MASSED DOUKHOBORS DEFY SCHOOL LAW

WON'T OBEY, CROWD TELLS INSPECTORS
Say Education Conflicts Doukhobor Idea of Law of God

HINT AT NUDE PARADE IF FINES INFLICTED
Dunwoody and Sheffield Tell of Government's Order to Enforce

Twenty-five hundred Doukhobors in mass meeting assembled at Brilliant yesterday afternoon declared to Inspector W.R. Dunwoody of the provincial police and School Inspector P.H. Sheffield that they would not send their children to school.

Messrs. Dunwoody and Sheffield told the meeting of the definite instructions from the attorney-general and minister of education, that the law must be enforced.

The refusal was definite and categoric. They would not obey the school laws of British Columbia, the Doukhobors said, because these laws were contrary to the Doukhobor interpretation of "the laws of God."

Blame "Educated" for Peter's Death

Educated people, they said, were responsible for the death of Peter Verigin, to which Inspector Dunwoody retorted that if they could prove who had been responsible for Verigin's death he would see that within two days of the production of such proof they would be paid the reward of $3000 which was offered.

Hint at Nude Parade

Hint of a nude parade as a protest against measures the government might take in enforcing the school law was given.

"You have the power to seize our property for payment of fines, but if you do, all we can do is to take off our outer garments," said one spokesman and murmurs, which appeared to be of approval, came from the Doukhobors, who were massed in front of the Community meeting place, the women to the right of the speakers and the men to the left.

When Inspector Dunwoody and Inspector Sheffield pointed out that the Doukhobors in refusing to obey the law were opposing not only the government of British Columbia, but all the people, the Doukhobors said they recognized the power of the law, but declared that they wanted to be left alone to live their own lives, and that if their chattels were seized and sold to pay fines, they could only, like Peter Verigin, "go down," which they explained meant they would die through hunger.

Women Show Demonstration

A minute or two later the question was put to the whole mass: "Will you obey the school law" and from the crowd came the chorus in Russian, "No" the loudest response being from the women, who[...]