EMERGENCY LEGISLATION
SIR,—The recent debate in the House of Commons on the Order in Council made under the Emergency Powers (Defence) Act, 1939, was of vital importance to all lovers of liberty.
The output of emergency legislation immediately following the outbreak of war was enormous, and it was quite impossible for anyone to keep pace with it. As Mr. Dingle Foot puts it today, we can merely " watch and pray." Further, since most of the legislation was carried out by means of Orders in Council little prominence was given to them in the Press.
It is quite obvious to anyone that the Order in Council amending the Defence Regulations constitutes a grave menace to liberty. The language of the Order was far too wide, and the powers conferred on the executive were excessive and capable of abuse. In a war to preserve liberty it is disquieting that the first act of the Government was to convert, or attempt to convert, this country into a Fascist State. The Government have already got a nice weapon up their sleeve in the shape of the Incitement to Disaffection Act, 1934, which could be very useful in an emergency. The defence put forward by the Government in the debate was tantamount to an admission that the Order was un- satisfactory. The speakers did not seem to realise that freedom of speech in war-time is of the utmost importance, since it is the duty of all citizens to bear witness.
" Eternal vigilance is the price of liberty," and I hope Parliament will bear this in mind and will see to it that the country is protected against similar invasions by the Govern- mutt on the liberty of the subject.—Yours faithfully, E. M. DUNCOMBE. Lloyds Bank House, Newmarket, Suffolk.
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