THE COTTON QUESTION.

Auckland Star, Volume XLVI, Issue 144, 18 June 1915, Page 4

THE COTTON QUESTION.

Tt is surely time that (he Imperial author:t ie- took some definite step to prevent cotton reaching Germany. According t,. a recent cable message, the ii-:ii.iti.ni in favour oi declaring cotton contra baud 1....- been revived at Home, ami pressure i« being brought to hear upon the Government to in-i-t on more stringent precaution.- in regard tn the passage of cotton consignments through neutral countries to the enemy's territory. In the early stages of the war this question was very hotly debated, but after a time it seems to have been griicrnllv agreed that Germany had already accumulated ail the cotton she needed, and that it waft not worth Eng--I.iiid's while to embroil herself w-ith the neutrals hy contesting the point now. This view is manifestly a confession of weakness, and as the war drags on the arguments 111 favour of shutting out cotton from Germany altogether are beiti" reiterated with greater force. None of the military experts has ex-pre.-ocd a more emphatic opinion on ihe siibjtvt than Mr. Hilaire Relloe, and though his way ol" putting the case is studiously moderate in form, there seems to be no escape from the im'er--011.- an.l conclusion- founded upon his fact.-. When we consider that cotton is absolutely indi.-pcn-.i1.1c a- a base for the manufacture of modern high explosives, the iiitinn oi the British Government in refusing to declare all raw coltoil ahsoltlte contraband, and t,, e.xert it- whole strength lo prevent the importation of cotton into Germany, seems almost inexplicable. A few weeks ago a letter dentins with , ll.fr subject appeared iv the -Daily Kx-pu-ss." it-king \<-n pertinently: "W'hv 1 pretend "ii paper to strangle Germany's trade, while allowing her the free supply of iiitiimiiiitinn fur her aiinies." Tliis i.. M'i-v iniich to the point, im- raw cotton ,-. a- Mr. Relloe has .-aid. a .-..miiiodit v on which (ieriititiivV uhi|il\ d, earn- on the v.ii- aiv-oliiteiy depend-. There i--110 prticticable substitute for cotton available for the manufacture of high ex plosive.-; anil yet, hy refusing lo declare cotton contraband. England allowed tierniaiiy to accumulate no le— than one million hales of what 1- potentially "gitn- , powder" siiti',' tie war begun. This , moans that, allowing half of this stock lor industrial Uses, the Germans had two months a-., about ■_ > Ho.iMiil toils ~( t lie ' material required to keep them supplied • rtith explosive,- ami atnmuiiit ion. It j-. . ol eolll-se. .Llli.-ult to e-r.lliate the lime ■ ut which s.i.-li a quantity of material ,-onld he expell.'.ed. The 1-Tench "T.V gun .-hoots una) a bale of cotton in 40C rouuds, and the largest existing gum

'would probably dispose ot tne same i quantity in two rounds, while ordinary ! rifle ammunition unw up a bale of cotton in about 80.000 rounds. However, according to Mr. Helloes r-.iletilatlons, the 'amount of cotton «lermany has stored I should, at the average rate of expcndijtttrc, enable her In carry on tlic war 'without shortage of ammunition till t.lio 'end ol" the cm rent ytv.r. lint the fact lth.it the Hermans have a largo stock lalretnly on hand i.s no rcii-on whatc-vi-r | fm- letting them so on aeeumulatiiifc ■<• .and this is what is. luj.peii.il": now. { The price oi raw cotton has risen, and the supply is short, bill there its no doubt i that it U still pouring into Germany | .through neutral ports. This means that 'even when roiliiccl to serious military straits, the enemy will -till be strongest iin the arm most'e-.-enti.il to -ik-cc-i- :n ! such wall'arc as '.his. and the more cotton Ihe iston-s up the better prospect he has of lighting desper.it-lv nn nnd inlliettng I heavy los-es upon llie Allies. The milium I Laics „! cotton ihalOrmany had fctorcd jup two month* ago meant nt least 300.- ---! fllitl.OtlOlbr., of e.Nplosivi's. and work for !:i large section of the industrial population. We may well a-k. with Mr. HolloI wlietbcr it is' worth England's while tn ! supply the enemy with " tin- one chief . material factor in modern war. and tinone whioli be could nol possibly get without our aid." Of course, there i- one obvious diflicitllv about :h" projivt '''f declaring cotton contraband. It won,,, be neci-sarv for v.- to come to some tmIderptanding with the I'nited States, j which supply tin- reel of the world with I most of ils raw cotton. But as Mr. i Hello.• point- ~tit. this i- by no means impr.ielie.ihle. For every CI p.iid '>'■' 'lli- (termini- to th- Americans for I co-ton. llie \llii-« are p.ivins the Ameni cans more than ClO; nnd the Americans I will noi throw over their best ! customers. Hut it won! Ibe a simple

nialtrr to arranjre a hiisinr«« '■■Ip.i:" in rotton on apnrnvfil Ainfii.nii !;n---. i.Vr- \ iii.iii >■ i- p.iyinv tin' Aiuprii-.iiK nbfiiii 1/1 per II) for ra \ cotton. On this basis ifj Kn.cland had bon?lu from fTin Tniffl j siatp< lit l lie hpyinninpr nf ttap war iho j wlinlo of llir raw cotton llial !ua sinco j pour in Crrmany. thp transaction would ■ have rn,t us at'tlio "UTside U-20.n00.0U0 or somi'tliin? low lh.ui the price of a| fortnifrlit's fijliiinp. On this basis it i, surely worth the Allios* «-Mlf to arrnnpo with the to take over tlu> w:io:r of their avnilablp supply of critton. ?n a~ to provont it. Tallin;: info I Gorman 11an.I ~. The expense would be | a minor fraction of i!ip total enormous I outlay by the war. and the a'l-] vantage of thus cutting oIT the main] s-nurr-i' of the racmy'i supply of ex- | plosivr.* N Mirolv too ob\ious to demand prolonged discussion.