HC Deb 04 November 1948 vol 457 cc1007-8
13. Earl Winterton

asked the Secretary of State for the Home Department if he is aware that Mr. Warren Austin, a diplomat, when speaking at a recent non-party meeting in support of the United Nations organisation was interrupted by a number of Communists who also threw leaflets at the platform; and if, in view of the ill-effect of such conduct upon international relationship, he will instruct the police to take action under the Public Meetings Act against the persons responsible for insulting a member of the Diplomatic Corps.

Mr. Ede

I have made inquiries and am informed that the police are not in possession of any evidence to support proceedings for a criminal offence.

Earl Winterton

Can the right hon. Gentleman say why there were no police present, in view of the fact that 20 police were sent to protect another accredited representative of a foreign country, in the shape of the Dean of Canterbury, when he spoke at a meeting just afterwards?

Mr. Ede

If the promoters of this meeting had asked for police protection inside the meeting, it would have been considered by the Commissioner of Police and appropriate steps taken. I am informed that no such request was made.

Mr. Gallacher

Was Mr. Austin speaking as a diplomat, or as a partisan of a particular foreign policy and as the representative of marauding and rapacious capitalists?

Earl Winterton

On a point of Order, may I call attention to the attack made by an hon. Gentleman opposite on a distinguished member of the American diplomatic service and ask if he is not entitled to the protection of the Chair?

Mr. Speaker

I think the hon. Member for West Fife (Mr. Gallacher) was asking in what character the said person was speaking, whether as a private individual or as a member of a diplomatic corps. I thought that a plain question which, so far, did not indicate that I should interfere, but I was waiting to hear the answer.

Earl Winterton

May I call attention to the fact that the hon. Member also spoke of the United States Government as a marauding government? I understood that on previous occasions you had deprecated the use of these abusive terms about friendly foreign Powers.

Mr. Speaker

I quite agree, but my impression was—I may have misheard—that the hon. Member said "on behalf of marauding capitalists."

Mr. Gallacher

May I draw attention to the fact that the noble Lord seems slightly biased against me?

Mr. Cocks

Is it in Order for the noble Lord to refer to a distinguished dignitary of the Church of England as an accredited representative of a foreign Power?

Mr. Speaker

I am waiting to hear the answer of the Home Secretary.

Mr. Ede

I regret that I cannot say in what capacity Mr. Warren Austin was addressing this meeting.

Mr. Platts-Mills

Is not the right hon. Gentleman and the noble Lord, aware that what caused the trouble at the meeting was that the British people, unlike His Majesty's Government, do not particularly like being given orders by people representing a foreign Power?

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