Crowds at an anticonscription rally in Melbourne, 1916

Description

This is a postcard showing a huge crowd at an anticonscription rally on the banks of the Yarra River in Melbourne in 1916. The image shows a sea of men and a sprinkling of women standing in an open area. A handwritten note under the photograph (penned by John Curtin) reads 'Have Ye Answered O my People' and another on the back of the postcard reads 'Not a bad crowd to bang at'. 'Kodak Australia' is printed on the back of the card.

Educational value

This resource is useful because it:

• This asset indicates, by the size of crowd photographed, the strong opposition in Victoria to conscription for military service in the First World War - Prime Minister Billy Hughes held two referendums on the issue, the first in October 1916; the Australian public voted against conscription both times.
• This asset indicates John Curtin's involvement in the anticonscription campaign in the First World War - Curtin was secretary of the Trades Union Anti-conscription Committee in Victoria in 1916 and passionately opposed military conscription; however in 1943, with Australia at war with the Japanese, Prime Minister Curtin passed legislation to introduce conscription for military service in a limited zone outside Australia.
• This asset shows Curtin's handwriting on the front of the postcard 'Have Ye Answered O my People' - this exultant phrase reveals Curtin's delight in the large crowd in attendance who answered the call to protest against the introduction of conscription for military service.
• This asset shows Curtin's handwriting on the back of the postcard 'Not a bad crowd to bang at' - the comment suggests that Curtin was one of the speakers to 'bang on' at the crowd.
• This asset is an example of the way postcards were used for political purposes - the photograph of the rally has been turned into a postcard for use to promote the anticonscription campaign message.
• This asset depicts an example of Australian people expressing their right to free speech and to demonstrate their opposition to government plans and actions through mass rallies and public speeches - the Yarra bank, where this rally took place, was a favourite spot for protests and speeches.