264 THE BRITISH APPROACH TO POLITICS

yiews. More open to question are the restraints put on meetings
for fear they will provoke disorder. It is within die power of the
police to prohibit the use of any open air site, e.g., the neighbour-
hood of a labour exchange if they "reasonably apprehend" that
disorder will result. Where the meeting takes the form of a
procession, it must follow the route which the police require,
and refrain from carrying any banners which the police have
reason to think provocative. In the City of London, and the
Metropolitan Police district, the Commissioners of Police may,
with the Home Secretary's consent, forbid all processions by
orders which require renewal every three months. In other towns
such an order may be made by the Borough or Urban District
Council, at the application of the police, and subject to the Home
Secretary's consent. These measures are likely to enjoy the
approval of the large number of citizens who do not organise
meetings and who dislike disorder. Some danger lies in the fact
that the enemies of democracy may, by creating disorder, lead a
democratic Government on, step by step, to curtail liberty on
the pretext of preserving the peace.

RULE OF LAW.

The principle stated above—that all citizens, particularly those
in authority, have a duty to see that the peace is kept—is not
altered in the least by recent laws; it remains as the last reserve
of power on which the Government can call. Should rebellion or
invasion occur, magistrates, Chief Officers of police, officers of
the Armed Forces, and Ministers of the Crown, may and must
take any action necessary to restore order, and call on their
immediate subordinates, and any other citizens, to co-operate.
Seizure of property, arrest, and even killing of persons are made
legal-by the fact of necessity, but by necessity alone. Anyone who
proceeds to arbitrary and violent acts beyond what is necessary
will be subject to prosecution afterwards; though it is extremely
probable that the Government would, after so grave a crisis,
protect all who had acted in good faith, by passing an Act of