BOYCOTT DEMAND

New Zealand Herald, Volume LXXIV, Issue 22862, 18 October 1937, Page 6

BOYCOTT DEMAND

AUSTRALIA AND JAPAN government embarrassed ILL-ADVISED INDIVIDUALS [from our own* correspondent] ] V : . SYDNEY. Oct. 0 Public indignation at the Japanese bombings of civilian populations in China, a rising tide of protests against tliein, and strong mores for the boycott of Japanese goods as a reprisal have produced in Australia a situation fraught with many possibilities. The demands for the boycott have principally emanated from the trade* unions Communists, but they have been largely supported by an ingly wide range of interests, including Church leaders. The Prime Minister, Mr. Lyons, has been considerably embarrassed by these decisions of private bodies. He has been compelled to repudiate them. Almost daily he has been issuing warnings against ra«b action. Britisn Lead Wanted Further, the Prime Minister has declared that the Commonwealth Govrenment will not take any individual action to boycott Japanese goods, but will act in concert with Britain and the Dominions in any steps that may be taken. The Government is in constant consultation with Britain and it would welcome an early expression of' the British view. Mr. Lyons has pointed out that jm individual action against Japan by persons or organisations might have seti-. ous consequences, and individual action at this stage would be ill-advised. The Labour Council, the governing body of trade unions in New csouth Wales is the prime mover in Sydney for a ' boycott. It has ordered a complete boycott of Japanese goods. A lesolution, carried almost unanimously, called on "trade unionists and the people of Australia to give wholehearted support to the Chinese people bv organising a complete boycott of Japanese goods; by preventing all export of goods to Japan; and by refusing to handle goods to or from Japan." "Unwarranted and TJnjust" "Jt is time for cool heads, not hot ones," said the Japanese Vice-Consul, Mr. K. Negishi. "A boycott is likelv to jeopardise the good relations between Japan and Australia, and that would be a bad thing." The Consul-General, Mr. T. Wakamatsu, developed this theme. "L hope Australians will do nothing that will mean, in the economic sense, cutting their own throats,", he said, in an interview. "A boycott of Japanese goods, apart from being unwarranted and unjust, would react detrimentally on the people who are now talking about it. "When 1 say that Japan will refuse to buy your wool, should it happen that our goods are boycotted in Australia, I do not mean it to be takfn as a threat. It would be the natural result of a one-sided commercial action. Unless you buy our goods, how can you expect us to buy yours? "All this boycott talk is making it difficult for me. At present 1 am negotiating a trade treaty between Australia and Japan, and this ill-founded criticism of my country is not helping us or you." < Police Charge Marchers A development in the campaign for a boycott was a night march of several hundred persons through the streets of Sydney. Banners inscribed with slogans were carried. Organised chants were kept up. Large forces of police gathered and an inspector warned the demonstrators anil ordered them to disperse. Xo notice was taken of his order The police charged the procession, but refrained from using batons. There were scenes of confusion. Police, marchers, spectators became mixed in the excitement. Four men were arrested but the procession maintained itself and kept on its way. The police charged again. Another man was arrested, and the demonstrators noisily demanded that they should be left alone. The procession was still in fairly good order, although attenuated, when it dispersed quietly.