The Washington herald. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1906-1939, 1915-07-23
DANGER IN DELAY
TO U. S. COTTON
London Times Warns British
ers to Adopt New
Plans.
WAY OUT IS SUGGESTED
Staple Must Be Purchased at Fair
Figure to Avoid Friction.
Writer Declares.
WAY OUT IS SUGGESTED
By HERBERT TEMPLE.

Special Correspondent OF The Washington Herald
London. July 22.-The cotton ques
ton is causing deep concern in Eng.
| land, 1t being feared here that sharr
differences will develop between Great
Britain and the United States. The
Times publishes warning on the
subject today which says in part:
Along our present lines we are
heading straight for a very sharp diff
| ference of opinion with the citizen:
and government of the United States
Such a development ought, if possible
be avoided. If 1t is allowed to mature
1t means an inevitable disturbance OF
American sentiment that cannot be to
our interests. 1t means that the
United States may be hampered and
weakened in dealing with other is
sues from other quarters. 1t means
that while the war lasts an accom-
paniment of diplomatic friction and
when it is over an aftermath OF re-
sentiment and presentation of bills for
damages"
Solution Suggested.
The Times then suggests the fol-
lowing a solution of the difficulty:
Simply to declare cotton contra band
and leave it at that will not, submit
meet the case. On the contrary, 1t
will aggravate the resentment of the
South and play directly into the hands
of agitators. 1t would. it Is true,
remove, or at any rate lessen the
legal and political objections of the
government to our present treatment
of cotton under the order-in-council,
but 1t would leave not merely un-
solved, but intensified, the CONNER
cial predicament of cotton growers.
What is needed is a plan that will Q)
prevent cotton from going into Ger
many; (2) command the assent of the
American government on the general
question of principle, and go satisfy
Southern planters.
Would Buy Cotton.
Such a plan it seems to me, must
combine the declaration of cotton as
contra band with a clear and generous
scheme of compensation.
What. therefore, is here suggested,
Is that the government should: First.
put itself right with American legal
and official circles by placing cotton on
the contraband list.
Second, purchase from Southern
cotton exchanges the amount of cotton
that would normally have gone to the
central empires.
This would involve an outlay Of
some $50. 100000. If we bought up at
the same time and on the same pre-
bellum basis exports of American cot
ton to Holland. Denmark. Sweden,
and Switzerland another $685.
100000 or so would cover the total ex-
pense.
Must Pay Good Price.
THE cotton so purchased. and the
South would inevitably insist on this
stipulation, that il would have to be
stored because it could not be resold to
our own spinners until the close of the
war. If it is used simply to take the
place of similar amount that would
otherwise have been imported by Brit
ish mills, the cotton growers would
gain nothing and the whole purpose of
the plan would be defeated. The di-
version of so much raw material from
one country to another must be addi-
tional 10 and not instead of orders
placed in Southern States by our pri-
vate manufactures.
1T must be an offering from the
British government to American plant
ers and have nothing to do with the
current flow of normal trade at a price
Of 10 cents a pound, price which ad
mits OF bare profit to the producer. but
less than IL or Is cents he
was receiving before the war.
Such an arrangement as have
outlined could. without difficulty. be
negotiated"