Obituaries Australia

During the last few days we lost by accident one of those sterling fighters in the working-class army whom, in times like these, we could ill afford to lose. Having been associated with [Robert Martin] Rose for close on 10 years, I think that he should be better known to those who share his views. Rose was always an I.W.W. member, and his last public speech was for the release of King and Beeves. In the dark days when one had to get a permit to speak on the streets in Brisbane, the Socialist Party started a free speech fight. Rose was sentenced to imprisonment for defying the powers that be, and was one who went on the hunger strike for over 14 days, and only gave in when he was advised by Reeves outside to do so. I helped to carry him to the gaol hospital, and there realised his strong determination to fight for his conceptions of justice and liberty. After leaving Queensland, he went to Melbourne, and there put up some solid work in trying to educate the slaves. He then left for America, and was hated and victimised by the capitalist class for his strong advocacy of the I.W.W. principles. In Africa also he carried on his good work. Coming back to Australia, he started in West Australia, and then on to South Australia, and finally to Sydney.

Courageous and fearless, he was always cool-headed in all his fights against the terrors of Capitalism.