The Reader’s Forum

Editor, Jewish Daily Bulletion:

I was very much gratifie to read the interview with Mr. Perey S. Straus, president o R. H. Macy & Co. in today’s issue of the Belltin.

The fact taht the total importations o R. H. Macy in the last four months of German merchandise amounted tothe insighificant sum of $1,790 is an almost sensational revelation. It is a definite refutation of a prevalent notin among large numbers of Jews in New York and elsewhere that Macy’s department store does not participate in the boycott of German merchandise. As one who has advocated a rigid and uncompromising anti-Nazi boycott since last March and has been actively engaged in the promotion of such a boycott, I feel that we have good reason to be satisfied with the results accomplished by R.H. Macy, in a comparatively short period.

After all the dislodgement of a highly insutrialized and most effeciently organized coutry lek, Germany from the foreign markets is not a matter which can be accomplished in a short time. It is a stu-pendous task which requires careful study fo foreign markets, the discovery o new sources of supply and of substitute products in a large variety o articles in which Germany holds a monopoly or a semi-monopolizing position. The organizations at present engaged in propagating the anti-Nazi boycott in America so far have confined themselves tothe preaching of a cosumer’s boycott. Although the results of the boycott movement are fairly satisfactory it will not eliminate German importatons to such an extent that it will influence appreciably the policies of the German Government towards the Jews. We have to create an efficient organization that will in a positive and comstructive businesslike manner work toward the elimination of German merchandise from the American markets, by providing, stimulating and creating new sources of supply an new markets. Moreover, it is not in the field of such merchandise as offered by deprtment stores that Germany is most vulnerable. About 40 percent of all German importantions in the United States in the past few years consisted of chemicals an dyes. A good many advocates o the anti-Nazi boycott do not realize that the suits they are wearing are dyed with German dyes.

There are other fields of commerece an trade in which Germany is dominating although it is not plainly visible and discernible to the uninformed observer. In order to do lasting damage to German foreign trade that eventually may bring about the much hoped for change of mind-not of heart-on the part of the Nazi rules of Germany, Germany will have to be thrown out of these strongholds of trade and commerce. It is very unfortunate that because of lack of a united front among ourselves and for other reasons, nothing constructive and nothing positive has been done yet in the way of organizing an anti-Nazi boycott in our country as part of the world boycott now practiced and entorced in many lands.