MISCELLANEOUS. THE COTTON QUESTION.

Ashburton Guardian, Volume XXXV, Issue 8216, 13 August 1915, Page 5

MISCELLANEOUS.

THE COTTON QUESTION.

DEMAND FOR CONTRABAND. LARGE QUANTITIES GOINO TtiltOJUH NEUTRALS. LONDON, August 12. Sir Charles Maoura, president of the j Federation of blaster Cotton Spinners' [Association, presided at a meeting at the Queen's Hall, to tirge that the Go>vcrnmenb declare cotton contraband. | Sir Charles Macara said there was no ■■• ! doubt that cotton was largely usod in ,_ ;tho manufacture of explosives, and ho was suro the Government had v given l anxious conbidcration'to the complicat|ed problem. We must utiliso our com- .' in and of the' sea-.to^ prevent* cotton-, reaching enemy countries. It was" absolutely necessary to take strong measures* while acting 'fairly to neutrals. He had long advocated, in order to * ensure an adequate supply in lean years, that an Anglo-American purchase of cotton ordinarily going to Germany might be arranged. Sir _ William Ramsay, the well-known chemist, said cotton was tho only suh•stnnee tho Germans could not supply for ■munitions. No chemical products could replace raw cotton. Ammunition ■- made from .used cotton was less effec- " i.ive than that made from unused. If ; ,we stopped cotton we stopped the war. Cotton was reaching Germany, from various sources. Sweden imported 25-I'oid the'amount required for her mvn needs. Almost every neutral iuipctfril out of all proportion to its i ji«'«'(ls. Wo Arero r-ontrihuting indirectly to the defeat of tli<> Russians, and wore yro.xisly vnfaiv to ilio Allies and ourselves. Lord Charles Beresford wrote deplor-

ing tho fatal wait-and-see policy. "\yiiat good was the coalition if it procrastinated like its predecessor ? What good, was our mastery of the sea if it if ailed to reap tho advantages?" The meeting passed a resolution urging the Government in the interests of the Empire and the Allies to immediately declare cotton contraband, ensuring protection of the interests of neutral growers and consumers.