Shepherdstown register. [volume] (Shepherdstown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1849-1955, 1918-04-18
Campaign Against German Goods.


Such is the oath which all enemies
of Germany the world around are ask
ed TO take and which is to be the basis
of campaign of commercial pres
sure which may bring Germany TO her
knees or, failing that, which will COL
lect from her an indemnity for her out
RACES against civilization.
The plan was originated by William
Atherton Du Puy, Of Washington, a
magazine writer. With relation TO the
United States il is TO be executed
through patriotic women's organiza-
tions. These societies will distribute
the pledges through their members.
The members will secure signatures and
return them to headquarters. Mr.. Du
Puy will receive reports, compile the
figures and undertake TO apply the
thumbscrew Of commercial pressure by
acquainting Germany OF the progress
of the campaign which is destined to
destroy her trade throughout the world
for a generation.
The theory is that the trade of an in
dividual, your personal patronage for
the rest of your life, is worth $500 to
Germany. BY signing the pledge you
derive Germany of thatS500 In so do
ing you collect an indemnity of $500
from her. In the course of your life
the trade that otherwise would have
gone to Germany goes to her com
mercal rivals, the nations with which
she is now at war. You pay to them
the indemnity you have collected from
Germany. The whole matter is simple,
sure, irrevocable. 1t is entirely in the
hands of the individual.
Commercial Germany might not feel
the loss Of $500, nor that OF a million OF
your kind. The campaign will not,
however, be stopped with few mil
lions. 1t is believed that the great
mass of the people Of the commercial
world will be found anxious TO collect
their individual bits of indemnity, to
thus place themselves on record as
denying their patronage to the nation
which tears up treaties, revertS in war
fare to gas and liquid fire, enslaves wo-
men and mutilates children with Of
ficial sanction, which would deny free
dom to all people. The indications are
that everybody is ready to sign.
The signature of all the people will
not be necessary, however, 10 get the
maximum effect. Commercial Ger
many knows that if, after the war, five
per cent Of purchasers ask a dealer if
goods are made in Germany before
buying them, that dealer will not han
die merchandise so made. If 25 per
cent Of the people take that position
there is no hope for German trade. So
is an added power given the individual
boycotter. In depriving Germany Of
his own trade he deprives her Of at
least the trade of three other people.
He actually forces her to pay $1,000 in
indemnity. One fourth of the people
may irretrievably kill German trade for
a generation
The plan is to drive this crusade ir-
restibly through the nation. 1t is be-
ing started by individuals who write
out and sign the pledges and mail il
to Mr.. Du Puy, Southern Building,
Washington, D. c. Later innumerable
pledges will be distributed through the
patriotic societies.
Already the campaign for Latin
America is taking shape. Our allies
in the war may be depended upon to
act with dispatch. Great Britain
France, Italy, Japan and China will kill
German possibilities of trade for a
generation. Turbulent Russia may be
reached with the propaganda. The
whole earth will be blanketed with it
All peoples outside the iron ring will
be set to collecting indemnity, task
which they will pursue as long as they
live.
The commercial classes OF Germany
already hard hit and infinitely dis
tressed, will see the hand of an aveng'
ing destiny in this campaign before il
has gone far. They may be depended
on to exert all the influence of which
they are capable to break the strange
hold Of the military autocracy and stoI
the war before their ruin is certain anc
| permanent. Every day OF delay viii
mean hundreds OF thousands Of sigma
lures added to these slips of doom.
The German armies marched int
Russia while the Bolshevik govern
ment haggled over terms. Every dal
of delay meant the loss Of more Russian
territory. The Bolshevik fastened Il
sign unconditional peace terms. 81
will this campaign of blacklist marcl
through the nations Of the earth, con
quering every day and for generation
block ofCerman trade. II can b
stopped only by making peace. Ever,
day of delay means frightful loss.
So may Germany be driven TO making
peace. Failing that, the collection o
indemnity from her is certain and ir
revocable. The weapon is in the hands
of the peoples OF the world. They us'
it by signing little slips of paper.
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