The Dawson news. (Dawson, Ga.) 1889-current, 1918-09-24
GOVERNMENT WILL
FIX COTTON PRICE
VIII SON INTENDS FOR ORDER
tn APPLY TO PRESENT CROP.
SENATOR SMITHS VIEWS.

WASHINGTON, D. C.-Senators
From, cotton growing states disclosed
..lav that at their recent white house
difference President Wilson made it
clear it was his intention not only to
fix price for this years cotton crop,
Init also to order government control
Of its distribution.
The president gave no intimation
Of what he would consider fair price
if was said, and any action will await
the report of the special committee
which the president announced last
week would inquire into the general
subject, including production costs.
Is Cents Fair Price, Says Houston.
The price to be named by the pres
dent or the means of controlling dis
tribution have not been decided up
on The president is understood to
have emphasized at his recent confer
ence that a "fair price" would be
fixed, but did not indicate in any way
what this would be.
Before price-fxing was first men
toned cotton sold at 38 cents a
pound. Secretary Houston, it is said,
had recommended that % cents would
be fair. Southern senators deny this
would be fair price.
Government control Of distribution,
It is claimed, is necessary owing to
the shortage of the present crop,
which has been greatly augmented
by the war.
That some action will be taken by
the executive department without
delay was the opinion expressed to-
day bv Senator Underwood, of Ala
bama. Because of the uncertainty
of the situation, he said, the cotton
market is at a standstill.
Price Fixing Vain, Says Smith.
The receipt of scores of kilograms
and letters from Georgia regarding
the cotton price fixing situation caus-
ed Senator Hoke Smith to prepare a
statement covering the entire ques-
ton.
Senator Smith, along with other
senator's and representatives from the
cotton growing states, will keep in
constant touch with the price fixing
movement.
Senator Smiths statement is typi-
cal of the view held by many south
ern members of congress. 1t was is
sued because of the statewide con-
Germ in Georgia over the cotton sit
uation, as reflected by the heavily
increased correspondence of every
member of the delegation. He said:
1T is well known that the worlds
demand for our cotton during the
coming twelve months is greater than
the entire supply, including the low
est grades of spinnable cotton.
"The president wishes to see to 1t
that each of the countries receiving
cotton from the United States shall
take its proportionate part of the low
er grade of spinnable cotton. This
should force up the price of the low
cr grade and bring a more uniform
price for all spinnable cotton raised.
Linters' price Agreed On.
Cotton producers have agreed
with the government upon a very
low price for linters The linters will
furnish all the cotton required by
our government and by our allies for
the manufacture of powders and eX-
plosives.
"The government could requisition
cotton needed to be manufactured
into supplies for the army. This
would, however, require only small
portion of our cotton. Even If the
government requisitioned it, the gov
eminent could not arbitrarily fix the
price If the holder Of the cotton was
not willing to sell at the price named,
the government would pay 80 per
cent of the price, then the holder
could go to the courts and obtain
adjudication as to the actual value.
There is no power, and congress
cannot give power to the govern
ment to fix the price of cotton and
20 compel a man to sell cotton to
factory, or for the use of foreign
factories, at price that the owner
Of the cotton was not willing to take.
Regardless of a determination by
any board of what the government
will offer for cotton to be shipped to
our allies, including the factories OF
our allies, the price so fixed would
not be binding upon the cotton rails
err He could keep his cotton and de-
cline to take the price.
No Man Compelled to Sell.
81 hope that the price fixed, if one
IS fixed, to be offered by the govern
ment for cotton for our allies, will
be sufficiently high to justify the
farmers in accepting it. If it is not
sufficiently high l wish it understood
they are not obliged to sell it. No
man is compelled to give up his cot
ton to anybody except to our govern
ment for government necessities, and
then the government cannot fix the
price The party whose cotton is taken
has the privilege of trial before the
courts for the price he thinks it is
worth.
Il do not mention these facts in
any spirit of hostility to government
al action. l hope any committee APP
pointed will realize the rights of the
cotton grower; but l wish to allay
cneasiness on the part of the cotton
larmers and would have them know
their rights.
Would Have Sold at 40 Cents.
If there had been no agitation of