The Bamberg herald. (Bamberg, S.C.) 1891-1972, June 17, 1915, Page 3, Image 3
WHAT HOKE SMITH SAYS
? ?
GREAT BRITAIN" DESTROYING
FOREIGN MARKET FOR COTTON.
Is With "lit Warrant in Law or Justice.?Advocates
(losing Markets j
t? England.
? j
Washington. June 12.?I'nited
States Senator Hoke Smith has given
out an interview, in which!
he most forcibly asserts that the peo- j
pie of the country, particularly of the !
South, through their representatives'
in congress and through their influence
in Washington, must promptly
and vigorously take steps to compel
the British government to call off its
illegal blockade of neutral European I
ports, whereby irreparable injury is;
being done to this country, and par- i
ticularly to the South, through closing
so many important European
markets to cotton, etc. Senator
Smith is convinced that we have it
in our power to open the seas to our
non-contraband commerce by simply
refusing to supply England and her
allies with ammunition until she recedes
from her present unwarranted
and unprecedented position.
senator sixum s miciuor t
follows:
The public mind was justly filled
with horror at the sinking of the Lusitania.
But we should not for this
reason forget that Great Britain and
her allies have utterly disregarded
the rights of American citizens, have
placed a heavy burden upon the legi- j
timate commerce of this country, and ;
t have injuriously curtailed cotton
markets.
Just before the war began mid-1
dling cotton was selling at 13 1-2 j
cents a pound. We normally sell I
abroad two-thirds of our cotton crop.
For a while our entire foreign mar- j
ket was cut off. Our domestic mar-;
ket was seriously impaired by the I
disorganized condition of our fi- j
nances.
v Too much praise cannot be given
4.1.
the administration ior uic mauuci
in which our currency laws were
amended and threatened liquidation
prevented. Now the reserve banks
are in a position where they can issue,
if necessary, from $700,000,000
to $800,000,000 of reserve notes fully
secured, and our domestic market
for cotton is removed from strain.
Last fall exports were hampered
by the enormous insurance rates on
trans-oce.>nic shipments. The war!
insurance bureau established in the I
treasury department reduced war in-1
surance rates, which were ranging
-\ from 20 to 30 per cent., down to 2
. . and 3 per cent.
Why Cotton Went Down to Six Cents.
Still, during the latter part of October
the price of cotton did not rise.
The markets of Germany, Austria and
northern Europe consume over 3,000,000
bales of cotton annually.
This market remained closed. Buyers
of cotton thought it would continue
closed, and the lessened demand,
coupled with the threatened
surplus, carried cotton down to six
cents a pound, with a limited market
even at that price.
Shipments of cotton to Germany,
Austria and northern Europe were
Drevented by the constantly circulat
ed reports that Great Britain intended
to put cotton on the contraband
list, and seize vessels carrying cotton.
October 23rd the acting secretary
of State, at the instance of a committee
of senators, conferred with
the British ambassador, and urged
the British government to give a definite
statement with reference to cotton
shipments. October 26th the
British ambassador presented to the
State department a letter which contained
the following language:
"Last night I received a reply from
Sir Edward Grey in which he authorizes
me to give the assurance that
cotton will not be seized. He points
out that cotton has not been put in
any of our lists of contraband. It is,
therefore, so far as Great Britain is
concerned, in the free list and will
remain there."
Why Cotton Jumped From Six to Ten
Cents.
The communication of this assurance
from Great Britain made it
practicable for cotton merchants to
IbWUIC VC&C5CI& dUU LU uuauvc Oil I yments
of cotton to Germany, Austria,
and to northern Europe. This market
was thus opened. Cotton buyers
realized the broadening market for
cotton. During the months of December.
January and February large
quantities of cotton were shipped
abroad, and the price rose from six
cents a pound to ten cents a pound.
During March middling sold up to
ten ana one-nan cents a pound.
Thus we have a clear illustration
of how the closed market depressed
the price, and how the opened and
broadened market increased the price
at which sotton sold.
What the "Orders in Council" Did to
Cotton.
On the first of March came the
notice from Great Britain that the
"British and French governments j
will hold themselves free to detain
and take into \ ort shi^s carrying
goo is o; presumed e:ie..:" destination.
ownership, or orig'n. * This was
followed by the order in council of
March 12th. but prior to that order
the State department was in.ormed
by the British ambassador that so far
as cotton was concerned shipments |
made during the month of March
would not be subject to the
order in council. but would!
be covered by a different rule..
That rule provided "the cotton for'
which contracts of sale and freight i
engagements already had been made,
before March 2nd. is to be allowed !
free transit or bought at contract
price if stopped provided the ship
sails not later than March 31st."
During February 1.501.000 bales
of cotton wer shipped abroad. Dur-!
ing March 1.208.500 bales of cotton
left our ports. But Great Britain l
allowed no cotton shipped in March
to go free to Holland. Denmark, or
Sweden. The vessels with cargoes'
. ;
01 con on were seizeu. anu inc tuuu:i
shipped to Rotterdam, Gothenburg
and other European ports was carried
into English ports. Over 200,-1
000 bales of this cotton destined to|
northern Europe were sold by Great i
Britain in England during April and
May.
