The times-news. [volume] (Hendersonville, N.C.) 1927-current, 1934-02-27
SIMON FEARS
BLOODSHED IN
PARTY STRIFE
SAYS Violence Certain For
England If Uniformed"
Movements Grow
BY HENRY T. RUSSELL
United Press Staff Correspondent
Copyright, 1884, United Prcss)

|
LONDON. Feb. 27.-UP).-
Violence if certain uniformed
political movements grow in Great
| Britain was predicted by Sir John
Simon, foreign secretary, in a
speech at Glasgow last night.
He attacked people who eX-
press their political IDEAS by the
color of their shirts" but re-
Trained from direct reference to
the newly formed Fascist "Black-
Shirt movement in Britain, led
by Sir Oswald Mosley.
Sir Johns attack was regarded
as significant, coming on the heels
of statements by other members
of the government in the house
| of commons recently, expressing
similar concern. Two months ago,
the Fascists were ignored by both
the press and the government.
Gradually the public is awaken
ing to the Fascists and their
dawn military drillc.
While most of London sleeps,
! members of Mosley's British union
of Fascists hop out Of their hunks
to the scream of a siren at $50
each morning and like soldiers in
wartime muster in the courtyard
to answer roll call.
Z, Shivering in their shirtsleeves
in the semi-darkness of dawn, the
men answer to their names ii
military fashion, here. with eyes
right, just as though they were IN
the army. After roll call in an
swer to sharp military-like COM
mands of a Fascist officer, they
file out of the yard into the streets
of London in military formation,
double file, quick march. Once in
the street, to the command "dou-
BILE time" the men run to Batter
sea Park. one mile from head
quarters.
! In the park they halt opposite
an open space. a few yards from
the Thames river embankment.
Their foreheads are covered with
beads of perspiration. Icy river
winds soon dry them. Snappy
Setting up" exercises quickly re-
store circulation.
Judging from the type of exer-
cises performed, the Blackshirts
should be well equipped to live up
+o their names. defence units.
One by one the men take turns
at running few yards, then
plunging head first with arms
outstretched into two rows of men
who face to. face with their arms
: crossed and locked together hard,
spring their "victim" up in the
air as many times as necessary
until he is thus conveyed to the
end of the rows and swung last
time up and out of the row onto
the ground, He lands on his toes,
if he is agile and lucky. An OBJ
server watching the man being
bounced up and down the rows is
ant to be reminded of the way
fre-fghters are trained to receive
those who jump out of windows
into nets to escape from burning
buildings. -,
Their warm breaths in the cold
morning air making them look
like so many human steam en-
gines. the men are then ordered
hack into rank and marched back
to Headquarters. mostly on the
double. Early morning van drlv-
ers delivering milk and provisions
to Chelsea householders stop on
the way to let the Blackshlrts
run and watch with Amusement
Once back in headquarters
yard, they disband to the com
mand of "disnissed,' and with
the Fascist salue to their leadeA,
who responds snappily. The hrse
. duty of a London Fascist has
been done. His next will be per-
formed after a good breakfast.
I AS in the army, among those
who are exempt from morning
drill are guards. Headquarters OF
the British Union of Fascists is
as guarded as is an armory in war
time. The m en- do two hours on
and four hours off, "a hours OF
the day. There is an officer OF
the guard on duty night and day.
Also similar to army organiza-
ton is the F. P. (Fascist pollcel.
Like the an. P" of war time in
most armies, the "FP" is charged
with keeping order among the
ranks of Fascism. He wears an
armlet, of the same type used
during the war by military police
and according to an official order
from headquarters, twill have
full power when on duty"