20 RED POPLAR 
themselves, should the members in prison deem it necessary, to 
refuse to pay rent until their representatives had been released— 
a form of mass action which had considerable effect on the 
result of the struggle. Deputations to the Prime Minister and 
the Minister of Health on the part of the Labour Mayors of 
London resulted in proposals for a conference to consider the 
question of Poor Law Finance and the provision of money 
for Outdoor Relief. It was suggested that the imprisoned 
Councillors should select some of their number to attend, 
but to this they rightly refused to agree. ‘ We can only enter a 
conference,” they said, ‘when we are all free.” But a 
conference was essential, and,” therefore, it soon began to be 
realised that in some way or another release must be effected. 
Meanwhile other sympathisers had been busy ascertaining 
what legal steps were necessary to set the prisoners free, and 
on October 12th application was made to the High Court. An 
affidavit, sworn on behalf of the members of the Council in 
prison, said that the conditions in Poplar were weekly 
becoming worse. - The number of people on Outdoor Relief was 
500 more than in the previous week. Whereas in the week 
ending June 3rd the number of Outdoor Relief cases was 4,407, 
representing 13,471 men, women and children, and involving 
a cost of £4,500 per week; in the first week in October it was 
6,734 cases, representing 19,091 men, women and children, and 
costing £7,630 a week. The affidavit continued: ‘‘ All this 
expenditure is payable out of the rates and is subject to, and 
has received the approval of the Ministry of Health. In view 
of the serious conditions now prevailing and of the probability 
of these conditions becoming still more serious and of the utter 
inability of the poorer districts to bear the burdens thereby 
created, the Minister of Health desires to have a conference to 
consider these difficulties and how to solve them, and it is the 
earnest desire of the Poplar Council to attend such. a confer- 
ence and to give all the assistance possible to achieve a 
successful result.” 
After some questioning as to what was to happen about 
levying the rate, what was meant when the London County 
Council said it would welcome the release of the prisoners, 
as to when and where the conference would take place and what 
Soy Ce would be. the Lord Chief Justice gave judgment as 
ollows : — 
“In this case Mr. Disturnal has moved the Court, on behalf 
of the Poplar Borough Councillors, for their discharge from an 
order for their committal which was made in July last. This 
Court has found considerable difficulty in dealing with the 
matter. The affidavits which have been laid before it show 
that no personal disrespect was meant to the Court by the 
action. of the Councillors, but it is a mistake for them to 
suppose that the committal was on any ground of personal 
offence to the Court. The Court made its order solely because