Evening star., 1922-02-05
STRANGEST POLICE STATION IN THE WORLD
is HIDDEN IN A STATELY ARCH IN LONDON

slapped their machine guns on the
coping they could sweep the imme-
diate surroundings Of every living
thing.
Hungry. unemployed mobs always
make for Hyde Park when they wish
to make a big appeal. The Psychology
Of the thing is easy to understand
Hyde Park is London's playground
and political platform. Great num-
bers Of men can move about with ease
/ in wide stretches Of greensward. They
can be addressed by their leaders
from many different platforms and
heated to frenzy by reminders of the
injustice which begins with an empty
stomach
In crowded streets the police have
an advantage. A few determined. dis
! ciplined men like the metropolitan
constabulary can play with q crowd,
drive it here and cut 1t OF there<at
will. helped by impassive buildings
and narrow thoroughfares. The un-
employed have been chased and chiv-
Wed like sheep during the last. Few
months. But the mob has an tnstinc-
tive feeling that in a great open space
they get q more sporting chance.
This, then. is another reason why the
Wellington Arch is a police station, a
police stronghold. 1t is a strategic
position. That is accidental. but it is
J no accident that the police have taken
over this impressive monument as
their headquarters for observation on
the movements Of the king.
Another unsuspected police station
exists in the we'll known and beauti-
full marble arch at the other side OF
the park-the oxford street entrance.
This Is used by the policemen on duty
in the vicinity OF Oxford street and
Edgware road. A mere shell. in
spite of it's deceptive appearance Of
massiveness, it would hold a few
hundred men in an emergency. A
mob that got out Of hand in Hyde
Park would. despite their seeming
freedom to move about. be at the
mercy Of police and troops.
The holding of wellington Arch
and the Marble Arch positions gives
the police an overpowering advan-
tage. 1t enables them suddenly to
fling reserves on to the streets. to
check a mob entering or leaving the
park.
But above all it permits them to
cast an eagle glance over the metrop-
oils. to guard against any sudden ris-
ing Of the mob.
CONSIDERED from the defensive
point of view, handful Of SOL
diers with machine guns could carry
destruction over a wide area Of the
nelghborhood. Big guns or explo-
sives only could raze this pile to the
ground.
During the recent holiday season
the forces of police in the Marble and
the Wellington arches, the former par
ticularly. were kept at lighting"
strength. for active trouble with the
unemployed was anticipated. Not
only had there been wild talk by ex-
tremists. but the police had evidence
Of definite plan for guerrilla visits
to shops and restaurants in the fash
ionable West End" Shortly before
Christmas $50 workless men ordered
food 'at a restaurant of the "dairy
Kitchen" order near Chaplain Junc-
ton. and after the meal sang the
"Marseillaise." fourished a red flag
and made incendiary speeches. Or
quitting the restaurant each man pa,6
the equivalent of cents for his meal.
a payment which the management,
found it prudent to accept. though i.
represented only fraction of the
value of the food consumed.
Following this incident came re-
liable information that the extrem-
lists had plans maturing for an in
cursion into the better class districts
OF London, but suggestion for night
marches with demonstrations" in
residential quarters collapsed. it is
stated. on the matter coming to the
knowledge Of the police.
The idea afterward favored was a
protest against "the Christmas ex-
travagance Of the West End rich"
while many unemployed remained in
dire need. The police commissioner
deemed it advisable to warn the pub
lie that disturbance" might occur
and the alertness Of the authorities
was shown by the manner in which
an afternoon procession of unem-
ployed, which took place two days
before Christmas, was "shepherdedr
throughout by a strong force of
policemen on foot, with mounted
constables as rearguard.
Comprising about 200 men and ner-
haps half as many women and girls,
this procession made for Hyde Park.
There speakers announced that as
the police had gained knowledge of
their plans. the projected demonstra-
ton would be abandoned. Occasional
rain and an icy wind assisted in cool
ing the ardour Of the would-be
demonstrators. Having let of steam,
the unemployed marched eastward
through Oxford street, one of the
main thoroughfares, at a time when
it was crowded with Christmas buy
ers, but perfect order was maintain
ed, and no incident" occurred.
The day may be far distant when
the Wellington Arch is occupied by
troops with machine guns grouped
round the coping. It may never
come. but the times are always dan
gerous when unemployed and hungry
men are about. Mobs never think.