FASCIST CAMPAIGN AGAINST JEWS

Dominion, Volume 30, Issue 64, 9 December 1936, Page 16

FASCIST CAMPAIGN AGAINST JEWS

East London Riots

“BACKWASH OF THE WAR” ’ The turmoil in East London is a backwash of the war, wrote J. J. Mallon, Warden of Toynbee Hall, in a letter to the "Manchester Guardian” recently. More Continental than any other part of England, East London could not hope to escape an inflow of the passions which for nearly twenty years have been sweeping Europe. Communism and Fascism were certain to come our way. Communists have been active since the end of the war. They have been a nuisance to the Labour Barty, whose meetings they frequently subjected to systematic interruption. The Communists were not numerous, however, and their marchings and countermarchings were ignored. The appearance of the Fascists changed the situation. The two movements found agreeable employment in denouncing and opposing each other, and their clashes created noise and excitement. The attention of East Loudon was, however, only partially attracted and neither movement developed. The deliberate attack upon the Jewish people indicates the degree to which the Fascist propaganda in its first stages was ineffective. The attack brings with it new possibilities of disorder and danger. It is necessary to emphasise that the campaign against the Jews is only a means to an end. Its object is to induce the Jews to join the Communist organisation, which, for its part, is anxious to find recruits of whatever creed or nationality. A considerable growth of Communism in East London would enable the Fascist movement to begin to talk plausibly of a “Communist menace” —without this “menace” it ha s no future. It is necessary also to emphasise that the campaign does not necessarily involve the use of physical violence by the Fascists. The object of the denunciation of the Jews is more subtle. It is to bring them into such unpopularity and derision that physical violence will be applied by the local population, particularly by its rougher and coarser elements. Accordingly, the Jews are subjected to a continuous battery of abuse in which their influence in the community is denounced and their habits and characteristics and manner of speech mimicked and mocked. They are described as “Yids,” as “alien offal,” as persons occupying or seizing positions which belong properly to persons of British antecedents. The East London population is invited to “crush the Jews.” It is remarkable, and most creditable to East London, that these base and cowardly attempts to stir up hatred and contempt have so far miscarried. Only in a few cases can acts of violence against the Jews be laid to the charge of the East End. lu some of the schools and evening institutes and workshops and factories there have been unpleasant incidents by which Jews have suffered, but, on the whole, where Jews have been assaulted it is persons imported or coming from other parts of London, particularly small gangs of young hooligans and hobbledehoys, who are to blame.

In some degree, however, the Fascist

campaign has succeeded. It has caused indignation, apprehension and anger among the Jewish population, and created for them, as was cunningly foreseen, the dilemma recently referred to by Mr. Basil Henriques, head of the Bernliard Baron Settlement: either tha Jews organise to defend themselves or their behaviour will seem to lack courage. So hypersensitive a community dread a charge of poltroonery and are only too quick to accept a challenge. How can they more effectively accept it than by joining the Communist movement, the sworn and militant foe of the Fascists? To the extent that the Jews do link up with the Communists the plan of their enemies works perfectly. All the dislike that traditional England feels for Communism will then be outpoured upon the Jews, who, in their turn, will more aud more be driven into the party that is willing to befriend them. Thus, as the Fascist hopes, will come about the identification of the Jewish with the Communist community. Of course, a complete identification between these communities is impossible and will not take place. The religion of the Jew is a barrier to his becoming Communist. In so far as it does take place the Fascist hopes are realised. There is yet no justification for alarm. There is every justification for preaching circumspection and sobriety aud caution. lu the next few weeks much will depend upon the citizens of East London, and particularly upon* the Jewish citizens, whose patience is being sorely tried. It is vital that their patience should not give out. It is vital to the cause of peace and good order that none should contend with or join either Fascists or Communists. Both thrive on tumult and die in quietude. The part, almost the whole part, of the good citizen is to boycott the manifestations of both sectiojK.

This is the part of the citizen. What about the part of the Government? The

East End is almost united in regarding the use of uniforms and of military exercises as an obvious attempt to alarm aud intimidate. A ban upon them as a part of a political appeal would be immensely popular. It is also urgently necessary. [The Government has since taken steps in tliis direction.! Equally necessary is the regulation of processions so that if they take place at all they should uot invade territory which is hostile to them and in which their presence is provocative and a nuisance. Both the factions should be kept away from the neighbourhoods to which they are distasteful. Both should be kept to main roads, and, if only in order to allow the inhabitants, especially the children, to enjoy rest and repose, debarred from narrow and congested streets. A third point is the debarring of the use of the pavement for conveying information and for the repetition of party slogans. A fourth point, not necessarily concerning the Government, but of major importance, is the Press. The Press more than any other agency is responsible for the assembling of vast gatherings of persons who but for the announcements in the papers would stay sensibly at home. Only on the assumption that the British people cannot learn from the experience of other countries is it possible to be agitated about the future. In Germany the indiscretions of his enemies provided Herr Hitler with the opportunity which otherwise would never have come to him. The strident voices of stupid people are demanding that the mistakes made in Germany shall be repeated in East London; that the military formations of the Fascists shall be answered with other military formations. That way madness lies The way of safety lies in quietude. Our refrain should be “refrain.” If the citizens of East London and the Government and the Press will play the parts which this letter assigns to them the ferment which all decent people deplore will in a few weeks burn itself out.