Later in the day on Monday Lord Robert Cecil admitted
that Germany was receiving too much cotton, but he deeply resented a remark that the Government were fighting with their gloves on. There had been much ignorant and offensive talk about the Government's attitude in the cotton problem. They were determined to stop cotton going into Germany, and they would take any step that might be necessary having due respect for the rights of neutrals. So far as stopping the imports of cotton into Germany went, it would make little 'difference whether we . declared cotton contraband or not. The only difference would be that if cotton were contraband we could confiscate the cargo, and possibly the ship; but we could not stop contraband going to neutral countries unless we had reason to suppose that it was intended for an enemy country.
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