Taranaki Herald. THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1911. ANARCHISTS IN LONDON.

Taranaki Herald, Volume LIX, Issue 14398, 5 January 1911, Page 2

Taranaki Herald. THURSDAY, JANUARY 5, 1911. ANARCHISTS IN LONDON.

Following dose upon tlie sensational affair at Houndsditch has come the almost more sensational attempt to arrest two of the men wanted in connection with that outrage. According' to the cables received yesterday, these men had been run to earth by the police in premises off the Commercial Hoad, in the East End of London, an unsavoury locality affording hiding places for individuals wlio wished to keep out of the way of the authorities. Realising' that they had to deal with desperate characters, members of the Anarchist organisation, the police appear to have adopted a very well thought out scheme to capture their quarry. In anticipation of serious trouble other occupants of the hiding place were quietly removed to safer quarters, and then the premises were raided hy the police, who met with a very hot reception from the limited men. Armed with revolvers, these kept up a vigorous defence, necessitating the employment of quite an army of police, assisted by military, to prevent their escape and effect their capture. Our cables give a graphic account of the attack upon the premises, which makes highly interesting and sensational reading, almost incredible as occurring in the heart of the first city of the world in times of international peace. To make a long story short, the wanted men, it would seem, have anticipated the gallows by compassing their own destruction by suicide when capture seemed inevitable. Hut the incident will not end hero. It must, it the British Government carries out what seems to he its obvious duty, have a good effect. For years past foreign Governments have complained that Anarchists have found a safe refuge from justice in London. The law of the land has permitted political refugees, criminals, and other undesirables to harbour themselves in England, where they have not been interfered with so long as they did not openly break the law. Taking advantage of this, foreign Anarchists have had their regular meeting places in London, where (hoy have prepared their nefarious plots, manufactured bombs, and printed their literature, safe from pursuit hy the authorities of their own countries. Scotland Yard, with its marvellous system, has doubtless had its eye upon practically all these plotters, probably has suspected, or more

than suspected, what they were engaged upon, but unable to do anything 1 until they actually committed some such outrage as that at Houndsditch. What has now happened will doubtless excite public opinion to such an extent that the Government will be forced to legislate in the direction of preventing foreign criminals from finding a safe refuge from the justice of their own countries in England. In every other country there is constant war upon secret societies whose object is to plot for the destruction of the world’s rulers. Whether there was iu progress a plot in connection with the forthcoming coronation ceremonies which may he doubted—is neither here nor there. The broad fact is that England permits these people to plot in her midst, and that must lie altered. It is unjust both to herself and to foreign countries. There must he a much more rigorous enforcement of the alien immigration laws as well as a determination to prevent as far as possible the meetings of Anarchists and others of that kidney for illegal purposes. Another moral for the authorities of Eondon which the affair teaches is that the rookeries which provide shelter for criminals should he destroyed ami the city improvement scheme be carried out as fast as possible in the direction of letting more daylight into the dark places of the East End.