Americus times-recorder. [volume] (Americus, Ga.) 1891-current, 1919-03-05
SOUTH IS BEING
SACRIFICED AT
PEACE TABLETS
VIEW OF BROWN
Commissioner Takes President to
Task for His Stand on Cotton
Embargo

That the cotton farmers OF the
South are being sacrificed around the
peace table in Europe. and that Presi-
dent Wilson, in refusing to have the
cotton embargo lifted until peace is
signed is not consistent with his IA
principles which he applied to the
world in taking the lead for peace, is
the belief of Georgia's commissioner
of agriculture, J. J. Brown, in a letter
just received from him by l.. G. Coun-
Gil, in reply to a letter written to Mr.
Brown on the cotton situation rec
emily.
After calling attention to the fact
that cotton dropped nearly S. pei. bale
following the Presidents declination
to act on the request of the delegation
of Southern congressman, meaning
many millions to the South, Mr.. Brown
says:
'You will notice from the Sundays 5
papers that l have given an inter
view which l fully believe expresses
the sentiment of the entire South, and
while we are loyal as any section, and
our actions during the war prove it.,
the time has come when we must re-
fuse to stand idly by and see the South
sacrificed on the altar Of European
commerce.
Our President. if l understand any
thing, has taken the position in his
fourteen points of peace, that we were
not shedding the blood and losing the
lives of Americas manhood on the
battle fields of Europe for the purpose
of establishing the commercial inter-
est of any foreign nation; but as
see it, his statement as handed to the
press shbws conclusively that the
Southern farmers product is being US
ed around the peace table, and it is
clear to my mind that this embargo is
being held over our cotton for no
other reason than to shape the COM
mercial and industrial situation on the
other side of the great Atlantic ocean
'It have fought the battle for our
people and their rights as God gave me
to see the right, and have no apollo
gies to make for the efforts that we
have put forth. that have consumed
inn hVy nd hxy iUhf nd
have no hesitancy in saying that while
we deplore the fact that we must take
issue with our great President on this
proposition of embargo on cotton, that
we shall not hesitate for moment to
do so; though we have only the very
kindest of feelings toward our nations
chief executive.
"If it is to the interest of America
and her allies to shut off the raw cot
ton OF the South to the open markets
of the world under the law of supply
and demand at a time when this de-
mand would cause cotton to bring not
35c, but far above that price, then ! say
that it would not be asking for spec
ial privileges when we say to our great
President Let the people of our own
nation and our allies bear the results
of this embargo by taking over the
cotton at price it would bring in the
open markets of the world under the
law of supply of demand; it would be a
a great deal more than we are asking
for the cotton-namely, 35c.
why should the South bear the
brunt and make the sacrifice, and see
our great section go into bankruptcy
and ruin, when this embargo is being
held, according to the statement of the
President, for the good of our entire
nation and our allies? We have not
asked anything at the hands of the gov
eminent, except the open markets and
a square deal in disposing of our cot
ton; and if our sons and brothers have
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