New-York tribune., 1917-06-11
Pacihst Delegates to Socialist
Conference Not Per-
mitted to Sail
Seamen Refuse
To Man Steamer
Meeting in London Protests
Passports to Jowett
and Macdonald

National Seamen's and Firemen's Union
to-day have taken prisoner Frederick
". Jowett, president of the Independ'
ent Labor Party, and James Ramsey
Macdonald, chairman of the Labor
Party. both members of Parliament,
who were about 70 sail for Petrograd.
An enthusiastic demonstration was
held this afternoon in Trafalgar Square
to protest against permitting Mr.. Mac
donald and Mr.. Jowett TO proceed TO
Petrograd on account of their supposed
pacifst leanings. The meeting was
opened by the seading of the following
telegram from Captain Tupper, Of the
Seamen's and Firemen's Union:
Il have Macdonald and Jowett pris-
oners. The crew refuses to sail with
them"
Guard Against Violence
Captain Tupper in an announcement
made to-day at the port where Mac
donald and Jowett were held, said
there should be no lawlessness. II the
law had to be broken he would not
ask his men 70 break it, but would
break it himself and suffer the con-
sequences. He said that if Macdonald
and Jowett were to get away by de-
stroyer, he would be in Petrograd as
soon as they were.
The party on its way 70 Petrograd
at the same port whore Macdonald
and Jowett are being held includes
George II. Roberts, Labor whip in the
House of Commons; Mrs. Emmeline
Pankhurst, the sufragette leader, and
others.
After the demonstration in Trafalgar
Square a telegram was dispatched 10
Premier Lloyd George saying that ten
thousand British citizens had assem-
bled and supported the action of the
Seamen's and Fifemen's Union in re-
fusing to sail with Macdonald and
Jowett. The telegram requested the
Premier 70 cancel the passports OF the
delegates in view of the overwhelming
mass of British opinion opposed TO
their proceeding 10 Russia.
Germans Laughed at Protest
The demonstration brought together
treat crowds. Joseph Havelock wilson,
president Of the National Seameh
Union, said in speech:
This is no new question. ! wrote
eighteen month ago, protest to the
council of the German Transport FED
Grafton against submarine barbaritles'
and warned the council that unless II
protested against the U-boat warfare
my union would refuse to participate
after the war in any conference includ-
ing Germans. The answer | received
was that my proposal was laughed 70
scorn and that the U-boats were per.
fectly justified in acting as they dld.
Mr.. Wilson said that there were g.
100000 organized workers in Great
Britain, and if Ramsay Macdonald was
able 10 get half a million OF those 10
vote in his favor the union would I'm.
mediately withdraw the boycott. IL
Macdonald wanted to go TO Petrograd,
said the seamen's president, let HIM
produce his credentials to represent
British labor
Mr.. Jowett and Mr. Macdonald were
appointed By the Independent Labor
Party, the pacifst Socialist element, to
20 70 Petrograd TO confer with Russian
Socialists. The Seamen's and Fire
mems Union adopted resolution last
week that none of its members must be
permitted 10 man any vessel conveying
pacifists to Petrograd or to Stockholm,
where the international Socialist Con-
gress is to be held. unless they signed a
guarantee that they would insist upon
restitution TO Allied merchant seamen
for the murder and destruction COM
mitted by German submarines.