Secret Society to Boycott Jewish Firms Formed in South Africa

(Jewish Telegraphic Agency)

A secret society of which rumors have been heard for some time and whose object is to boycott Jewish traders and professional men, has emerged and has taken the opportunity of the Jewish Orphanage Campaign, to advertise its existence and aims.

The organization is said to be called the “League of Gentiles” and to have secured as many as 10,000 members among the population of the country in the last twelve months although no publicity has been given to the movement.

A representative of one of the local papers here has managed to obtain some information of the organization. Signature of the form of membership, he reports, entails an understanding not to deal with Jewish firms or business men and to cease dealing with any such firms or business men from the moment of joining the League. In the case of persons who are desirous of becoming members of the League but are tied to Jewish firms by reason of unpaid accounts, it is stated that the League has a system by which it will settle these accounts and the member can then join and pay the accounts to the League at his convenience.

The effect of the League’s operations on the distribution of trade was explained to the press representative. “There are said to be something like 10,000 members,” he was informed, “and they are mainly persons of the comfortable classes. Placing the average income at £300 per annum, all of which is spent one way or another, this would amount to £3,000,000 a year turnover lost to Jewish trade or rather secured for Gentile trade, for much of that sum in the past went to Jewish traders.”

A member of the staff of the local morning paper was picked up at a street corner, was blindfolded and taken in an automobile to a meeting of the executive of the League of Gentiles. The members addressed one another by number.

The meeting place was in a wood. In the center of a circle of the members, the press representative was bidden to take upon himself “the obligations and observances of the League of Gentiles.”

The objects, according to the members of the Executive, are constitutional. “To organize Gentile opinion so as to bring pressure to bear on the Government to prevent evasion of the Immigration Laws by the people of Eastern Europe and to ensure the protection of the Gentile womenfolk,” is the declared purpose of the League.

A warning was given to the press representative that the League, though law-abiding, was very much in earnest about its task, was determined to fight the Jews and to maintain secrecy. Any breach of faith on the part of one of its members would result in the offender being punished.

During the interview a member of the executive explained to the press representative that the membership of the League was over 10,000. There are members all over the country. Its full title is the “League of Gentiles.’ Protection and Benevolent Society.” Many influential people are members of the League. It has sixteen branches in the Transvaal alone.

“We intend to create a strong Gentile organization, powerful enough to influence the Government,” a member stated. “Jewish organizations are powerful enough to influence the Government and we must do the same.”

The organization came out into the open as a result of a campaign for funds for the local Jewish orphanage, a building formerly the residence of Sir Lionel Phillips, in which are housed Ukrainian war orphans, as well as local Jewish orphans. As a result of the appearance of various appeals to Jews to support the orphanage, the League inserted an advertisement in the newspapers calling for 20,000 Gentiles to join the League.

Mr. Tielman Roos, Minister of Justice, declared to representatives of the press, that the League of Gentiles movement had not been considered officially. “The movement is childish and no notice should be taken of it. It will not cause anyone any trouble,” he stated.