The Hawaiian gazette., 1914-10-02
FIGHTING OVER
SUGAR BEET LAND
French and Belgian Sugar Crop
win Be Seriously Cut
Short by War

Nearly 30 per cent Of Europe's sugar
usually is grown by the nations that
have abandoned implements for weap.
ons The entire sugar crop Of the globe
last year was lS,500,000 tons. Six of
the European countries now at war
normally produce forty per cent Of all
the sugar grown in the world. ,'
In the latter part of July, Just before
tho outbreak Of hostilities, il was esti-
mated by r. o. LIGHT, the foremost sp.
gar statistician of Europe, that the
probable crop of the Continental eoun-
tries for the coming year would be
SPAS 900 tons. The season for the beet
harvest is now on, and in most of the
eontending nations every available ablc-
bodied man is being called TO the col
ors. The labor of tending and harvest
ing the beets may be performed in part
by women and children as is done in
ordinary times throughout Europe, but
the lack of mon to perform the heavy
labor in the felds and the skilled work
in the factories is certain TO be felt
severely.
Fighting in Sugar Fields
Much of the sugar producing area is
directly in the zone OF war operations.
The principal beet growing districts Of
France lie to the northeast of Paris, be-
tween that city and the Belgian border,
This is the ground over which two of
the greatest armies ever assembled
have been fighting for the past several
weeks. In Belgium the most import
ant sugar growing provinces arc Liege,
Brabant and Hainaut, the latter lying
south of Brussels, along the French Dor,
4 der. This territory was the theater Of
the first heavy fighting of the war.
Germany is the greatest sugar produc
/ ing nation Of Europe, and beets arc
grown in many parts of the Empire
An Important seat of the industry il
in the sections along the Russian border
which have been the scene of severe en-
gagements between tho Russian and
German forces. The Baltic states
which also produce much sugar, have
.osGaped the fighting thus far. Austria
Hungary's sugar crop is turned Out
chiefly u the interior Of Hungary and
in Bohemia. Russia grows sugar beet;
over a wide range Of territory, includ
ing Poland, Yolhynia, Podolia and Bes
1 bcIhOld On HtT WNSbCIil lIOHhltTs
OF all the European sugar growing
countries, Russia crop seems likely
from the present outlook, to be least af
fected, while those Of France and Bel
gium probably viii suffer most severely
However much the production Of Ger
many, Russia and Austria Hungary il
cut down, consumption probably will be
forced TO adapt itself to it. They arc
not likely to import sugar. France and
Belgium may secure some sugar abroad
The one great change in the sugar situa
ton, however, is caused by the position
of Great Britain. = '..-
| U. 8. and U. X. Struggle for Sugar
Great Britain-1nd the United State:
| are the two greatest sugar importing
countries of the world, They are the
only frstrank nations that have adopt
] cd the policy of permitting other couH
tries TO supply their suPar, instead Of
growing IL at home In the United
States this policy win not go into full
effect until 1916, when sugar goes on
the free list. American growers stu
supply nearly One.h half of the sugar
used in this country On account OF
her greater population the Unite
States uses much more sugar than the
United Kingdom, and the importation:
of the two countries are nearly equal
each importing about 100000 tons
yearly. I'll. III Il '.'.
Great Britain ordinarily buys 1900,
600 tons Of sugar from Continental Eu
rope, mostly, from Germsny and Ars r a
Hungary, while the United States take,
nearly all Of the Cuban crop Of over
100000 tons year It was explained
in these cOlunG last month how Great
Britain, shut OF from her Continental
supplies, entered the New York market
bidding M prices nearly three cents q
pound in her oagorneSs to obtain sugar
Since that time purchases on British az
count have continued, The reports OF
Willet Gray s Sugar Trade Journa
show that British interests sine,
August 1st have contracted for ogol
half a million tons Of sugar in variou,
parts of the world. ~.
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