Millinery Workers Join Anti-german Boycott

Another thrust at Hitlerism has been driven home with the Millinery Workers’ Union refusal to handle goods made in Nazi Germany.

Miss Ida Bilcheck, secretary to Max Zaritzky, president of the Millinery Workers’ Union, yesterday announced that henceforth no union worker will be permitted to work on braids coming from Germany. The same rule applies to other German equipment, needles, and tools used in the manufacturing of hats.

While full details of incidents leading up to the boycott could not be revealed, a spokesman admitted that the order came as a result of protest on the part of workers themselves and by complaint from a member of the executive board of the union.

To enforce the ruling, orders have been issued by the executive board of the Millinery Workers’ Union of New York instructing all members to refuse to work on German raw materials or with German tools. The order is to become effective at once.

Whether or not the boycott on the part of the workers will bring about strife between German importers, German millinery shops, German employers, and the workers is a matter for speculation it was admitted by Miss Bilcheck. Thus far, she said, no opposition has been raised from any of the various factions concerned.

The boycott ruling is considered to be important in consideration of the tremendous market supplied by New York millinery establishments, both in this and other states, and by the precedent created for similar organizations in other parts of the country.

While exact figures could not be obtained from the union, it is understood that German braid has been an import of considerable magnitude. Union members are confident that the stuff can be replaced readily with domestic material and imports from other foreign countries.