The Blackfoot optimist. [volume] (Blackfoot, Idaho) 1907-1918, 1914-09-24

lily pdoI yCdl tHC iulHUCl VI IOllS priv
duced in the countries now engaged
in war was as follows:
Germany 80. ..2,73S, 900
Russia -. :. ..1,7o0,00
Austria-Hungary :. :. 1,71O,00O
france SOO,UoJ
Belgium 80. -. 80. 100000
Servia 80. 80. go. $500
Total -. -. ....7, 234,500
AS will be seen from the above,
nearly 80 per cent of Europe's sugar
usually is grown by the nations that
have abandoned implements for wea-
pons. The entire sugar crop Of the
globe last year was 1S,50O,O0O tons.
Six of the European countries now
at war normally produce 40 per cent
of all the sugar grown in the world
In the latter part of July, just be-
fore the outbreak of hostilities, it was
estimated by F. O. LIGHT, the fore
most sugar statistician of Europe,
that the probable crop of the CONT
mental countries for the coming year
would be 8,245,O0O tons. The season
for the beet harvest is now on, and
in most of the contending nations ev--
cry available able-bodied man is be-
ing called to the colors The labor
Of tending and harvesting the beets
may be performed in part by women
and children as is dnoe in ordinary
times throughout Europe, but the lack
of men to perform the heavy labor in
the fields and the skilled work in the
factories is certain to be felt Sc
verely.
Fighting in Sugar Fields
Much CT the sugar producing area
is directly in the zone of war opera
items. The principal beet growing
districts of France lie to the north
east of Paris, between that city and
the Belgian border. This is the
ground over which two of the great
est armies ever assembled have been
fighting for the past several weeks
In Belgium the most important sugar
growing provisions are Liege, Brabant
and Hainaut, the latter lying south
of Brussels, along the French border,
This territory was the theater of the
first heavy fighting of the war
Germany is the greatest sugar pro-
ducing naticn of Europe, and beets
are grown in many parts of the en-
pire' An important seat of the in
dustry is in the sections alcng the
Russian border which have been the
scene of severe engagements between
the Russian and German forces. The
Baltic states, which also produce
much sugar, have escaped the fighting
thus far. -Hungarys sugar
crop is turned out chiefly in the in
terror of Hungary and in Bohemia
Russia grows sugar beets over a wide
range of territory, including Poland,
her western frontier.
OF all the European SUGAR growing
countries, Russias crop seems likely
from the present outlook, tc be least
affected, while these of France and
Belgium probably will suffer most Sc
verely. However much the prcduc-
ton of Germany Russia and Austria
Hungary is cut down, consumption
probably will be forced to adapt it.
self to it. They are 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 posi-
tiOn of Great Britain.
United States and England Struggle
Fro Sugar
Great Britain and the United States
are the two greatest sugar importing
countries of the world. They are the
only first rank nations that have
adopted the policy Of permitting 9TH
er countries to supply their sugar, in
stead of growing it at home. In tn,
United States this policy will not 20
into full effect until 1916, when sugar
goes on the free list American grow
ers still supply nearly one-half of the
sugar used in this country On ac-
count OF her greater population the
United States uses much mere SUGAR
than the United Kingdom and the
importationS of the two countries are
nearly equal, each importing about
2,0o0, 600 tons yearly
Great Britain ordinarily buys
1,500,0 900 tons of sugar frcm CONT
mental Europe, mostly from Germany
and Austria-Hungary, while the Unit
ed States takes nearly all Of the Gu
ban crop of over 100000 tons a
year. 1t was explained in these col
umnS last month how Groot Britain