Sir Nevil Macready, the new Commissioner of Metropolitan Police, deserves
the fullest support in his refusal to be hectored by the Police Union's officials, acting in the guise of a Repre- sentative Board. It may be hoped that the Home Secretary will continue to act loyally towards the Commissioner. The present dispute has arisen out of Sir Nevil Maeready's very proper refusal to deal further with certain members of a depu- tation who presented an offensive resolution and virtually implied that the Commissioner had contradicted himself. It is obvious that to countenance such behaviour on the part of policemen would be to undermine all discipline and to destroy the Commissioner's authority. We all want the police to be so well paid and well treated that admission to the force should be regarded as an honourable privilege. But in return for such privilege the force must be under quasi-military discipline and under the undivided command of its chief. In times like these, when the police may be called upon to preserve order during industrial disturbances, it is clearly impossible to allow them to be controlled by irresponsible Union officials who might be in league with the strikers. An untrustworthy police force would be worse than useless.
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