Whatever political objective he may have had in mind, Sir Oswald 'Mosley, the British Fascist leader, cannot' be congratulated for his connection with one of the worst riots in London in many years, Nothing but deliberate _provocation demanding the concentration of (a large body of police in that area to prevent a breach of Peace can be seen in his decision to Jead his followers. subscribers to an anti-Jewish programme, into the heart of the East End which is the principal Jewish quarter of the capital. With a large number of me censed anti-Pascists aroused by Sir Oswald's widely-announced _inten~ tions, the results were inevitable. Rioting on an unprecedented scale ensued in one of the most law-abiding cities of the world, the police had to make baton charges to suppress the protagonists and dislodge Fascists who barricaded themselves in a manner based on the continental model, and a collection of weapons including tron bars, chair legs wrapped in barbed wire and broken Bottles were picked up from the streets. The Fascist parade was called off under the influence of force majeure and several people Were injured and 64 were arrested. Who were the principal sufferers among the partisans involved in the fight is not indicated in the telegrams for the preponderancy seems to have been numerically in favour of the anti-Fascists and the police, but Sir Oswald cannot evade responsibility for even contemplating such a parade with such provocative intent and scope. Polltics in Britain have hitherto been conducted on lines of great est tolerance for both points of view provided no breach of the public peace was caused. Sir Oswald may Believe he has a programme of great political reform to offer to the people of the country but he can expect Rothing but resentment and oppos!- tion (rough ill-advised ventures of this nature.
Text read from the printed page and cleaned; old type leaves the occasional error.