The herald and news. [volume] (Newberry S.C.) 1903-1937, 1915-08-17
MAY DECLARE COTTON
CONTRABAND OF WAR
BRITAIN DETERMINED TO PRE-
VENT 1T REACHING ENEMIES.
Government Will Do Everything in It's
Power to Avoid Injury to
American Interests.

LONDON, Aug. l5.-LOrd ROBERT cecil,
parliamentary undersescretary for for
eign affairs, in formal interview to-
day defining the British governments
attitude in the cotton situation made
this statement:
''The allies must by ali lawful means
prevent cotton reaching their enemies;
it may be considered necessary to
make cotton contraband."
At the same time Lord Cecil re-
trained from any hint that the COM
mooity would be removed from the
free list at any specific date, or that
the government had evolved any solu-
tion to meet the demands of Ameri-
can cotton growers and neutral con-
sumers. He said explicitly, however,
that if cotton were made contraband
England would consider the act legal
and internationally just.
This statement, being the first in
behalf of the government outside par
liament relative to cotton, and coming
at a time when the public is clamoring
for drastic action to smut off the sup
ply from Germany, is taken in some
quarters to presage this step in the
near future. Lord Cecil's statement,
which is prefaced with the explana-
tion that it describes the governments
position concerning cotton so far as
it is at the moment possible to define
il" says:
Affects Americans Deeply.
"The British government is giving
the cotton situation its continuous and
most earnest consideration. We fully
understand that on a satisfactory ad
justment of matter depends to a con-
siderable degree tae welfare of nearly
a quarter of the population of the
United States. The welfare of the
whole population of Great Britain,
however, also is involved, as well as
that of all Great Britain's allies, for
whom the British. government is act
ing in these other matters concerning
contraband and trade
'|The fundamentals of the situation
are quite clear. The allies must by
all lawful ulmeans prevent cotton reach
ing ner enemies. That is vital mill
targ necessity which all the world will
will recognize.
"The same and equally important
consideration must be given to a great
cotton producing country like America
and to consuming countries like Swed-
en-, Norway, Denmark and Holland. A
policy must be devised which will re-
spect the legitimate rights of neutrals
and yet safeguard the legitimate in
terests of the allies and inf1ict as mucn
damage as possible upon our enemies.
Enemy's Supply Stopped.
Cotton has not yet been declared
contraband, but under cur blockade all
cotton which is believed to be des-
tined for Germany is STOPPED 1t may
be cons .3Ged ecessa to make cot
ton contraband. There is a demand in
the allied countries tnat this should
be done There is assuredly ample
justification for the action if it is
deemed necessary.
Cotton is a very important, an es-
sential, ingredient, in fact, of propul
sion explosives. Copper is contraband
by all the laws of the nations, and
yet in the present war cotton has been
shown to be more important than cop
per. There may be substitute for
copper in making munitions of war.
For cotton there is no known substi-
tute. If American cotton goes through
t& Germany the Germans use half of
it 10 kill allied soldiers. Therefore,
cotton must not go to Germany.
Making cotton contraband would be
a distinctly legal action and can be
internationally justified beyond pro-
test. So far as american cotton is
concerned, however, the problem of
marketing cotton on this side would
undergo little change American cot
ton destined for Germany is now stop
ped. If the product were made con-
traband it would be stopped in t0e
same manner The principal difficulty
would be that if cotton were contra
band, shipments from America which
were suspected of being for Germany
would be seized and would be liable
to confscation by prize court pro-
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