The Press WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1962. Fascism’s Ugly Head

Press, Volume CI, Issue 29901, 15 August 1962, Page 14

The Press WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 15, 1962. Fascism’s Ugly Head

How seriously are the democracies to regard signs of a resurgence of fascism? Periodically, Right-wing extremists thrust themselves upon the public notice from Washington to Bonn, in Georgia, Peru, and Argentina, in France, and in Britain. Recent events in the United Kingdom, including Jewish demonstrations against Sir Oswald Mosley and his Union Movement, have pointed up. in a way that fortunately is encountered rarely in English-speaking communities, the conflict between democratic principles and the antipathies aroused by the revival of a detested philosophy. From these antipathies there can result a repression of minority views comparable with the strong-arm tactics of Fascist governments. Since the 1930's Sir Oswald Mosley has been a public nuisance in Britain. Disturbances in which he figured 26 years ago caused the British Government to declare the wearing of political uniforms illegal. To all but a tiny minority of his compatriots, he and his doctrines stand for nothing today; but this fact does not eliminate his power for evil.

The Union Movement’s effrontery in attempting to propagate its noxious opinions can scarcely fail to arouse the anger of Jews and all others who have suffered through Fascist tyranny. Last month a meeting organised by Sir Oswald Mosley’s henchmen in Trafalgar square was broken -up by a rival crowd, in spite of efforts by 300 police to keep order. Since then irate Britons have prevented the holding of an international Fascist rally, there have been street fights between British Jews and Fascists, and the Home Office has arranged for the deportation of an American Nazi leader. Yet Sir Oswald

Mosley has sought official permission to hold another rally in Trafalgar square on September 23. Persecution is probably what the post-war Fascists most desire, if they are to gain new points of argument against democrats. They appear resolved to force upon the British Government an abridgement of the freedoms of political expression, assembly, and conduct that are basic to democracy. Merely by advertising their political identity, the Mosley supporters are an automatic incitement to violence. The Home Secretary (Mr Brooke) has undertaken to examine the provisions of the Public Order Act, which many law-abiding Britons would like to see strengthened not only to prevent incitement of this kind, but also to deter what “ The “Times” describes as “a “ sort of free-lance thug- “ gery ”, Probably the best way to deal with Rightwing extremists of the Mosley type would be to permit them to express their views in peace, in the certain knowledge that they would be discredited out of their own mouths. By shouting them down and breaking up their assemblies, their British opponents actually deprive them of a chance to transgress against public order. Commenting on a suggestion that the police should be given power to stop political meetings being held in localities where violence might be expected, the “ Daily Telegraph ” said recently: “ However much “sympathy for [the police], “or indignation at violence “ may be rightly evoked, “ Parliament should be “ careful not to curtail a “ liberty on w’hich all liber“ties are founded. That “ would be a victory for all “ the powers of darkness, “ whether Fascist, Commun“ist, or Anarchist”. '