THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, JUNE 11, 1934. BLACKSHIRTS AND DISORDERS

Otago Daily Times, Issue 22285, 11 June 1934, Page 6

THE OTAGO DAILY TIMES MONDAY, JUNE 11, 1934. BLACKSHIRTS AND DISORDERS

London as a city reflects the temper of the British people. As a community it will be disturbed by the slur cast upon its reputation by the disturbance of last week on the occasion of a mass demonstration by Fascists which led to a violent clash between them and Communists. Despite the fact that a very large force of police had to be engaged for the preservation of order, a series of discreditable melees took place in which many persons were injured. Hecklers during an address by Sir Oswald Mosley were drastically, and, it is alleged, brutally, dealt with by the Blackshirts. The suggestion attributed to a Conservative member of the House of Commons that public nausea had killed Sir Oswald Mosley’s movement in a single night may appear somewhat far-fetchcd. It is, however, at least likely that the impression created by this sorry affair will prompt a formidable expression of public opinion to the effect that the Fascists in Britain have been permitted to go too far in the direction of making themselves a public nuisance. The episode may be expected, also, to have the effect of hastening action on the Government’s part to prohibit the wearing of political uniforms. This matter was mentioned in the House of Commons earlier in the year, when the Home Secretary indicated that it was receiving his serious consideration. The aspect of the pi-obiem which had been causing him concern, he said, was the provocative effect of the wearing of such uniforms in the streets, as indicated in the increasing number of street disorders. The special objection to the activities of political societies the members of which wore uniforms, held drills and so forth, declared Sir John Simon in a subsequent statement .which presumably expressed the-views of the Government, was that the existence of one private unauthorised force tended to call another into existence. “If people start expressing their political ideas,” he went on to say, “ not only by the colour of their shirts but by preparations to demonstrate their physical force, there will be more colours than one; we may end by finding ourselves black and blue in the scuffle, and we shall be in danger of losing the practice as well as, the doctrine of that common citizenship in which one opinion is as free as another, and undivided public authority is respected because it deals out equal treatment according to law.” The affair at Olympia has been productive of a flood of comment of which the brunt falls upon the Fascists. Apparently Sir Oswald Mosley had among his audience a flattering proportion of members of the House, of Commons. His reply to criticism of the methods of his followers has not been impressive. He charges members of the Conservative Party with being ready to take advantage of “red” violence in order to combat the Fascist threat to their own political organisation. He complains that a campaign to inteiTupt the - ’ascist demonstration had been prearranged. But, aware of that fact, the Fascists went on with their programme, and were evidently prepared to deal forcibly with their opponents. In casualties and injuries, according to their leader, they received more than they gave. Sufficient testimony is afforded in all this to suggest that, viewed in the light of its accompaniments, the Fascist movement in England is inimical to the maintenance of the public peace. Britain is the most tolerant country in the world in regard to liberty of speech and the assertion of political doctrines of all sorts. But the assertion of Fascist theories goes hand in hand with the adoption of methods quite foreign to the British idea of freedom under the constitution. “ The Blackshirts combine for the first time,” Sir Oswald Mosley has proclaimed, “ the principle of loyalty, leadership, and discipline with the determination to secure the progress which is vitally necessary.” Of the results of Fascist determination and discipline we may' presumably accept the Olympia disturbance as a fair sample. Sir Oswald Mosley and his followers have only themselves to blame if the Government, taking the vieiv, which will certainly have wide endorsement throughout the country, that they have already caused too much trouble and have been allowed more than enough latitude, proceeds to the adoption of measures calculated to curb their provocative activities.