The Chesterfield advertiser. [volume] (Chesterfield C.H., S.C.) 1884-1978, 1915-08-19
SHUT OFF COTTON
ENGLISH SPEAKERS ADVOCATE
ACTION AGAINST STAPLE
TO Be MADE CONTRABAND

Government Receives Information
From Official Sources That Eng
lish Public Opinion May Force
Government to Throw Safeguards
Around Fleecy Stuff.
Information confirming reports
that England may soon put cotton on
her contraband list has reached the
state department from official
sources, 1t was learned recently. Am
bassador Page at London is said to
have advised the administration that,
despite reluctance of the British gov
ernment to take this step, public cla-
NOR for new blow at Germany may
compel action.
An informal protest to the British
foreign office Is being considered, &C
cordtng to authentic reports. This
would precede formal note. Presi-
dent Wilson and the state depart
ment are daily in receipt of appeals
and protests from cotton interests re-
garding the distractions already in
stituted by England against cotton
commerce. They are also urging cot
tion to forestall placing cotton on the
British contraband list.
The president Is devoting much
time to study Of the cotton situation.
1t will be referred to in a section Of
the forthcoming note to Great Bri-
tain regarding her general interfer-
ence, particularly by her orders in
council, with American commerce.
This note will be completed shartly.
Lord Robert Cecil, parliamentary
undersecretary for foreign affairs, in
formal interview Friday, defining
the British governments attitude in
the cotton situation, made his state
ment:
"The Allies must by all lawful
means prevent cotton reaching their
enemies; it may be considered neces-
sary to make cotton contraband."
At the same time Lord Cecil re-
Trained from any hint that the COM
modify would be removed from the
free list at any specific date. or that
the government had evolved any So
luton to meet the demands Of Amer
lean cotton growers and neutral con-
sumers. He said explicitly, however.
shat IL cotton were made contraband
England would consider the act legal
The statement, being the first in
behalf of the government outside
parliament relative to cotton, and
coming at a time when the public Is
clamoring for drastic action to shut
off the supply from Germany, is
taken In some quarters to presage
this step in the near future. Lord
Cecil's statement, which is prefaced
with the explanation that 1t describes
the governments position concerning
cotton 80 far as 1t is at the moment
possible to define it," says:
'The British government Is giving
the cotton situation it's continuous
and most earnest consideration. We
fully understand that upon a salts
factory adjustment Of the matter de-
pends to a considerable degree the
welfare of nearly quarter Of the
population of the United States. The
welfare OF the whole population OF
Great Britain. also. is involved. as
well as that OF all Great Britain 8
allies. for whom the British govern
ment Is acting In these and other
matters concerning contr. band and
trade.
"The fundamentals OF the situation
are quite clear. The Allies must by
all lawful means prevent cotton
reaching their enemies. That Is n
vital military necessity which all the
world will recognize.
''At the same time, and equally
important, consideration must be
given to a great cotton producing
country like America and to consum-
ing countries like Sweden, Norway,
Denmark and Holland. A policy must
be devised which will respect the le-
gitimate rights OF neutrals and yet
safeguard the legitimate interests Of
the Allies and inflict as much dam
age as possible upon our enemies.
:, Cotton has not been declared con-
traband, but under our blockade all
cotton which Is believed to be des-
tined for Germany is stopped. 1t
may be considered necessary to make
cotton contraband. There is a de-
mand in the allied countries that this
should be done. There Is assuredly
ample justification for the cotton II
IL is deemed necessary.
Cotton Is very import, an es-
sential ingredient in fact OF propul-
sion explosives. Copper Is contra
band by all the laws Of the nations
and yet in the present war cotton has
been shown to be more important
than copper. There may be a sub3ti-
tute for copper in making munitions
of war. For cotton there is no known
substitute. II American cotton goes
through to Germany the Germans use
1T to kill allied soldiers. Therefore
cotton must not go to Germany.
Making cotton contrabGnd would
be a distinctly legal action and can
be internationally justified beyond
protest. So far as American cotton
Is concerned, howev, r, the problem
of marketing cotton on this side
would undergo little change. Ameri.
can cotton destined for Germany IL
now stopped. II the product were
made contraband, it would be stop
ped in the came manner. The princi.
pal difficulty would be that IL cotton
were contraband, shipments from
America, which were suspected OF be.
ing for Germany would be seized and