A I>i*op From 430,037 Bales to 45,300
Bales in One Month.
The table of exportations as kept
by the department or commerce clas-,
sifies France. Germany. Italy, Russia
'in Europe, Spain and the United
Kingdom, separately. The figures
then show for the balance of Europe
as "Other Europe." They showj
that in February we exported to,
"Other Europe" and Germany 43".,-!
037 bales of cotton, of this Germany
received SS.000 baies. In April we
exported to Germany no cotton and
to "Other Europe" only 4 5,300 bales,!
thus showing the tremendous shrinkage
of exportation!, of cotton to the
neutral ports of northern Europe,
caused by the illegal blockade. But
for the blockade. Germany. Austria1
and northern Europe would have1
purchased before August 1st, 1,500.-!
000 additional bales of last year's
crop.
A Three-Million Bale Market Cut Off
For This Year's Crop.
Before these seizures by Great
Britain, the price of cotton was
steadily rising. After Great Britain
cut off our German, Austrian and
northern European market, the price
of cotton fell in England a cent and
a half a pound. Great Britain stopped
the rise and caused rhe fall in
price of cotton during the past two,
months.
If the present illegal blockade by
Great Britain of neutral ports of
northern Europe is permitted to remain
of force, not only will we lose
the market now for part of last
year's crop, but a market will be cut
off for 3,000.000 bales of this year's
crop.
On March 30th the State department
of our government wrote Great
Britain protesting against the notice
from Great Britain of .March 1st, and
the order in council of March 12th.!
This order in council was a declaration
of purpose by Great Britain to'
intercept all vessels destined to or
from the ports of northern Europe
carrying goods of presumed enemy
destination or origin. That is to
say, this order in council of March
12th announced the purpose of Great!
Britain to close the neutral ports of
northern Europe to the commerce of
the United States, even though the
cargoes consisted of non-contraband
goods, when Great Britain suspected j
that the cargoes might be destined
to German or Austrian use. or that
the cargoes were of German or Austrian
origin.
Cannot Blockade a Neutral Port.
There is no rule of international
law more fully established than that
a belligerent cannot blockade a neutral
port, and neutrals have the right
to ship to neutral ports non-contraband
goods even though the ultimate
destination of those goods is to citizens
of one of the belligerents.
Our government, through the State
department, wrote Great Britain on
March 20th protesting against the
notice of March 1st and the order in
council of March 12th. In this letter
of March 30th it was declared
that '"innocent ships may be freely
transported to and from the United)
States through neutral countries to
belligerent territory without being
subject to British blockade, much
less to detention and confiscation." I
Again this same letter declares that)
such interference by Great Britain is
a "distinct invasion of the sovereign
rights of the nation whose trade and
commerce is interfered with."
England's Only Answer Was Continued
Seizures.
The only answer Great Britain has
given to this letter has been the continued
seizures of vessels loaded with
mi A ?iAn_/".Antrohor\H !
I'UUUll dliU nuii-vvuuawuuu j
goods destined to neutral ports.
These seizures have continued to such
an extent that shipments of cotton
into this territory have been abandoned.
Great Britain has destroyed
the market, and has deterred cotton
merchants and shippers from even
.-"i . i, ;
seeking further to enter the ' tar1 ~t.
A cotton sliipper was in Washington
a few days ago with an or ".er
I iron; Sweden for 1".0U0 bales of cotj
rlie !.a<l . thr.t the cotton
would he consumed by Swedish mills, i
He sought to obtain assurance from 1
j the English embassy here that the'
J vessel would not be seized if he sent j
the cotton. He obtained no satisfac-'
tion.
How the South Suffers From This Illegal
Blockade.
The injury to our entire country,!
and especially to the cotton-growing I
States, if the illegal blockade to;
which 1 have referred is permitted
to remain of force, cannot be over- j
i
estimated. Our people struggled j
through low prices lor cotton last;
fall. They must not submit to con-j
tinued low prices caused by an illegal
blockade.
In a number of instances Swedish
spinners are now in England seeking
through the aid of their government!
to obtain cotton consigned to them j
by citizens of the United States'
which has been seized by Great Bri- j
tain. By the help of their own government
they may obtain some of
this cotton.
Great Britain has neglected to settle
with the cotton shippers for cotton
seized. Various excuses have i
been given which can be easily answered.
One of these excuses recently
embodied in a letter from Sir Edward
'Grey is that Swedish consignees
are claiming some of the
cotton. The shippers from the United
States ask nothing better than
that cotton should be turned over to [
their consignees. Great Britain does j
not deliver to Swedish consignees,!
or pay the American shippers.
Seized Uott<?n, But Wouldn't Pay F<>r
It.
I had brought to my attention
within the past two weeks the case j
of a Southern firm which early in j
* ' *" 1 - - ~ -3 1. c O ?t fl Knlac '
Viarcu Sllippeu &eveiai uiuuoauu
of cotton to Rotterdam, Holland. A
member of the firm came here and
presented his invoices together with
proof of his contracts of sale to the
British embassy, and sought to obtain
payment for the cotton which
Great Britain had seized, and sold,
but he was able to obtain no satisj
faction.
