Black ban on dutch mercy ships

'BLACK' BAN ON
DUTCH MERCY
SHIPS
BRISBANE, Sept. 24.— A denial that
Dutch ships at present being held up
in Australian ports were carrying sup
plies for the suppression of the Indone
sian peoples in the N.E.I. was made
to-day by Commander H. Quispel, of
the N.E.I. Information Service.
He said that the vessels were carrying medical stores,
food, and clothing urgently needed for the relief of
Indonesians suffering malnutrition and other diseases.
Support for self-Government for Indonesians may
result in a complete tie-up of shipping in Brisbane to
morrow. The imposition of the 'black' ban on six Dutch
vessels by the Trades and Labour Council disputes com
mittee to-day is expected to be followed by counter
measures by Employers on the Brisbane Port Committee.
Wharf labourers, in refusing lo load
Dutch ships, were only helping their
own enemies. The Indonesian Gov
ernment, which wharf labourers here
had decided should not be interfered
with, was led by Dr. Soekarno, the
main Indonesian 'Quisling' in the
N.E.I., whom the Japs had made
president of the independent republic
of Indonesia. Dr. Soekarno had been
in prison before the war as a re
actionary, but bad been released by
the Dutch authorities.
Soekarno has had two terms of im
prisonment for political ' activities, and
was finally exiled to Plores. then Ben
koelen Island. He lives in a charm
ing but unpretentious Dutch style
house in the suburbs, the decoration
and furnishing of which reveal him as
s man of taste and culture.
He was In Sumatra when the Japs
occupied the N.E.I., and soon became
leader of the Indonesian Puppet Gov
ernment, whose policy was to support
the Japs in their fight against the
white races.
As late as August this year, Soe
karno had told his countrymen to
fight to the end. shoulder to shoulder
with the Japanese.
Quispel continued that a round
table conference was to be held as
soon as possible between the different
political parties to determine the
post-war Government of the N.E.I.
The peoples of the N.E.I, will have
self-government.
Part of the job of the conference
will be to prepare a change In the
constitution, making the Indies no
longer a colony, but a separate, self
governing unit of the Dutch Empire.
Qulspel added that the crews which
refused to work Dutch vessels in
Brisbane are under the Influence of a
certain political group in Australia,
who like to stir up trouble for their
own benefit.
'There are strong indications
the employers will endeavour to
tie ap all further arriving ships
In Brisbane If the waterside work
ers fall to man the Dutch ships.'
said the Waterside Workers' Fed
eration secretory, Mr. E. Englart,
to-night.
'An endeavour will be made to force
the men to load these Dutch ships.'
he said.
'There are indications that labour
for the Dutch ships will be made at
the first call, and that calls continue
until all labour is exhausted. By this
means, the employers will make a
concerted attempt to lock the men out
from other ships requiring labour.'
Mr. Englart said the 'black' ban
Imposed by the unions applied only
to the loading of cargo, but not dls
charging. Obviously the hospital ship
Oranje will not be affected.
A meeting of Indonesian seamen
decided not to take three Dutch ships
to sea unless the following demands
were met: Payment of a bonus of £100
for each person, being savings money
at 25 guilders monthly from June 1,
1943, to August, 1945, paid In Aus
tralia: the refund in Australia of tbe
monthly dependant's allowance de
ducted from their wages every month,
but not paid during the occupation
period: the fixation of a minimum
monthly wage and a maximum work
ing week.
A meeting of 1200 Brisbane water
slders this morning supported these
demands, and endorsed the recom
mendation by the union executive not
to supply labour for all Dutch ships in
port-, pending a guarantee satisfactory
to the Indonesian people working in
Australia.
The resolution also stated the Dutch .
Government in Australia should not
interfere with the Government nt
present established by the Indonesian
people themselves.
A meeting of the disputes commit
tee with other unions likely to become
involved in repairing Dutch ships
will be held to-morrow morning.
The council of the State branch of
the A.R.U. to-day adopted a resolu
tion, supporting the Indonesians in
their demand for national freedom.
The secretary of the Federated '
Clerks' Union (Mr. K. Sanders said
to-night his executive decidfd not to
associate themselves with receiving or
tallying cargoes for any Dutch vessel
other than those being worked by
waterside workers.
MELBOURNE. September 21. -The
Javanese crew of a Dutch mercy ship
the Karsik. held a sit-down strike to
day, and the departure of the ship to
Java, with foodstuffs, clothing and
medical supplies, is indefinite.
The Karsik should have left Vic
toria dock yesterday.
The native crew are all Republican
sympathisers, who do not wish to re
turn to Indonesia in a Dutch ship,
and be thought to he pro-Dutch.