Hopkinsville Kentuckian. [volume] (Hopkinsville, Ky.) 1889-1918, 1916-08-31
PROTEST AGAINST COUNCIL



District near bankrupt last year has
been re-enacted. The effect of this
Order is to put an embargo on all
shipments of dark tobacco to Germany
or Austria after August 3lst This
will include what is termed Scandina-
Wan Europe, Denmark, Holland, Bel
GUM and Switzerland, also Sweden
and Norway. These countries under
normal conditions purchase at least
one hundred millions Of pounds of
our dark tobacco. Scandinavian Eu-
rope takes her requirements largely
through Bremen. Germany produces
a large portion of her consumption.
So does Austria and Hungary. For
two years, or since the war began,
this production has been greatly cur
tailed. Their stocks of tobacco are
exhausted. Germany and Austria,
therefore, on free, open market
would take one-third of our large
crop of tobacco at high figure Eng
land has low selfish purpose in cut
ting off shipments of tobacco to Ger
many and Austria. Tobacco is not an
article of contraband, because it is
not food or war necessity. Every
dollar that Germany or Austria puts
into tobacco lowers her financial
efficiency just this much. England
is furnishing the finances for Italy and
France. Italy and Frances produc-
ton of tobacco is practically cut off
on account of belligerent conditions.
According to government report
France will need and require out of
this crop double her usual purchase.
Italy for her own consumption and
for the need of the Reggie govern
ments will require large increase
over her average purchase. England
is underwriting the finances of both
countries. If the market in the Black
Patch" is allowed to open with the
active, aggressive competition which
the German and Austrian buyers will
afford, England with its acute financial
eyes sees that the French-ltalian pur-
chase will cost from forty to sixty
millions more money than if competi-
ton is throttled The black list on
tobacco, therefore, is not war meas
ure. It's shrewd financial policy,
conceived by a cold, calculating fnan-
cier. 1t is purely English in all its
characteristics. The plan in all its
features is premeditated to take sixty |
millions out of the pockets of the |
dark tobacco growers and put it in |
4, the British Golfers; and to hide the
infamy of this damnable burglary by
proclaiming it to be war measure.
The Government at Washington
can give relief. Shall the tobacco
grower be exploited and his sweat
money taken away under the very
eyes of Congress without protest or
a demand to stop thief" Shall Ken
lucky and Tennessee farmers be thus
victimized and required to bear the
burdens of a European War? The
recent Merchant Black List promul-
gated by the English Government has
been modified, so that same is no
longer Objectionable. This was the
result of vigorous protest from |
Washington, and threat of retalia-
tory measures. The embargo on
tobacco shipments TO Germany and !
Austria can be removed in the same
way. If our Government will only |
sayto England that this embargo must
be lifted or the Government of the
United States will be forced to pro-
hibit all or certain grain shipments on
and after August 3lst, then no one
doubts the result. If Washington
wavers or vacillates, the embargo
will remain until the war ends. 4
In the condition that confronts us
the Federal Government is the only
power that can step between and di-
vert financial disaster Delegations
of strong men from Mayfeld, Padu-
cab, Murray, Hopkinsville, GAINESVILLE,
Springfield, Guthrie, Elkton, Russell
vile, jacksonville and Henderson are
leaving today for Washington for a
conference with Senators and Repre-
sentatives for Monday. Delegates
are being sent from Virginia and
North Carolina. Nothing will be left