A defence against State overreach

The great and good who had mobilised to fight against attacks on the anarchists’ right to free speech recognised its true threat was broader …

~ Rob Ray ~

Sometimes when going back through old issues of Freedom (or War Commentary, as it was in July 1945) articles really do read as though they were written last week, rather than 80 years ago.

The press was getting back into the swing of things after a rough few months in court (then prison), and already it is possible, in retrospect, to see the kernel of its 1950s and 60s incarnations. Notable is writing from the young Colin Ward, including an early example of his thinking on economics and what was to become his signature concerns on housing. Gaston Leval is also prominent writing what would become some of the frist serious analysis in the English language of how the collectives of the Spanish Revolution actually functioned.

For this week’s column however I’m going to round off the story of the War Commentary Trial, in which the paper carried a column from the Freedom Defence Committee. Initially founded to help the defendants, aftwards the committee realised there was a bigger fight at stake – the struggle to head off a State tendency towards illiberal behaviour and repression of dissenting voices.

As I say, all very familiar to a modern sensibility.

Freedom Defence Committee

The trial of the four anarchists in April last revealed at least four important facts.

Firstly, there is a tendency on the. part of the ruling class towards an ever-increasing restriction of individual liberties of speech and action, in so far as this can be done without attracting widespread public attention and condemnation.

Secondly, an· extensive and semi-secret political police, the Special Branch. of Scotland Yard, already exists to assist in these attacks ori civil liberties. Thirdly, there remains a considerable desire among all sections of the population to resist such encroachments, as was shown by the unexpectedly good response to the work of the Freedom Press Defence Committee. And, fourthly, no permanent organisation exists that is willing and able to.maintain a vigilant watch over individual liberties and to expose and’fight against any further attacks on them.

For this reason it has been decided to reconstitute the Freedom Press Defence Committee; and form it into a permanent vigilance body, called the Freedom Defence Committee, to, uphold the essential liberty of individuals and organisations and to defend those who are persecuted for exercising their rights to freedomof speech, writing and action.

The Freedom Defence Committee recognises that its function cannot be limited to the defence of individual cases alone. It also considers itself bound to work, alone or in conjunction with other organisations or individuals, for the elimination of those laws and institutions which in themselves form a grave and general threat to individual freedom.

The committee will therefore fight for the abolition of military and industrial conscription, of the Emergency Powers Act and the Defence Regulations, of all existing statutes restricting freedom of political action, and of the political police which has played so active a part in attacks on freedom of expression.

Amnesty Campaign

The immediate campaign on which the committee intends to embark is for an amnesty for all political prisoners, conscientious, objectors, and other persons who have been imprisoned for offences against the conscription law or other extraordinary wartime legislation. The end of the war has brought release to the fascist internees held under Defence Regulation 18B, but there are still many thousands of wartime prisoners in civil and military prisons and detention camps, and it is against the manifest injustice of their· continued imprisonment that the committee intends to fight.

A demand to the Home Secretary for an amnesty is being organised, and it is hoped that all those who are willing to help will obtain demand forms from the, offices of the committee and persuade as many people as possible to sign them.

The committee is comprised of individuals who have proved themselves active in this struggle for freedom. Its members are drawn from many channels of liberal, socialist, pacifist and libertarian opinion. The chairman of the Freedom Defence Committee is Herbert Read, the vice-chairman George Orwell, and the secretary Ingeborg Roskelly.

It is hoped that all those who are able will help in the work of the committee, by giving office assistance, by giving publicity to its actions in conversation and in the press, and by giving their financial support. All the office work of the committee is performed voluntarily, but it is necessary to have funds for numerous expenses such as rent, printing, postage, stationery, legal fees, etc.

Those who are willing to help financially can become associates of the committee for a subscription of ten shillings a year, which will entitle them to receive literature concerning the activities of the committee.

The work of the committee is urgent. Our liberties are being steadily filched from us, and the need for a body to watch for and fight against the advance of tyranny is imperative. Give us your continued support by sending whatever you can to help us maintain the fight for a real freedom.

GEORGE WOODCOCK, Treasurer,
FREEDOM DEFENCE COMMITTEE,
17, St George Street, Hanover Square

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