Dawn Fraser: Echoes From Labor's War

Honest, Bell, What Did Bruce Say?

About May 1, 1923, Malcolm Bruce, a Labor champion from Toronto, was invited to Glace Bay to address the miners in the Cape Breton area. In the course of his remarks Bruce was reported to have made some disrespectful reference to the British flag. It was peculiar, however, that these alleged remarks were noticed only by the representatives of the capitalist press. The Labor forces were prepared with hundreds of affidavits to prove that he had made no such remark. However, a capitalist government acting in sympathy with a capitalist press, issued a warrant for Bruce's arrest, and he was referred to as a fugitive from justice': The local police failing to locate him, the provincial police were called in, and they made a ridiculous raid one night at the homes of Glace Bay citizens. At the home of Jim McLachlan they found a book on socialism, communism, or some such subject, and a great fuss was made over this. The fact is that they could have found the same book in the public library of any large town or city.

The incident attracted much attention about Glace Bay, and there was much discussion about Bruce's address and what he really did say. People who were in the audience were appealed to, and the burning question was: Just what remark did Bruce make? During the heat of the discussion this writer appealed to his friend, Tom Bell, editor of the Maritime Labor Herald, in this manner:

Honest Bell, what did Bruce say
On that memorable day?
When in accents bold and loud
He addressed that "vulgar crowd"
Whom a clergyman of worth
Calls the scum of all the earth.
Why was this here action brought?
Did he say them things or not?
If he did, he ought to pay
Them was awful things to say.
You was there and sitting near,
Tell me, Tom, what did you hear?
I ask ya like an honest Red,
What was it Bruce really said?

He must have used some awful words,
'Cause a lot of men with swords
Came from over Sydney way,
Marching down upon the Bay;
One had bright braid on his collar—
That guy owes me half a dollar
That I gave to buy him rum—
Lord! he used to be a bum!
Before he joined this policeman crew,
Nothing cheap he would not do.
But now—would you think the crown
Would send such men to hunt him down?
Of course I know Bruce is a Red—
I wonder what he really said?

Yes, these soldiers brave that day
Marched right out toward the Bay,
Came to Jim McLachlan's door,
Looked the whole place o'er and o'er,
And before the search was over,
Found a book with a red cover.
Ha! Here's evidence enough,
This here looks like dangerous stuff.
The captain hissed in someone's ear,
"Methinks that Malcolm Bruce is near."
So they hunted round some more,
'Neath the beds and 'hind the door; Lord!
They're sore on that poor Red—
I wonder what Bruce really said?

They tell me, Tom, they called on you,
Honest, Bell, now is that true?
'Twas after Bruce that they were sent,
But did you miss much when they went?
You're a sly one they do say,
And had your moonshine hid away.
I wouldn't trust that outfit much,
They would cut your throat for hooch—
Mostly all a bunch of bums
Armstrong picked up 'round the slums;
And I've heard some talk about
How Sydney wants to clean them out.
A good idea, Tom, I would say,
Send them some pay-night to the Bay.

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