MOSLEY RELEASE

Wairarapa Times-Age, 24 November 1943, Page 3

MOSLEY RELEASE

STATEMENT BY THE HOME SECRETARY CONDITIONS IMPOSED. PROTEST DEMONSTRATIONS CONTINUE. (British Official Wireless.) (Received This Day, 9.45 a.m.) RUGBY, November 23. In a full House of Commons statement on the release of Sir Oswald Mosley, the Home Secretary, Mr Herbert Morrison, made clear that the decision was taken after consideration of two questions —the state of Mosley’s health and the possible harm to national security which his release might cause. The health question, Mi’ Morrison said, was discussed between the Medical Commissioner for Prisons, two prison doctors and Lord Dawson, of Penn, and Dr. Geoffrey Evans. “The opinion of these five doctors was unanimous on this: If the patient remained under the conditions inseparable from detention there would bo substantial risk of the thrombo—phlebitis, from which he is suffering, extending and producing permanent damage to his health and even danger to his life,” the Home Secretary continued. “On receipt of this authoritative advice, I had to consider first whether I ought to take the responsibility of retaining this subject to the permanent damage of his health and possibly danger to his life. On this point I can only say that, while the consideration of national security must come first, I was not prepared, subject to this consideration, to let any one die in detention unnecessarily. The alternative was to consider whether there should bo substituted for detention some system of control approximating to house arrest. I have authorised the release in the belief that, in the present circumstances, adequate control can be maintained by the restrictions I have imposed. If for any (reason it becomes necessary, on the grounds of public security, to bring him back, the medical consideration would not be an obstacle to the course dictated by the national interests.” Mr Morrison then enumerated the restrictions. Mosley is to reside at a specified house in the country and is prohibited from travelling more than seven miles. He is to report in person to the police monthly. He is not to associate with, or directly or indirectly to communicate with, any person who has been a member of the British Union (a Fascist organisation), other than members of his family or his wife’s family. He is not to associate with directly or indirectly, or to communicate with, any other person, for the purpose of promoting or assisting in the promotion of political activities. He is not to publish, or cause or permit to be published, any article in any newspaper, newsletter, periodical, pamphlet, leaflet, poster or circular. He is not to make any public speech or give any interview to a journalist or other person for the purpose of publication.

Another message states that while the Home Secretary was making his statement, 1,000 persons, representing workers in various parts of the .country, were demonstrating against the release of the Mosleys.