Fitzgerald leader enterprise and press. (Fitzgerald, Ben Hill County, Ga.) 1921-1964, 1921-05-11
SACRIFICE SOUTH TO EAsT?-The pub

crnor Harding OF the Federal Reserve Banks
sucked the blood out OF the credit structure Of
this country They propose to sacrifice the cotton
farmers OF the South, to use them pawns in
the international game OF chess, to them as
bruised and shrinking catspaw with which to
pull Eastern industrial and shipping chestnuts
out OF the fire.
he collosal crime that the Republican party
is now suggesting is, in nutshell this English
industry has refused to use any foreign goods or
materials unless they shipped into England
in English vessels. The Republican party,
reprisal against this blow at American shipping
monopoists, propose to place embargo cot
ton and refuse to let American cotton go INTO
England.
1t is only suggestion now, thank heaven, and
there is time to show the fools who made the
suggestion the colossal proportions OF their Jolly
The publicity committee OF the Republican party
has OF its principle purposes the sound
ing OF public sentiment OF the country in regard
to administration programs along various lines.
The committee sends out stories about what
"may" be done and then listens to the reception
these proposals receive in the press OF the nation
If the reception is favorable, the proposal is writ
ten into bill and put into law. Ii unfavorable,
the proposal is dropped
Let us see what the "retaatory' measure
would do to the South and to the nation if car
ried into effect The South has been generally
harder hit by deAation than any other section OF
country hit below the belt by the uniathiul OF
the Souths own administration Should an
barge be placed ON cotton going to England
cotton would drop to three or four cents The
crop that has been planted would as well be
H., = koi, hold
would as well be burned up. Where the cotton
farmers OF the South were facing ruin, they
would face starvation.
Engands spinners would buy raw American
cotton from German French Swedish, Belgian
and other European brokers If it wanted Amer
lean cotton 1t would feel the embargo not at
all II an embargo was placed ON all cotton
ports to Europe the English .spinners would turn
to India and Egypt for their supply. An Amer
lean embargo cotton would mean certainly
and inevitably that England would develop those
vast potential cotton regions. She will not do
this unless forced. If the American government
forces her she will
1t is folly to believe that such heroic
measure would preserve to the Eastern ship
owners or recover for them, the inflated and
mushroom growth OF the last seven years The
shipping industry has got to feel more tremen-
dous detlation than most other industries Dur
ing the war more ships were built than during
the previous ha-centhry The immense inter
ocean traffic i'll materials is over The only
way in which any nation can preserve its mer-
chant marine is in lowered rates and increased
efficiency. The eight or ten per cent dividends
American ship owners demand will preclude all
possibility of the United States retaining its pres
ent tonnage its proportionate place
among maritime powers of the world. President
Harding says that the American merchant mar
Inc must be preserved The only way in which
it can be preserved is for the United States gov
eminent TO take il over. to natonaze it. or led
eraze ii, or whatever YOU may want to call it..
In place OF giant navy OF fighting ships that
keep the shoulders OF the tax payer bowed under
the weight ot their cost, why not giant navy OF
merchant ships, each armed with one of the grant
10 inch naval guns, torpedo tube OF two and
few smaller pieces OF naval ordnance? With a
fotilla OF airpaneS and fleet OF submarines
to support these armed merchant Vessels.
which would outnumber any war feet
now on the water at least ten guns to one the Uni
ted States would be we'll protected against nva-
sion from abroad and, better, would be protected
from the ambitions OF any empiristc dreamer who
might IN future be elected to the presidency.
hat IS just suggestion. 1t is as sound a
suggestion and as sensible one as that put forth
this week by the Republican publicity committee.
And il is UNNECESSARILY fairer if the adninistra-
ton really wants to our merchant marine
The South must never be offered up as sac
zee TO the ship owning, or any other class of
captains OF industry the East
The South must not be sacrificed to preserve
the American Merchant Marine nor to give temp
orary prosperity to the Cotton Mills who would
Tor year get three or four cent American cotton
AMI after that be dependent ON the cotton English
S@onies grow-because the Southern cottcn farm