SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES.

Manawatu Standard, Volume LX, Issue 126, 27 April 1940, Page 10

SUBVERSIVE ACTIVITIES.

SHARP WATCH IN BRITAIN. (British Official Wireless.) RUGBY, April 25. The Home Secretary (Sir John Anderson) was questioned in the House of Commons to-day about the propaganda activities of certain groups under Communist or Fascist leadership. It had been represented to him previously by deputations of interestcd members of Parliament that the propaganda of these bodies was of a seditious character. In to-day’s reply Sir John said he for some time past had been carefully watching the activities of certain small groups of people of whom some appeared to be deliberately anxious to hinder the war effort. The national resolution that the war must be waged with all the country’s strength is such that these activities had had so far little practical effect. Nevertheless, the possible consequence of a continuous attempt to impede the war effort could not be ignored. “The question what steps can properly be taken to check propaganda of a harmful kind was discussed the the defence regulations were debated on October 31,” be said. “There was general agreement that every effort should be”made even in a time of war to avoid interference with the propagation of opinions held by small minorities. There is, however, a risk that the liberty allowed by our traditional principles may be abused by extremists of whom some are anxious to destroy that liberty and at present I am considering whether some strengthening of the regulation is desired for the purpose of checking activities specifically directed towards impeding our national war effort.”