§ MR. DARLING (Deptford)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department whether he is aware that, at the assembly in Trafalgar Square on Sunday afternoon last, copies were sold or distributed of an article called Bombs, contained in a publication entitled Commonweal, which incites to the indiscriminate massacre of innocent persons; and whether he can now state if the Government intend to proceed against the author or publisher of Bombs?
§ MR. ASQUITHI am informed that a few copies of this publication were either sold or given away on the occasion referred to. The Government, as at present advised, do not intend to take proceedings against the author or publisher. After carefully considering 647 the circumstances, we think that in the present state of the case such a prosecution would do more mischief than good.
§ MR. DARLINGWhat do the Government mean by "the present state of the case"? Does not the article incite, as at present printed, to an indiscriminate slaughter of innocent persons?
§ MR. ASQUITHThat is a question of construction on which every reader of the article could judge for himself. I mean by "the present state of the case" not to prejudge the question if and when a different state of things should arise.
§ MR. DARLINGArising out of that answer, might I ask whether "when a different stage of things should arise" means when an innocent person has been massacred—
§ MR. SPEAKEROrder, order!