Blackshirts and Blue-Coats Since the eighteen Fascists who were charged
with " public mischief " in connexion with their activities in a Suffolk tithe-dispute have been committed for trial at the Old Bailey, any comment on this particular case is, of course, precluded. But this at least may and should be said, that, if any body of men should appear to be contravening the law in any way, the ordinary procedure of the law should be invoked before any serious talk of special legislation is encouraged. The processes of English justice ensure a fair hearing, and, so far as it can be completely ensured anywhere, the acquittal of the innocent and the conviction of the guilty. In regard to so-called private armies of various colours the case, as the common sense of the English people sees it, could not have been put better than it was put by Sir John Simon at Glasgow a week ago. Law and order in this country is in the safe keeping of the police. If' we have to talk in colours we have good reason to prefer the blue- coats to what was described in a Devonshire police-court last week as " an organization with foreign titles, a foreign uniform, a foreign war-cry and foreign methods of salute." . *
Previous page
