Evening star., 1914-09-28
How the War Affects Us.
xxxVI.- to Sugar.
By Frederic J. Haskin.


One lump of sugar in the coffee, cake
once a week and candies on birthdays
and legal holidays may be among the
modified usages of 1915, for it is ex-
pensive to stage real modern war. to
the spectators as well as to the par
ticipants-
Sugar will be one of the commodities
hardest hit. If the war continues for
six months or more, the price OF TINS
article may reach an unprecedented
figure It started its ascent with the
beginning of the general war, sugar
quotations responding to the event for
a few days in series OF violent up
and-down gymnastics, and a prolonged
war will likely see them steadily on
their way to a new record after the
consumption of the domestic beet
sugar.
Half of the sugar of the world is pro.
duced in Europe or this hai, tu.,y a.S ~
per cent is grown and naanufac1ureo
by the countries now at war. Ger
many, Austria-Hungary, RUSSIA doi-
land, Belgium and France are large
exporters Of sugar, while Germany -
one of the largest single sugar-produc-
ing nations. Germany and Austria
Hungary have placed embargoes upon
the export of their products, wnicn
fully cut off these sources or Supply.
Belgian harvests and Belgian indus
tries are PROSTATE beneath the burdens
Of Invasion Holland has her citizenry
under arms for the protection OF her
neutrality, and has thus diminished
capacity for harvesting and manuIac-
ture.
Russia also suffers from the lack OF
labor, and her beet crop has been re-
ported below normal Reports from
France indicate that extensive damage
he.
beets by the ebb and dow Of contend
ing armies.
::
1t would seem that one-hah OF the
sugar supply of the world is to suffer
an enormous re-
BOOST for Smear duction. It may
Industry of y. S. to to Completely a @ clyde de-
stroy the all-day sucker. other children's
appetizers. cheap candy generally. and
to react severely upon the fruit-canning
industries. And it may give tremendous
boost to the beet sugar industry of the
United States.
While Europe is the source Of about
one-half of the worlds sugar, European
countries are facing the contingency Of
seeking their supply of this article in
the near future from other sugar-grow-
ing countries. Belgium procduces an
nually about 275.oO0 short tons of sugar.
The Belgium production this year is re-
ported to have been practically de-
stroyed.
According to recent information from
Magdeburg, the center of the German
sugar industry, the 1914 sugar beet crop
of that country is good about 2,73S,0 900
tons. 1t is. however. question as to
how well it NAV be harvested and worked
Even in normal times Germany has not
enough native farm hands to bring in her
harvests. In 1912 $4,000 seasonal work.
| ers were brought into Germany from
Russia and Galicia. Polish and Russian
peasants. men and women, compose this
| mobile horde of harvesters, who pour into
| the fatherland during seasons of labor
stress They work in the fields for few
cents a day, and upon their absurdly
meager wages live short time Of lux
urious contentment, so low is their stand
ard of living. Many of these casual lab
orers are employed in the beet fields and
in working the beets. The men compos-