The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-08-20
ALLIES TO DECLARE
COTTON CONTRABAND
UNOFFICIAL ANNOUNCEMENT Is
MADE TO WASHINGTON.
Delay Due to Necessity of Arrang'
ing Uniform Treatment by All
Countries Involved.

Washington, Aug. 1.-THE allies
intention to declare cotton contraband
has been communicated unofhcially but
authoritatively to the state depart
ment. The departments advices are
u1at the decision had been reached
and the delay is due to the necessity OF
arranging uniform treatment by all of
the allies.
The step has been agreed upon by
Great Britain, France, Russia, Italy
and Belgium, but Japan's attitude has
not been defined and she may decide
that no action is called for from ner
at this time because of the elimina-
ton of the only German colony in the
Far East from the military problem
and the absence of any reason for a
blockade.
Ever since the application of the
British orders in council to cotton,
among other American products, the
entente allies Fave felt that some more
effective and less burdensome method
must be found for dealing with cotton
and preventing its entry into Germany
and Austria. The allies contend that
American shippers, in many cases, al
legged to be backed by German capital,
nave been shipping cotton to Germany
through neutral ports.
Orders Not Effective.
Under the orders in council such a
cargo, if captured, merely was taken
into British port eud paid for by the
British government. The allies con-
tend that under these conditions a
great deal of the cotton got through
Sweden, Denmark and Holland into
Germany. From tie allies point of
view the orders in council were inef-
fectiEe because they obliged the Brit
ish government to buy cotton and at
the same time offered an incentive to
blockade runners.
According to the advices reaching
Washington, tie pressure in England
and France has compelled change.
TIE British government originally re-
garded cotton as non-contraband and
expressed desire to avoid inficting
hardship upon Southern planters and
to avoid development Of anti-British
feeling in this country.
The change to contraband will be
defended as authorized by information
al law, Great Britain protested against
the American blockade of outgoing
cotton from TIE South during the War
of Secession and had refused to rec
ognize it as contraband during the
Russo-Japanese war, but will not con-
tend that radical changes in the condi-
tions Of warfare since that time justify
a change in attitude.
Expect Resistance.
The entente powers, according to
adYices here, expect t5at the state de-
partment will resist making cotton
contraband and are preparing to base
their action on American precedents.
The advices reaching here indicate
they intend to argue that both Presi-
dents Lincoln and johnson, in formal
proclamations issued in April, May
and June, 1865, went on record as
maintaining as contraband of war 'ma-
terials for tse fabrication of ammu-
nition.'
That cotton has taken the place OF
saltpetre, always recognized as abso-
lutte contraband, in the manufacture
of gunpowder, will be held to be an
establishing fact. By way Of convinc-
ing the state department to that eff
feet, attention probably will be direct
ed to letter by Secretary Hay to w.
w. Rockhill, American minister to
c. ina, during the Russo-Japanese war,
stating that the American ordnance
officers, whom he had called into con-
sultation regarding the japanese
blockade orders, had advised Iaim that
cotton was used in tae manufacture of
smokeless powder and so must prop
erly be regarded as contraband Of
war.
To Let Some Pass.
1t is expected that some sort OF an
arrangement will be proposed by
which the allies will engage to allow
cotton to travel unmolested to neutral
countries in quantities in proportion
to their normal consumption. What
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