GERMANY’S SEA CRIMES.

Taihape Daily Times, 15 May 1918, Page 3

GERMANY’S SEA CRIMES.

’ BRITISH SAILORS’ BOYCOTT. London, April 30. Mr. Havelock Wilson, president of the British Seamen and Firemen’s Union, in a statement regarding the sacrifices of the mercantile marine, said that 15,000 British seamen had been murdered by German pirates during the war. Sea murders were growing, despite the decline in the number of ships attacked. The German was more determined than ever, but on the other hand sailors were in deadly earnest in their determination to apply a punitive boycott to Germany after the war. Masters, officers and seamen were in hearty unanimity in their determination atfer the war not to handle stuff in any way connected with Germany. A year ago the limit for the boycott was two years. Now, owing to the increased crimes, it had extended to five and a-half years. Mr. Wilson emphasised in the strongest manner that the boycott would be enforced to the uttermost. He bad proofs that commercial folk in Germany were very uneasy in that regard, because they knew that British sailors possessed the power and influence to make good their threat, and because opinion was hardening rapidly.

Mr. Wilson added that the Seamems League was growing daily. Already it had 100,000 members.' Candidates for Parliament at the next election who did not favour the Leagues policy would have a poor chance. Branches of the League were being organised in eevry constituency. They would run candidates against those who did not satisfy their objects.