Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1918-12-16
COTTON BOARD
MEMBER TELLS
FARMERS. HOLD

and doesn't plant it over the face of
the earth this coming season, he can
get his own price for the following
crop" This is the opinion of Edward
H. Inman, of Inman, Howard & In
man, who has just returned to Atlanta
after three months in Washington as
member of the cotton distribution
committee appointed by President
wilson, as told to the Atlanta Journal.
This committee, which has resign
cd, following the completion of it's
work, is said to have done more for
the cotton trade before and after the
signing of the armistice than any other
agency in the country.
The three biggest things accom-
plished by the committee were:
L. 1t stopped speculative selling
On the New York and the New Or
leans exchanges when the market was
helpless.
z. 1t got the war trade board to
remove the restrictions on the ex-
port of cotton, which had prohibited
any cotton being shipped without &
license from the war trade board for
every shipment.
3. 1t has. been largely instrumental
in obtaining the release of between
100000 and 100000 tons of ship
ping, of which about 100000 tons, cap
able of carrying 100000 bales at trip,
will be available for cotton
News that the board had resigned
after completing its work had reached
Atlanta in dispatches from Washing
ton. But the actual story of what the
board had done and the effect of its
efforts on the cotton trade is told for
the first time in the following inter-
view with Mr. Inman, one of the lead
ing cotton men of the South, who has
devoted himself wholly during the last
three months to the affairs of the
committee
The restrictions on short selling, he
pointed out, were put into effect by
the board on November Is at time
VIXEN there was a general feeling that
the end of the war meant inevitable
def1ation, and that everything had to
go down in price. The buying power
of the American mills was temporarily
absent, because there were no further
government contracts and the civilian
demand hadn't begun to be felt.
THE market was in a helpless con-
dition and l believe the price would
have gone to 20 cents, if we hadn't put
in effect the restrictions on selling"
said Mr. Inman.
The wisdom of the committees
course was shown by the remarkable
change the market underwent in
month. The mills found that the gov
eminent was bent on showing them all
consideration in cancelling orders and
that the civilian trade was beginning
to enter the market. The result was
q return of confidence, and on Decem-
Der 9 the restrictions imposed by the
committee were removed
The next big work of the committee
was to get the war board to remove
restrictions on the export of cotton.
Under wartime conditions nothing
could be exported without license on
every shipment. But now all restric-
tons have been removed from the eX-
portation of cotton to Great Britain,
France, Italy and japan and co:;on
can be shipped to Spain without limi-
tation as to quantity, but licenses are
still required. Other neutral countries
are permitted to purchase at once and
to hold in America cotton up to the
full quantity specified in agreements
entered into with the United States.
The result of this has been to stimu-
late demand and improve the market
generally.
The third big accomplishment of the
board was to secure the release of
tonnage.
After conferences with the War
Trade Board, our understanding"
said Mr.. Inman, was that about l.
100000 tons would be released and
that 100000 would be available for cot
ton. With that amount of tonnage
about 100000 bales could be shipped
across at d trip.
Europe, as you know, has no cot
ton. 1t is very anxious TO get both
cotton and cotton goods; and with re-
strictions removed and tonnage avail
able, exports are already increasing
considerably. England, for instance
was getting 10000 bales in Novem-
Der; in December she released ton
e. ooa ann Lofo,. opd X