A Boycott Slapped?

Press, Volume CV, Issue 30977, 5 February 1966, Page 3

A Boycott Slapped?

Z.P.A.-Reuter—Copyright) CHICAGO, Feb. 4. The “Chicago Tribune” speculated today that if >ew Zealand asked to become part of the United states “we would logically be obliged to follow the Rhodesian precedent and slap a boycott on it.” In an editorial, the newspaper said: “The Leader of Australia’s Labour Party Opposition, Arthur Calwell, has * told New Zealanders that , their country may have no choice but to quit the British Commonwealth and become part of the United States within 20 years. He said Australia might hang on a bit longer, but its eventual place will also be under the American wing.

“With Britain cutting back its defence commitments in the Pacific and Indian oceans, and with the rising menace of Red China, Calwell saw defence pressures on New Zealand which it could not withstand by itself. He also said that economic pressures would also tend to drive New Zealand toward American statehood. “The most recent secession from Britain was Rhodesia's unilateral declaration of independence in order to maintain its white Government. This so affronted the British Socialist Government of Prime Minister Harold Wilson that it clamped a boycott on Rhodesia and prevailed on President Johnson to do the same,

though what business of ours it was has never been explained.

“Given this tender solicitude for the integrity of the British Commonwealth, it would necessarily follow that we would take a dim view of New Zealand’s abandonment of the ‘mother country.* If it declared itself the 51st State, we should logically be obliged to follow the Rhodesian precedent and slap a boycott on it, thus putting ourselves in the position of boycotting one of our own States.

“We are sure that ail card-carrying ‘liberals’ would acclaim such action by the Messrs Johnson and Rusk as the essence of statesmanship.”