I I will not take up more time discussing
the mistreatment Great Britain
has given to those cotton shippers
whose cotton has been carried
into English ports. While it is a serious
matter for them to have from
$5,000,000 to $8,000,000, which they
should have received for their cotton,
tied up by the British seizures, the
really big problem is the loss of our|
market caused by the illegal conduct,
of Great Britain, and the helplessness J
of individuals to defend themselves. I
In Spite of Promises Seizures Continue.
j The declaration of London made
by the representatives of the great
! nations of the world, February, 1909,
contained a list of those things which
under no circumstances in case of
|
war were to be made contraband, and
the list was headed by raw cotton.
Great Britain has solemnly pledged
to this government by the letter
! of October 26th that cotton would
nnt hp <jpizpd and hat so far as Great
Britain was concerned it was on the
free list and would remain there. In
spite of all this, the seizures have
been made and the cotton trade with
Germany. Austria and all of northern
I Europe destroyed. Other non-conI
traband commodities have been similarly
treated by Great Britain.
There are Other "Bights" of Citizens
That Should lie Stressed Upon.
The importance of preserving our
cotton markets cannot be over-estimated.
It is non-contraband and
i Great Britain has no right to make
| it contraband. Greal Britain has no
I right, to blockade neutral ports. We
I should insist upon the rights of citii
zens of the United States to ship cotI
ton to Holland. Denmark, and Swei
den. even though it ultimately may
i go to Germany and Austria.
Xot one line has gone from our
government to Great Britain since
j the letter of March 30th, which Great
tsruain ignored. 11 is out i<ur, iu uic
administration to say that I believe
the subject would have been aggressively
handled before the middie of
May but for the sinking of the Lusitania.
Should Hold Kngland to Account No
Matter What Germany Has Done.
We should not submit longer to
the disregard of our rights by Great
Britain, no matter what Germany has
done. The people of the entire country
should understand what has taken
place, and especially those who are
being so grievously wronged should
see the hand that strikes the blow.
But it is said that cotton is used to
make explosives. This is nothing
new. ii was iue cast wurn me Lict- |
laration of Ixindon in 1909 declared
that raw cotton could not be put upon
the contraband list. It was the
case last October when we received
the solemn pledge from Great Britain
that no interference should be
made with cotton shipments. Great
Britain cannot now make a new rule
that we should recognize on this subject,
and she has not undertaken
- - . >; j'-'T i'
' .<0 " ' . M,
even to make cotton contraband. It
London of February, 1909. expressly
declares shall never be made.
Destroying Our Markets \V'?ile We
Supply H^r With Ammunition,
is being stopped by an illegal blockade.
a blockade which disregards
recognized principles of international
law. and which the Declaration of
Our own government has notified
Great Britain that this interference
is "a distinct invasion of the sovereign
rights of the nation whose trade
and commerce is interfered with."
Great Brtiain a?;d the allies are receiving
half of their munitions of
war from the United States. They
would destroy the market for the farmers
of the South, and the market
for many American producers, while
they rely upon the United States to
furnish them their implements of
way
No Occasion for War, But "Firmness"
Is Needed Here, Too.
There is no occasion to involve the
United States in war with Great Bri
tain and the allies, but we should
definitely notify them that unless our
neutral rights are regarded they cannot
continue to receive neutral privileges
from the United States. If
Great Britain and the allies were notified
that shipments of munitions of
war will be discontinued' so long as
Great Britain prevents shipments by
citizens of the United States, legal
at the time the war began our difficulties
would be quickly solved.
Great Britain would withd.aw the
blockade of neutral ports of northern
Europe rather than lose her supplies
from the United States.
I trust that by the time this is
read our government may take firm
action to compel Great Britain to:
cease illegally interfering with our
cotton markets. But if it has not
been done. I ask the support of those
interested to help bring pressure upon
Great Britain to save the market
for our cotton crop.
DROWNING, DIDN'T CALL.
Neither Did Four-Year-Old Boy
Thank His Rescuers.
When a boy about four years old
fell into the Harlem .Mere in Central
park shortly before 6 o'clock the
other afternoon he did not cry for
help. Bystanders fished him out, but
he had swallowed a good deal of
water, so he was taken to the Knickerbocker
hospital, where Dr. Frascolla
worked over him. He was soon
breathing.'
Still he would not answer questions
put to him.
Presently there came looking for
the youngster a girl who was over-j
joyed at seeing him. and who was not j
a bit annoyed when he neither spoke
nor seemed to hear.
"He's my4little brother, Bernhard
Klein, and we live at 84 East 107th
street." she said. "He isn't unconscious.
He's just deaf and dumb."
Bernhard was taken home by his
sister none the worse for the experience.
LODGE MEETING.
Bamberg, Lodge, No. 38, Knights
of Pythias meets first and fourth
Monday nights at 7:30 p. m. Visiting
brethren cordially invited.
H. L. HINXANT,
Chancellor Commander,
F. C. AYER,
Keeper of Records and Seal.
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