional
view about what really happened in Australia during World War One. For the
first time in almost 90 years, Australians will have the opportunity to
learn the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, about what
really happened in Australia during W.W.I.
Jeremy Dixon, an anarchist living in Melbourne, has decided that enough is
enough and has organised a commemoration to mark the pivotal roll that the
I.W.W. (Industrial Workers of the World) played in the anti-war movement
during W.W.I. Their courageous and principled actions saved another 60,000
Australians from being sacrificed on the European killing fields. For their
troubles, they were arrested, imprisoned, deported, executed and written out
of the historical record. The I.W.W. ANZAC Day commemoration has been
organised to acknowledge their contribution to an anti-war movement that on
two separate occasions refused to pass a referendum that gave the Hughes
National government the power to conscript young Australians to fight in a
war they did not want to participate.
The commemoration is not an attack on ANZAC Day; we have no problems with
people wanting to remember those that have died in wars. The commemoration
is a small attempt to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the
truth, about the war. The First World War was a war that was fought by
workers at either end of a bayonet; most wars are fought by working people
for the glory of Queen, God and Country, not their own interests.
If you want to reclaim your history and commemorate the achievements of the
I.W.W. in stopping another 60,000 Australians dying on the European killing
fields then join Jeremy Dixon from 10am to 11.30am
Monday the 25th April 2005
Outside the Melbourne Office of the I.W.W. at
171 Little Bourke Street, Melbourne
(Cnr Little Bourke and Russell Streets) to commemorate the role of the
anti-war movement during World War One.

AUSTRALIAN RADICAL HISTORY
THE ANZAC SERIES-No.5 - 2005
MONTY MILLER
Monty Miller the grand old man of the I.W.W. (Industrial Workers of the
World) fought for the creation of a just society all his life. At the age
of 18, he jumped over the Eureka stockade palisade as the last shots were
fired on Sunday 3rd December 1854 to help the wounded escape and bury the
dead. 50 years later in 1904 at the age of 66, he came to Ballarat to
participate in the 50th anniversary celebrations that were held to honour
those men and women who´d participate in the rebellion. He continued to be
involved in political action as a member of the I.W.W., he was heavily
involved in the anti conscription struggle.
Monty Miller aged 80 was an active member of the Westralian Wobblies in
1916. He was arrested in Perth in October 1916 with 11 other members of the
Westralian Wobblies and was charged with seditious conspiracy. The case
opened in the Perth Magistrates Court on the 18th November 1916 just after
the conscription referendum had been defeated (conscription had been
endorsed overwhelming in W.A). The Crown alleged the I.W.W. advocated
sedition, sabotage and other lawless acts. Although the well known radical
lawyer and Member of Parliament Thomas Walker appeared for the 10 of the 12
accused, Monty conducted his own defence.
The Magistrate committed 9 including Monty to trial. The trial of the 12
began on the 6th December 1916, Monty asked the judge for a 12 month
adjournment, which Judge Burnside promptly refused. Monty and Stawell, the
2 co-accused who were defending themselves against the changes, used the
court as ´a Brechtian stage´. The jury after a 7 day trial and 4 hours of
deliberations returned a guilty verdict. The judge unwilling to make
martyrs of the 9 gave them a paternalistic reprimand and released them.
Monty interjected ´I don´ want mercyŠ..I want justice´, to which Justice
Burnside replied ´you may exercise your own discretion´ and released him on
his own recognisances.
Monty Miller out on his own recognisance following the Westralian conspiracy
trial went on national tour for the I.W.W. He was arrested on the 31st
August 1917 in the Sydney headquarters of the I.W.W. Monty admitted he was
a member of the I.W.W., an illegal organisation, but refused to plea.
Drawing himself up to his full height, he asked that the maximum penalty 6
months be meted out to him; the Magistrate agreed and gave the 81 year old
Monty 6 months with hard labour.
´Some 80 men and women had made their defiant gesture against the State, and
taken proudly their 6 months of building the structure of the new society
within the goals of the old´-by Ian Turner, Alpha Books, Sydney, Registry
No. Aus 67-751, 1st Published 1967.
Although the State succeeded in destroying the I.W.W., it didn´t succeed in
its attempts to introduce conscription. Its second referendum held in
December 1917 was resoundingly defeated by a people who had become tired of
the ever increasing casualty rates.