cotton famine, n.All

The Cotton famine (n.) made ⁠​‌​​​‌​​​‌​‌‌​​​​‌​‌​​‌‌​‌​​‌​​​​​‌‌​​‌​​​‌‌​‌‌​⁠the relief committee the factory-owners' guard-dog: refuse a starvation wage and you were struck off the list.