9 replies to this topic

[RodB]

The IWM has the following alarming poster, for a meeting at the Royal Albert Hall, London, which they date 1918. Does anybody know what demanding "unconditional surrender of the enemy in our midst" was about, and what Billy Hughes had to do with it ? A move to evict enemy foreign nationals as part of the peace terms ?

[centurion]

The clue is Mrs Dacre Fox later Norah Elam, a well known femminist and suffragette and early British facist (as were a number of the suffragettes Adele Pankhurst joining the Australian Facist Party).. The following is relevant

By 1917 she had developed a very strong anti-German position. In one speech she argued: "We had to make a clean sweep of all persons of German blood, without distinction of sex, birthplace, or nationality." In the 1918 General Election she stood as an independent candidate in the Richmond constituency. During the campaign she argued that people of German birth should be deported from the country

This echos the language of the poster

She founded the Women's Guild of Empire, an organization aimed at furthering a sense of patriotism in working-class women and defeating such socialist manifestations as strikes and lock-outs." She was also active in the Anti-Vivisection Society.

She became an associate of Oswald Mosley and a member of the British Union of Facists in the early 30s.

[RodB]

Phew - sounds like a formidable and interesting woman !

[centurion]

The main speaker on the poster the Australian Prime Minister Billy (the Little Digger) Hughes in February 1919  led the opposition to a statement supporting racial equality being included in the  Covenant of the League of Nations. The clause being

"The equality of nations being a basic principle of the League of Nations, the High Contracting Parties agree to accord as soon as possible to all alien nationals of states, members of the League, equal and just treatment in every respect making no distinction, either in law or in fact, on account of their race or nationality."

He was quoted as saying that 95% of Australians would not accept racial equality - autres temps, autres moeurs but it does help to suggest the sort of meeting this was.

[RodB]

centurion, on 03 January 2012 - 01:23 PM, said:

The main speaker on the poster the Australian Prime Minister Billy (the Little Digger) Hughes in February 1919  led the opposition to a statement supporting racial equality being included in the  Covenant of the League of Nations. The clause being

"The equality of nations being a basic principle of the League of Nations, the High Contracting Parties agree to accord as soon as possible to all alien nationals of states, members of the League, equal and just treatment in every respect making no distinction, either in law or in fact, on account of their race or nationality."

He was quoted as saying that 95% of Australians would not accept racial equality - autres temps, autres moeurs but it does help to suggest the sort of meeting this was.

Billy Hughes was an original.. honest and to the point, and told the truth as it was at the time. No bullshit. We could use him today, assuming he had mellowed on the racial stuff (some of our troops were escorted across the Indian Ocean on their way to Gallipoli by the Japanese cruiser Ibuki, and also supported at Cocos)

[MichaelBully]

Fascinating information re. Mrs. Dacre Fox. I am sure she was also involved in promoting the rather dubious conspiracy theories concerning the death of Lord Kitchener as discussed on this thread here involving the  'Lord Kitchener and Jutland Publicity Committee'


http://1914-1918.inv...topic=3550&st=0

[centurion]

Certainly got involved in many things - pre WW1 she was an Irish Home Rule supporter (born Norah Doherty in Dublin) in 1914 she did time in Holloway with Emmeline Pankhurst. She did time there again in 1940 this time with Diana Mosley. In 1932 -4 she was assistant to William Joyce (latter Lord Haw Haw). But I haven't come across any Kitchener conspiracy stuff.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...7zp_640_360.jpg she's the one in the middle.

[npm]

The lady doth protest too much?

[MichaelBully]

Hello Centurion, found my notes on the Lord Kitchener and Jutland Publicity Committee  -Oops, made an error. Mrs. Dacre Fox is NOT listed as being involved. I was getting her confused with Lady Edith Fox-Pitt, apologies. Too much seasonal cheer seems to have got me muddling Foxes.  Regards, Michael Bully.

centurion, on 03 January 2012 - 02:47 PM, said:

Certainly got involved in many things - pre WW1 she was an Irish Home Rule supporter (born Norah Doherty in Dublin) in 1914 she did time in Holloway with Emmeline Pankhurst. She did time there again in 1940 this time with Diana Mosley. In 1932 -4 she was assistant to William Joyce (latter Lord Haw Haw). But I haven't come across any Kitchener conspiracy stuff.

http://www.bbc.co.uk...7zp_640_360.jpg she's the one in the middle.

[centurion]

MichaelBully, on 04 January 2012 - 09:04 PM, said:

Hello Centurion, found my notes on the Lord Kitchener and Jutland Publicity Committee  -Oops, made an error. Mrs. Dacre Fox is NOT listed as being involved. I was getting her confused with Lady Edith Fox-Pitt, apologies. Too much seasonal cheer seems to have got me muddling Foxes.  Regards, Michael Bully.

You're OK if you don't set the hounds on them