Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1921-02-25
SECRET WAR HISTORY
Did the Government Deal Fairly
With the People. !
HOW COTTON BECAME CONTRABAKD
According to This Story America Was
Working With the Allies Long Before
She Openly Went Into the War.

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Allied cause as carly as the summer Of
1915, two years before America entered
the war, when it pledged itself in adj
vance not to make more than formal
protest to Great Britain against an en-
barge on cotton, according to the Man.
ufacturers' Record for February II, a
copy of which was obtained here today.
At that time cotton had become an al
most vital necessity to Germany and
Great Britain believed that without it
she would be unable to manufacture
munitions of war.
This secret deal is understood TO have
been brought to successful conclusion
by Sir Cecil Spring Rice, on behalf of
Great Britain, and w P. G. Harding
! now governor Of the Federal reserve
board, acting for the United States. If
this is true. it was stated here today, it
was direct violation Of neutrality by
the United States, in that it was a Sc
cret agreement between this govern
ment and one of the beligerents.
it was stated that he is. al present in
the southern reserve district. Officials
close to the governor could neither af-
firm nor deny the statements.
Would Like to Keep Quiet.
I'VE do not know that it is always
wise to disclose secret history. II has
been objected that we ought not TO, tell
Of this deal which was made between
the British and the American. govern
mcnts in 1915" says the Manufactu-
rcrs Record. There are men who
would like 10 keep it quiet. But We can
see no reason for this distrust of the
American people.
"ln the summer OF 1915 cotton was at
panic price. The British ambassador
was instructed to ascertain from the
government in Washington what the
United States would do if cotton was
declared to be contraband. The United
States replied that the low price OF cot
ton was already causing havoc in the
south. and that any such action by the
British would necessitate immediate
protest by the United States and the
employment Of retaliatory measures,
the effect Of which might he to cause
the Allies to lose the war.
Sought Agreement.
THE British ncgotiators replied that
they we're well aware Of the disastrous
effect the proposed action would loEl-
culiy have, but they were instructed 10
discover il some agreement in advance
could not be reached which would rem
der the American governments protest
Il mere formality.
The agreement ran somewhat in this
wise:
"'Do you control your own country
asked the American representatives.
We do, said the British.
".Ah. then, you doubtless also con-
troll the Liverpool markets. observed
the Americans.
! "What do you mean? qucred the
Britisher.
Think il over 4 few days and then
come back said the Americans.
! so, u little later the British return
cd and they said substantially this: II
the America government will agree 10
make only formal protest when we de-
clare cotton to be contraband then we,
in our turn, will give guarantee that
the dav We mike the declaration the
price of cotton on the Liverpool EN-
change will rise to not less than the
equivalent Of ten cents the pound IN
America We will guarantee that the
price Of cotton will rise with tn" dec
laration, and We will agree TO Keep II
1,o above the minimum mentioned SD
long rs cotton remains OH the contra :
band list
Not Only Liverpool.
"Gut it was no: the Liverpool mar-
ket only that the British government
agreed to hold ut an 'artiliciaI lever.
An English firm repnrts the agreement
in these words:
The British government decided 10
propose to the government OF III" Unit
ed States nf America that if they wculd
consent to cotton being put on the con-
lralrnd list they would guarantee the
southern planter against further loss
BY putting in buying agents III the
south with orders to buy all the Sp"l
cotton and the production Of the nrN'
crop which offered below nine utn)
cents. This proposal was accepted ny
The United States Of America, and the
very fact that the British government
stood to take all offers 1t below nlllc
(tcn) cents prevented any decline" and
although we spent $1jn.O00 i'll pay
mcn,s to buyers prepared TO act, no
cotton was secured
August ~. 1915. the 1?rtisl declared
lcntton contrnhand. Apparently INC
news was published in this country Au-
rust -. The effect Was immediate. In
stead Of prices going down, they imme-
diatcly began to 10 up and they ktp'
going up.
The negotiations were conducted. III
part our information indicate by Am
bassLdn. Spring Rice and Mr.. Harding
SsfsI ttIfI