Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1915-08-12
Meeting Held to impress Gov
eminent Of Necessity Of
Contraband Declaration.
GERMANS GET PRODUCT
TO MAKE MUNITIONS
Intimated and Denied That London
Session Was Tainted With
Commercialism.

LONDON, August IA storm of
England as the result of the meeting
held last night to impress on the gov
eminent the necessity of declaring cot
ton contraband of war;
Sir William Ramsay, the eminent SCI
enlist, declared cotton was the only
substance required for the manufacture
of munitions with which the Germans
could not supply themselves. He said
no chemical products can take the
place of cotton in propulsive ammuni-
ton. and that ammunition made from
used cotton Is not as effective as that
made from unused cotton.
Sir Charles NIAGARA, president OF the
Master Cotton Spinners ASSOCIATION OF
Great Britain, presided at the meei,ng{
speaker.
Interest Is Lessened.
An inspired statement published in
most of the newspapers yesterday
morning. deprecating the agitation to
make cotton contraband and fntimat1ng
that negotiations with the United
States on this subject were proceeding,
had the effect Of lessening interest IN
the meeting. Both the presiding officer
and chief speaker were insistent, now
ever. that immediate action should be
taken.
In opening the proceeding the presi-
dent of the cotton spinners said he had
no doubt the manufacturer OF ex-
plosives had consumed a large part OF
the cotton surplus created by the war
and added:
I've must utilize our command of the
highways of the sea. both practically
and automatically, to prevent cotton
reaching enemy countries, while at the
same time acting fairly in the interests
of neutral countries"
Cotton Goes to Germany.
Sir William Ramsay declared that
cotton was going into Germany by de-
vious routes. It was sold, he said, to
Dutch and Swedish companies under a
guarantee that it would not be sold to
Germany or Austria. While technt-
cally this guarantee was not violated.
Sir William contended, 1t was in reality
a subterfuge. for the Dutch and Swed-
ish consignees sold the shipments to
Swiss companies. who. in turn. sold
them to Great Britain's adversaries.
The estimate was made by Sir Will
liam that a thousand tons of cotton is
used every day Of the war, and he pro-
tested that it was grossly unfair to
the English soldiers and their allies
that Great Britain should continue to
supply Germany with this commodity.
Had cotton been stopped at the be-
ginning of the war;" he said, 1--WE might
reasonably expect to see the war near
ing an end"
Lord Beresford's Letter.
A letter from Lord Beresford was
read at the meeting in which he said:
I'VE don't wish to hamper the trade
of the great English-speaking nation
across the Atlantic. There are difficult
ties, but difficulties were created to be
faced
The solution of the problem proposed
by Lord Beresford would be for the
British government to buy up the en-.
tire American cotton crop and resell
afterward even il at loss.
Denies Meeting Was Tainted.
The Manchester Guardian denies the
that the meeting held In
last night to urge the govern
ment to declare cotton contraband was
with commercialism. in that the
cotton interests would benefit by such
a declaration.
IF Manchester men have a policy. 1t
is not for trade or for sectional rea-
sons, but on broadly national grounds"
this paper says. Our own views on
the matter are these: Cotton Is more
necessary for purposes of war than any
other article of commerce, and 1t passes
our comprehension how 1t ever came
to be put on the free list"
Deprecates Proposed Purchase.
The Guardian deprecates the sugges-
ton that England should buy tho
American crop, If cotton should be de-
clared contraband, arguing that in case
loss must be sustained the American
growers should be the chief sufferers.
When cotton was contraband during
the civil war, it adds. no one bought
a supply to relieve the famine in Man
chester.
Will Address Georgia Society.