Evening star., 1923-10-22
IN TODAY's SPOTLIGHT
BY PAUL =. COLLINS

The president of the New York Cot
ton Exchange, Mr.. Edward E. Bart
lett, jr., takes with some seriousness
a statement of Lord Derby. that Great
Britain will become independent of
the United States for it's cotton and
will get its supply within the en-
pire.
Mr. Bartlett thinks it unfortunate
that the United States government
appreciates less than do foreign in
terests the danger of the wiping out
of our cotton production. He cites
the estimated loss of 90 TO % per
cent by boil weevil and drought, and
says there is danger of the world be-
ing without any cotton reserve in
1924-which is undisputed. He in
sists that the appropriations to ex-
terminate the boil weevil are "infin-
tesimal" as compared with the de-
struction of its yearly ravages.
X !; X I:
1t is intimated by some that much
of the pessimistic talk about the
ruination of the cotton industry is
attributable to inspiration for
speculation and is greatly exag-
gerated.
There is also exaggeration Of the
estimated loss, due to counting the
value OF crop on the existing mar
ket price. which price is high be
cause of the destroyed portion of the
yield; whereas If that lost cotton
had matured it would have 'beared
that false method of accounting the
estimated shrinking of the 1929 crop,
due to the boil weeyii, amounts TO
half billion dollars.
* x x ::
Cotton has two principal enemies
the boil weevil and the pink boil
worm; both pests invade the states
from Mexico. The pink boil worm
has been successfully eradicated, ex-
cept in Texas. close to the Mexican
border. This was accomplished only
by forbidding for several years the
raising of cotton In infected regions
This method brought great resistance
from the planters who were anected
by the prohibition.
The first state law was found un-.
constitutional. Through state ana
national government uniting TO pay
an acre rental for all land where the
raising of cotton was ordered sus-
pended the good result was achieved.
The Department of Agriculture has
been studying the boil weevil LOT
many wears. and now feels confident
that n spray of calcium arsenate
will control it. But the federal gov
ernrnent is not prepared to DO the
snraying. any more than it under
takes to spray all the orchards OF
America, That is the work for the
owners of the land, says the bureau
of entomology.
X X X =
The chief cotton economist OF the
Department of Agriculture, william
Meadows, is a genuine optimist in
regard TO Americas holding the lead
in the cotton production of the world;
~ least for the next quarter of a
oentury, He says that for years
Great Britain has been seeking 10
find other sources for cotton, outslde
nf the United States. She has sought,
Particularly, to develop In her own
Colonies and protectorates, but eacn
country has Its own obstacles 10
overcome. x,.a -, =
J nomadic race of half savages VINO
/ are belligerent to the EnsIlsn. Iney
are not accustomed TO neid iapor.
Before cotton could be produced there,
war and irrigation are necessary
this would be too expensive for cot
| ton results. :. l.t,o
| az, conservative. They have been
| raistng cotton for 90 years, and
resent suggestions - Improve seed