A Real Boycott

Levin Daily Chronicle, 9 July 1918, Page 1

A Real Boycott

On behalf of British seamen, Mr Haveloclc Wilson has announced that in consequence of Germany's latest crime —the sinking of the Llandovery Castle —the period of maritime boycott of that country after the war will bo extended to six years. The lines upon which it is proposed to organise. th<? boycott were explained by Mr Wilson in a statement made in May. It could not be too widely known, he said, that British seamen were in deadly earnest in their determination to apply the punitive boycott to Germain'- after the war, a boycott which would take the form of refusing to have anything to do with the transport of goods to or from Germany! "If," he continued, "there are people at home foolish enough to think that this penalty will not be exacted to the uttermost, I can assure them that I have most positive proof in my possession that the commercial folk of Germany are living in no such fool's paradise." After explaining that the Merchant. Service League, which was rapidly enrolling members in all parts of the country, was prepared to take political action if necessary, Mr Wilson observed that: "We do not want Parliament to interfere. AVe want this thing to be carried through by the people." Asked how it was proposed to carry out the boycott policy after the war without the sanction of Parliament, ho answered: "Easily enough. No man can be compelled to work for any particular firm, or buy from any one shop; nor can our members be made to work for firms that deal with Germany, if they make up their minds not to do so. Our league, as well as our union, is in this business to the last man. Masters and officers aro with us in hearty unanimity, and it would be interesting to know where the owners —even if they wished to do so. which is a far-fetched assumption—are to get tlicir seamen to handle stuff in any way connected with Germany, seeing that there is not a man in the sci-vice who will be a party to such work."