STRICTER HAND ON ALIENS.

Dominion, Volume 4, Issue 1018, 6 January 1911, Page 5

STRICTER HAND ON ALIENS.

ENFORCEMENT OF ACT. (Rec. January 5, 10.H0 p.m.) London, Jnnuary !>. Mr. E. T. H. Lawes, Recorder of Salisbury at the Salisbury Quarter Session?, said in reference to the llouudsditch outrage that this sad occurrence in London raised the question whether the very wiso provision of tho Aliens Act, which ho was afraid had fallen into disuse, should uot be enforced so as to prevent alien criminals from landing. Ho did not wish to seo alien political refugees refused tho right of asylum heretofore provided, ljul there was such a thing as going too far and allowing the refuse of other countries to enter without any question whatever.

ANARCHISM IN LONDON. DOCTRINES ON BURGLARY. Writing of the London anarchists last year, "Tho Times" said:— Tha annrchist body in London consists chiefly of foreign artisans, employed ior the most part p.s cabinetmakers, tauors, electricians, shoemakers, and wauers. Those men, as a rule, are in receipt ot good wages, and contribute freely to tho cause." Their clubs meet in Soho, Hammersmith, Tottenham, m the LastEnd of London, and some otlifr places. For the most part they prefer to refer to themselves as Socialists, although the disguise is a very thin one. Their numbers in London may be estimated at from 700 to 3000; but it is, of course, difficult to calculate the numbers of an organisation, which is of such a nebulous and shifting character. Nor is it suggested that among this number can be found many to undertake the active and dangerous task of committing outrages on society. Nevertheless, at appropriate times, the money and men are always forthcoming in anarchist circles. As to tho money, it must not be forgotten that the proceeds of burglaries and highway Tobberie-5 have' always been welcomed as supplies for the anarchist war-chests. This .doctrino has been frotiuentlv declared, and a notorious, disciple o£ this school was the anarchist burglar Pena, who successfully committed a long series of burglaries in Paris in the early 'nineties beforo being arrested and sentenced to a long term of imprisonment. -.It was known to the wholo anarchist body in Paris that Pena committed these burglaries, but the fact that he contributed freely from the> proceeds of his crimes to the funds of the movement caused his secret to bo kept, and instead of being looked upon as* a criminal outlaw, ha was regarded as a hero. Furthermore, his example was followed by others.

Chloroforming Capitalists. It will also be remembered that one of tho most cherished ideas of tho Walsall anarchist was the use of chloroform m 1 tho robbing of capitalists; indeed, a bottle of chloroform for this purpose was actually, found in possession of one of the prisoners. The proposal was that men known to nossoss money or valuables should bo followed into railway carriages or when going home at night, and chloroformed and robbed. This may seem strange in this country, / but the device is much employed in the robberies on tho Continent. The Lettish revolutionists in England chiefly reside in Leytonstone, Tottenham, and tho East-End. They are well known for the method of terrorism they employ. Within the past two years these revolutionaries have been carrying on a campaign of robbery m Russia similar to tlio recent outrago ' Tottenham, the proceeds being devoted to their party.

Concerted Action Needed. In spito of much discussion, and notwithstanding the numerous outrages which have been committed, practically nothing lias been dono by tho police authorities of Europe in the direction of combined action for the prevcution of anarchist crimes. Tho Police in Homo contributed little to the solution of the problem of mutual assistance, which, indeed seems little likely to bo solved. In this country the policc keep in touch with tho movement by patient and, longcontinued survcillancc. Those known or suspected to be dangerous anarchists are closely watched, and their movements are carefully notiiiod. Nev/ arrivals from thq Continent thus come early under observation, and their haunts nre discovered. The police iu England, however, are . under a serious disadvantage as compared with their foreign confreres, inasmuch as they may not legally interrogate the incomers, and, when onco a foreigner has arrived in this country, ho is at liberty to travel whon and where ho pleases. • On the Continent, of course, a different system prc : vails. The traveller has immediately to fill up the hotel bulletin, 1 Riving his name, age, nationality, occupation, placo of birth, otc., to the police. If this is not considered satisfactory, the individual may bo' immediately haled beforo the polico officials, by whom his etat' civil is carefully noted, and he is subjected to a searching' and thorough interrogation. The only .way to protect our shores from tho influx of the anarchist alien would be to deprive him of the right of entry into tho country. Probably this could be done only if the police of other countries furnished tho home authorities with particulars of the offences committed by intending immigrants into this country; and tho plea that, an offence was political should bo met by careful' and searching inquiry. Any evildoer coming into this country is at liberty to say that ho is a political refugee, and-there is no means of ascertaining the-truth of tho statement, further, the term "political offences" should receive a narrower interpretation.

In short, it is ohly by the combined efforts of tho Governments of all' countries that militant anarchism can be met and crushed, its adherents kept under surveillance, and the danger attendant on their presence in society averted.