§ MR. DARLING (Deptford)I beg to ask the Secretary of State for the Home Department Question 29—namely, whether any application has been received, and, if so, from whom and for what object, for permission to hold a meeting in Trafalgar Square on Sunday next; and what answer has been made to such application? I do not propose to ask Question 28 on the Paper, as to whether the police have received any confirmation of the announcement published in La Libre Parole, that no dynamite outrages are at present to be perpetrated in England in consequence of the hospitality shown in this country to the Anarchists who had come here from the Continent. I think the answer to the question I have put will render the earlier question unnecessary.
§ MR. ASQUITHThe answer, Sir, to No. 28 is in the negative. With regard to the other question, an application to hold such a meeting was received from H. B. Samuels on behalf of "The Commonweal" group of Anarchists. The object of the proposed meeting was stated to be "to explain the principles and aims of Anarchist communism." The views and objects of this group of Anarchists are published in a journal called The Commonweal, of which Samuels is the editor, and by reference to which it appears that they applaud and justify the wholesale massacre of 1910 innocent persons as a legitimate method for the attainment of their ends. The current number of the paper contains an article in this sense signed by Samuels. These facts having been brought to my knowledge, I came to the conclusion, after taking advice, that the proposed meeting was called for an unlawful purpose, and I have refused to permit it. I should add that my decision has nothing to do with the selection of Trafalgar Square as the proposed place of meeting. The meeting would have been equally unlawful wherever it was sought to be held.
§ MR. DARLINGMay I ask the Home Secretary how he reconciles this action——["Order, order!"]
§ * MR. SPEAKERThe hon. Member is not entitled to introduce argumentative matter.
§ MR. DARLINGDoes not the right hon. Gentleman any longer intend to act upon his declaration that he will exercise no manner of censorship on meetings in Trafalgar Square?
§ MR. ASQUITHNo, Sir; I retract, and qualify nothing. What I said before I repeat now. If a meeting is held for an unlawful purpose it will not be permitted; but, provided a meeting is held for a lawful purpose, I shall not discriminate between one meeting and another, according to whether or not I approve of its objects.