The Manning times. [volume] (Manning, Clarendon County, S.C.) 1884-current, 1915-09-29

blacklist to enforce its demands.
These demands, as set forth IN
documents accompanying these artl-
cles, are, in effect, that every Amerl-,
can manufacturer whose business
compels the use of raw materials
mainly obtainable in British posses
sions is compelled to sign, before re
ceiving such products, guarantees
partaking of the nature OF an oath
that he viii not barter, sell or ship
goods manufactured from them to
any foreign country without the con-
sent of the British government.
This application of the boycott"
to American business is extended so
as to include South America, pre-
sunably on the theory that American
manufactured products sent there
might eventually find their way to
.tenemy Countries
American business men who have
suffered by this restriction claim that
the British government has exceeded
its legitimate international privileges
by practically placing an embargo on
American made goods OF miscei-
Ianeous character into the manufac-
ture of which no British raw material
enter
Operating through its board of
trade, a government institution slml-
lar TO the United States department
of commerce, and its recently created
war trade department, the British
government has practically reorganlz-
ed and now exercises an almost abso-
lutte control over the American indus
tries into the manufacture of which
enters wool, cotton, rubber and other
raw materials.
Through American trade organiza-
tions designated by the British gov
ernment to represent 1t offlclaiiy,
American manufacturers compelled
to secure supplies of raw materials
grown or produced in the British
Isles, Canada, Australia, New Zea-
land, South Africa, India, Malaysia
and Its other colonies, have been
zcoerced into signing agreements and
guarantees not to trade with enemy
Countries Penalties for violations
sof these agreements are provided IN
the application Of the boycott" and
-'bIackhst."
From documents, official records
and interviews obtained by The
World the fact is clearly established
that the. British government no"
practically dictates the terms under
which the importers and manufactur-
ers of the United States are permitted
30 do business beyond the Atlantic
and Pacific Oceans and the Canadian
and Panama borders.
How effective the trade blockade
OF America has been made by Great
Britain is demonstrated by specific
Instances. Evidence on this point
shows that in its attempt to conquer
the Teutonic allies arrayed against i
the British government has penaiized
American manufacturers by withhold
ing from them the delivery of goods
end raw materials which were coz
sracted and paid for prior to the be-
ginning OF the European war.
American manufacturers who, for
patriotic reasons, resented the trade
dictation> Of Great Britain, have oees
peremptoriIy checked. at first by al
admonition and warning, finally by
being :tbIacklisted." ;"
A few American concerns, notably
tho American Woolen Company (the
Wool Trust) abruptly refused to ac'
cede to the conditions imposed by
Great Britain and have been COM.
peeled to- suffer the inevitable conse-
quences.s
William NJ. Wood, presideLt Of the
american Wooden company, recently
toM%a friend and business associate
IN Boston that the American Wooler
company would go into bankruptcy
before ,itwould yield to the arbitrary
demands Ct Great Britain. What Nj.
Wood said was Great Britain could
go to he'll"
The American WooIen company is
sixty-milEon-dolla corporation. II
owns the immense Aver Mills. Its
owr plant cover seven hundred acres
and it's mill buildings contain ten
million square feet of mill space.
- But the American Woolen company
from the British DominionS is not
able to get one pound of wool, al
though its business is entirely with
American consumers.
The declaration Of Great Britain tc
permit Oelrichs and company, an OLD
ablished American firm, to be plac-
ed on the wool preference list unit
1t gave up its forwarding department
furnishes another illustration OF
British methods in dealing With
American trade.
This firm not only was compelled
to gre up its forwarding department
but to furnish guarantees that it had
no, financial connection with the
North German Lloyd Steamship COM
pany before it could secure four hun
dred thousand dollars worth of South
African wool contracted for prior tc
the declaration Of war between Great
Britain and Germany.
The surrender to the British terms
of some American firms is instanceo
In letters in the possession of The
World. An Ohio steel firm was COM
PEELED to notify it's customers that ii
would not accept contracts from them
unless guarantees were furnished
that the manufactured articles would
not be offered for sale outside the
United States or to any foreign coun
try except Great Britain.
The undertakings of the British
government in seeking to control
American trade conditions have been
conducted with sublety. Legal de-
vices have been resorted to in avoid
ing conflict with American laws. As
a matter Of fact, the hand OF the
British government is not directly re-
veaIed in the application of methods
by which the subiugation of Ameri-
can commerce has been accomplished.
Insurance and steamship COM
panies have been compelled to inser'
clauses in their contracts covering
shipments of American goods to al
foreign countries which give the!
British government the right to seize
all shipments consigned to ports not