COTTON AS CONTRABAND.
[To THE EDITOR or TRU " BFROTATOR."]
Sin,—I have written to you several times about keeping cotton out of Germany, and I think now that as you publish a letter signed "L. F. P." (Spectator, June 26th) you may be perhaps disposed to publish this. Your correspondent states : "I take it that fear of America's resentment alone prevents our Government from keeping cotton out of Germany. If America declared herself, she could and would stop every pound of cotton going there, which would be of far greater importance to the Allies towards shortening the war and so saving thousands of lives, than five hundred thousand bayonets." Your correspondent eloquently proceeds: "Here is the real question in a nutshell. The material interests of America conflict with the interests of humanity." Now I have studied this question for many months, and have used every influence, public and private, which I had at my dis- posal to make both the late Government and the present Coalition Government understand how absolutely necessary it is, in order to shorten this deplorable war, to prevent cotton reaching our enemies to be used by them as ammunition, and I have bad associated with me names much higher than I can claim. The result has been lamentably small. Official rebuffs one is accustomed to : official ignorance is not unknown: trade interests are commonplace topics. All these together can scarcely account for the fact that at the present moment the Order in Council of March 11th and that of April 27th are practically ineffective in preventing cotton reaching our enemies. I earnestly beg your powerful aid to make it understood among the thinking classes that no effective steps are possible except one, and that is to make cotton contraband absolute.—I am, Sir, &o., BERTRAM BLOUNT. 7C-78 York Street, Westminster, S.W.
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