The Uniforms Bill The prohibition of political uniforms and "
political armies " in the Home Secretary's Public Order Bill will meet with general approval ; that section of the measure will give rise to fewer difficulties than the clauses relating to public meetings and processions (with which our Parliamentary correspondent deals in another column). The Bill makes it an offence to wear uniform signifying association with any political organisation or with the promotion of any political object, or to take part in the control, management, organisation or training of persons for the , purpose of usurping the functions of the police or armed forces or for the use of display of physical force in promoting any political object. The difficulties of definition have proved too much for the draughtsmen, and the Courts are left to decide the baffling question of what constitutes a uniform. This may well arouse opposition in Parliament, but these clauses of the Bill have so definite and limited an objective that magistrates should in practice have little difficulty in applying them. An attempt at definition would have obscured rather than clarified the purpose of the Bill. Ministers are to be congratulated on their promptitude in presenting the measure. They should be enabled, with the support of all parties, to carry it rapidly into law.
