Oct, 23.
Two years ago when the reve tions of organized brutality at a much-advertised meeting at Olympia stirred the British public to Indignation and almost induced the authorities to consider the possibility of banning the use of uniform to Accorate political movements, there seemed to be a chance of suppress-Ing Sir Oswald Mosley's absurd fantastics before they came to be more than minor nuisances. The Government, however, was {m= pressed by the argument that the latest Mosley political transformation was languishing for lack of support, that the disgust aroused by the public statements of responsible witnesses to the outrages already mentioned was having a deterrent effect, that the events of June 30 in Germany that year had made British opinion hostile to Sir Oswald's exotic gestures and that nothing could be more inept than to make his followers believe that the martyr's crown was theirs. The press ce-operated with that point of view. Little note was made of Mosleyite speeches. The appearance of a rival fascist faction evoked 0 ripple of mild amusement. Tt was thought that ridicule helped by the known reluctance of the British temperament to adopt foreign institutions would put in his place political adventurer whose record had been remarkable only for an inconsistency which seemed to minister to an excessively sensitive self-esteem, This process promised at first to be successful but somehow or other the fascist idea re-emerged. It was suggested that when the movement had reached serious political status, Sir Oswald would be quietly dropped and his place taken by some right-wing Conservative politician. The names of Lord Lloyd and Sir Arnold Wilson were—probably without any justiication—bandied about in this Tegard. Prominent sportsmen were said to favour the black shirt comedy and although the responsible press left the subject severely lone, much indirect propaganda was ingeniously circulated through the apparently innocuous medium of those curious panderers to the evergreen snob, the weekly picture papers.
At one time the Mosleyites could count on the support of the Rother= mere press; that was withdrawn because, partly, of an inability to extract from the leader a satis factory assurance on the subject the Jews, Actually Sir Oswald declared himself definitely opposed to anti-Semitism, but somehow or other he has been drawn into actions and statements which have considerably discounted his dis claimer. The tributes paid by the right-wing Conservative press and the Rothermere organs to the work, of Herr Hitler and Signor Mussolini, together with their ridicule of the League of Nations and attacks on Communism, tended to obscure the fact that Lord Rothermere does not now approve of Sir Oswald. The silence of the press on the Mosley ereed has paradoxi~ cally assisted recruiting. In short the very method adopted to discredit the movement has actually helped it for as no-one can explain with detailed accuracy the detnite aim of British fascism of whatever brand, critics of the doctrine find themselves heavily handicapped. Of this the recruiters make good economic superiority of the Jews as compared with other residents there, the anti-semitic note has been struck with success. It will be observed that recent alarums over fascist activity have been mainly concerned with vicious press. tacks on the Jews and with attempt—ed parades in what may be called Jewish areas, So marked is this disgraceful appeal to ignorant pre= Judice, that Sir John Simon has been moved to niter grave wamings and the members of Parliament for the East End of London where many of these Jewish areas are, will probably call for strong preventive action when Parliament This aspect of the so-called fascist movement in Great Britain is ikely to bring the Government to realize the impossibility Jonger tolerating its absurdities Between the fascists and the com= munists there is little to choose, Both are noisier than their numbers warrant, Both believe in enforcing a doctrine by defying the provisions of the law and the con= ventions prescribed for political discussion. The Government is not likely to proceed against any specific set of opinions. It is more likely to endeavour to prescribe rules which may obviate the danger of violent outbreaks, To this end the abolition of the uniform may well be reconsidered. Tt would have been adopted two years ago if the Government had not been under the impression that the Mosley fashion was failing. Certain Scandinavian countries have found the prohibition effective. Sir Oswald may find that his nattily designed uniform will have to be reserved for private occasions, It is dime cult for many people who have closely followed his career and Know something of his personality to understand how he has been able to maintain the role of fascist leader in spite of the emergence of a rival and bitterly hostile group. Whatever his failings may be, Sit Oswald is gifted with an exceptionally agile tongue and good power of delivery. He has not hesitated to throw his personal wealth into: the scale and no doubt his. organization can command other coffers.. Even then it will be generally agreed that there is no fear of fascism being adopted as a British cult but there is a real danger that the ebullience of its pseudo-champion and: his followers may cause more disturbance of the peace than is convenient for the British Government to permit, Parliamentary institutions have not yet failed in Great Britain; indeed they have shown exceptional virility and elasticity in recent years. The fascist or communist 1s not trying to advocate a mere political creed; he fs really endeavouring to set up a dictatorship which, by the process of violence, whether under the red flag or the black shirt, shall abolish democratic procedure and et loose on the home of parlia mentary government a bizarre medley of Ruritanfan posturing,
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.