Evening journal., 1918-06-24
THE CONTROL or THE COTTON nrNc

ID RESIDENT WILSON will be powerless TO institute
trade boycott against Germany as long as the cotton
ring controls Congress. The editor Of tho New York
Journal OF Commerce declares tho necessity Of en-
ploylns economic pressure to bring the German people
to reason has In the councils the Entente long passed
the stage OF controversy" and he advocates that the
United states threaten boycott against Germany
which hesatos to make full restoration or to Join
general paot OF disarmament and conollaton" insisting
that we with our Allies in combination, must he pre-
pared TO impose boycott stin united SO eroc-
tive, that such hesltations will disappear"
William Harbutt Dawson is quoted IN the Contem-
porary Review recommending the Allies have little
TO do with Germany possible after the and his
formula provides for restoring to her no colonies
fusing her 10 their markets TO their supplies
for materials whether home or colonial neither
using her shipping aording her the use Of their
own" rc, etc. Last February President Wilson sug
sested that IL the military masters OF the German people
remained in the saddle after the the world would
see TO IL that Germany had access 10 indispensable
raw materials and TO indispensable markets This topic
is live one today
But the example which this country has afforded
by the Congressional cotton ring since got into the
war should convince OF the utter futy OF any at
tempt part 20 carry out such policy as long as
that ring encirces legislation. German boycott leg
islaon could get by Democratic Congress for
the simple that Democratic Congress is abso-
Juely under the heel OF Democrat members from the
states ana tney IN turn the marion
cites Of the cotton barons The widest Imagination
to lay nominal war tax cotton would permit the
enactment Of any legislation having for its purpose the
export embargo to Germany Of that product The German
government knows full well that with the Southern
Democracy in control Of legislation a threat Of an
economic boycott would be nothing but stuffed club and
for this reason:
Cotton is the Mammon Of the south. It is the raw
material for which Germany will have the most over
whelmng demand after the There isn't an ounce
Of cotton available in Germany today warehouses
are swept clean She is using nettle fiber and
stitutes her inventive genius can create She has
countless spindes idle, and she will have workmen ga
oro when peaees comes TO Europe For the i've years
preceding the outbreak Of the d9iO-il incusiye
our exports Of cotton to Germany totaled an annual
average Of 2i0O0O bales, valued al Si5iiOOOOO This
accounted for nearly 80 per cent Of entire cotton
export The annual average our total exports OF all
goods to Germany for those years s3OiiO0OOO so
that cotton alone accounted for 80 per Of that
total in years when the export pound price 70 to "a
cents instead Of 30 cents at present Germany was
the largest foreign buyer Of the chief staple Of the
South we'll large purchaser Of Southern tobacco
cotton seed meal, turpentine and oil
With these facts in mind does anyone believe that the
cotton ring would tolerate legislation which would cut
on the German market for ootton2 Would the cot
ton barons who have categoricay refused to support
tho Government in time OF war by permitting slight
tax Of their product, acquesce in policy which would
Interfere with their continuing profits after war had
ceased2 Not The life OF your Uncle Samuel Before
President Wilson could bring economic pressure to bear
against Germany the cotton crowd would have to be
canned.
II this policy should prove absolutely. vital to our
success in this warf its importance should override
tho practical and economic considerations Of our future
trade the Republican party would support the President
in such measure. 10 has supported him in every
other necessary Of which the draft law IS
conspicuous example. And the Republican party viii |
also support and demand policy which Will
protect American Industries after the war Is over