ACTION BY DOCKERS

Evening Post, Volume CXXV, Issue 3, 5 January 1938, Page 11

ACTION BY DOCKERS

BOYCOTT OF JAPAN

CARGO TURNED AWAY

(From "The Post's" Representative.) LONDON, December 15.

Southampton dockers, who recently refused to unload a cargo of 200 tons of Japanese goods, which were consequently taken on to Quebec, have been publicly congratulated. A meeting, organised by the China Campaign Committee, and attended by over 1000 people, passed a resolution protesting against Japan's "ruthless and barbarous attack," and called on Britain to lead in an international boycott of Japanese goods.

The resolution congratulated "the dockers of this town on the fine example they have set to all sections of the community by their rerusal to unload Japanese goods," and called upon everyone to follow their lead in assisting China.

Lord Listowel, president of the committee, -said ah example of the kind given by the dockers in refusing to handle the, cargo which arrived in the liner I^uchess of Richmond was needed by everybody—including trade unions and Labour Party—and, most of all, by the Government.

Mr. Ben Tillett. veteran leader of the dockers, said the destruction of Nanking would be a portent of an awful war. If the nations allowed China to be wiped out by Japan, Germany, and Italy, then "God help the rest 'of the world." .

The action of the Southampton dockers has not received ;the official approval of the Transport and General Workers' Union. Some members of the National Executive Committee of the union are in- sympathy with the men, but the executive has agreed that no official recognition can be accorded to similar action in other ports.

The refusal to handle Japanese goods is regardsd in many quarters as highly injudicious, as it is deemed that it would be difficult to prove that such action was not in furtherance of a trade dispute.

The Durham County Federation of Labour parties has passed a resolution calling upon British workers to demonstrate their sympathy with Chinese workers by a vigorous boycott of Japanese goods.

A mass meeting at Hull, organised by the local Labour Party, has commended the action of the Southampton and Glasgow dockers in refusing to handle Japanese goods. . .