The WEEK

November 20, 1962; one year to the day, since the United States ordered the Communist Party and its officers to register under a Subversive Activities Control Board ruling. Time, gentlemen?

The bleats beginning to sound from various stuffed shirts across the land are tribute to the success of the spreading consumer boycott of Communist-made goods. From Florida, Massachusetts, Indiana., California, Ohio and points north and south come tales of effective, often imaginative methods by which citizens are exercising the basic freedom of the market place: the freedom, in this case, to stay away from merchants who insist on filling shelves with products imported from the Communist empire. In a heartening number of cases (Fort Wayne, Ind.., for example) the local authorities and stores have gladly cooperated. In a few instances, the enthusiasm of the boycotters has pushed them into questionable acts against legitimate property rights. For the most part this movement, which recalls the boycott of Japanese silk during the 1930s, is a notable example of how citizens of a free republic can use in defense of freedom some of the methods usually turned against it.

Featured Tags

November 20, 1962; one year to the day, since the United States ordered the Communist Party and its officers to register under a Subversive Activities Control Board ruling. Time, gentlemen?

The bleats beginning to sound from various stuffed shirts across the land are tribute to the success of the spreading consumer boycott of Communist-made goods. From Florida, Massachusetts, Indiana., California, Ohio and points north and south come tales of effective, often imaginative methods by which citizens are exercising the basic freedom of the market place: the freedom, in this case, to stay away from merchants who insist on filling shelves with products imported from the Communist empire. In a heartening number of cases (Fort Wayne, Ind.., for example) the local authorities and stores have gladly cooperated. In a few instances, the enthusiasm of the boycotters has pushed them into questionable acts against legitimate property rights. For the most part this movement, which recalls the boycott of Japanese silk during the 1930s, is a notable example of how citizens of a free republic can use in defense of freedom some of the methods usually turned against it.