Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1915-07-22
The Cotton Blockade.

In this connection movement as I'M
wise as that which created the move
ment "buy bale at ten CENTS" and
which plarcarded the whole country
with appeals to Help the South. = is
being stirred up by some of the same
politicians who last year misled the
South as to the handling of its cotton,
and now are seeing to arouse an
tagonism to Great Britain demanding
that the Government shall adopt re-
taliatory measures against that country
il Great Britain does not throw the
markets of the world open to cotton
shipments.
1t is difficult to understand how in
telligent men in the South can be guilty
of such piece of folly. Great Britain
and its Allies are fighting for exist
ance. Their defeat would be as dis
astrous to the United States as it
would be to them. They are fighting
the battle of this country and of every
other country against militarism the
success of which would throw civil
ization back for 100 years and inevitable
engulf this country is an overwhelming
disaster,
Under such conditions it behooves
the people of the South to recognize
the fact that great Britain is not going
to permit cotton to reach Germany if it
can possibly avoid it. Exery bale of
cotton that enters Germany is simply
aiding that country in the campaign
illustrated in the sacking of Belgium
and in the murderous destruction of
the Lusitania. Every bale of cotton
that enters Germany would simply pro-
long the war. Great Britain. there
fore, by reason of its ability to prac-
tically blockade the North Sea and
keep the cotton out of Germany will
do it. Any movement in this country
to create hostility to Great Britain be-
cause of-its position is snortsighted and
is necessarily creating an agitation
which cannot possibly be of any help.
In all seriousness it may be suggested
that Great Britain and its Allies in Eu-
rope and Asia could, from purely
material or military point of view, far
better afford to be at war with the
United States than to permit cotton to
go freely and fully into Germany.
This country is not one-fifth as well
prepared for war as was Great Britain,
and the unpreparedness O. that coun-
try is one of it's monumental mistakes;
but it trusted Germany beyond the
point Of wisdom and safety. Our I'M
preparedness is almost criminal. We
could not be ready in twelve months to
meet war condition even with any
one great world-couutry. much less
with many; but the Manufacturers
Record, justified in going to almost any
extreme, based on their control of the
sea and the issues at stake for the
whole world. in making it impossible
for Germany. directly or through neu-
trail ports to secure cotton. If they
have the power of doing this by their
command Of the sea. they will do it.
Our national welfare and the civiliza-
tion of the world largely staked upon
their ability to do it. and the South
who undertakes to develop spirit of
antagonism to Great Britain because
Of this position, and who seeks 10 make
this Government pass retaliatofy meas
ures, is an enemy to every cotton grow
er in the South as well as an enemy to
all the interest Of every kind Of this
nation. Manufacturers Record.