"Boycotts"

Horowhenua Chronicle, 17 December 1915, Page 2

"Boycotts"

Last month we reprinted Dr Dillon's suggestions that the Allies should tor mi a Customs Union designed to suppress (Jennan commerce, and in the current, ifcsius of The English lteview Mr. Hyndman submits the proposed. "Financial .Boycotts and Policies" to a general criticism. It is pointed out that the success of such a scheme depends upon "the power of the Allies to dominate ocean traffic," and this implies a threat *• i neutral countries. The critic continues.— The object of the Uniftn is to prevent tlh\ Germanic Powers from using their wonderful powers of organisation and scientific efficiency to check the development and override the interests ol the combined, nations during tho years which they devote to the improvement of their own industries. But to turn this temporary expedient into a policy oi permanent exclusion of the productions of a most important portion ot the liuma.il race—itself, as we may hope, developing in the direction of complete democracy and social progress -would be a. most toolish and injurious form of reaction. Bitter as wo must

all feel towards tho enomy of to-day, who is preparing, even in war, i'or a furious trade conflict in peace, the time mill assuredly come when the memory, of the crimes committed by tiie Teutonic Empires •will fade, and commercial relations will by renewed with the new generation of Germans, as they were with the French after the great Napoleonic 'wars which extended over twenty years. international comity cannot be permanently suppressed, whatever national feeling, a 6 well as national interest, may reasonably counsel for tho time being. Mr Hyndnian concludes that the wiser course would bo to learn the lesson of German efficiency :— Unless we at once set to work so to re-order our national life that huge slum areas with the physical deterioration they engender are finally swept away; to establish a system of training, feeding, and clothing which will ensure health and strength to all from childhood onwards; to put an end to the furioufi profiteering of competition which remie-s all social reform under capitalism illtepry and futile in the long run; to®gard all measures as beneficial only in bo far as they increase the well-being of the whole community, and thus secure the fullest development, physical, mental and moral of each individual; to bring our political forms into direct demooritic harmony with our economic collectivism —unless we do all these things and do them quickly and thoroughly, all tho tariff regulations and Customs Unions in the world will not save our nation from anarchical revolution or possible final ruin.