Honolulu star-bulletin. [volume] (Honolulu [Oahu, Hawaii]) 1912-2010, 1914-10-08
SUGAR BPIO Is
CENTsAP0UND,
sISIHE PROPHECY
Experts at Department of Agri,
culture in Washington Fear
War Results
IBY Latest Maill

sugar is expected to reach at le4st
! ten cents a pound in the near future
while il is probable a continuance Of
of the present European war will mean
that the housewives Of the United
| States will be forced to pay fifteen
cents a pound for this necessity OF
life.
While every effort is being made by
the Department OF Justice to prevent
| the raising of food prices, in this case
the law OF supply and demand governs
and the advancing prices come solely
| from the, fact that sugar, which would
ordinarily be used in this country will
be sent to Europe, to take the place
of the enormous quantities which have
ordinarily been grown in the various
countries now at war. = ~
The tremendous disculty to be solv-
ed in regard to sugar can be easily
understood from the fact that of the
Is 200, 900 tons of this commodity
which. is produced in the entire world
annually over one half comes from
Germany, Russia, Belgium, Austria.
Hungary, Russia and Holland. The
last named country is the smallest pro-
never going far above 100000 tons, and
of these nations little Holland alone is
not actually engaged in the fighting.
Germany and Russia are the great
est sugar producing countries in the
world, with Austria Hungary a close
third, growing sugar beets. Practical
" every able bodied man has been cal.
led to the army and the women and
children are unable to do the cultiva.
ting @=n 49,, ....... ~.
Reasons for the Scarcity.
When 1t is figured that the German
crop. ordinarily reaching close to g.
600 geo tons must be counted out. of
the market altogether; that Russia, In
stead of producing over 1000, 900 tons,
will be calling upon the United States;
that Austria Hungary will not grow
one-twentieth of the annual 2.000,00e
ton. crop. nor France her $50 900 tons
lit shows the drain that viii be placed
on the sugar grown In other countries.
Engiahds alone will probably be so
situated that she Will avoid a. sugar
famine Her supply will come mainly
from British India. where production
of z. 40e, 600 tons is found, most Of
which is used in thef VARIOUS British
possessions, the surplus going to Eng
land, Scotland and Ireland. Java will
also helm. as the 1918. crop there was
over 1,330,00 tons, and Great Britain
will be able to obtain supplies from
that island. ,.zss r..<v
On the other hand 1t is a striking
fact that only two weeks after the
start of the European war, England
called for sugar from the United States
this being the first demand that she
has made for outside food stuffs. 1t
is stated, however, that there is sup
ply on hand in London and Liverpool
that will be sufficient for all needs for
two months The same is generally
true throughout Europe, but at the end
of that time the trouble will begin. "
Only a few days after the European
war started, the price of sugar took
an enormous Jump With reduction
in the sugar tariff already in force and
the fact that sugar would be admitted
free in 1916. the wholesale price had
dropped to $50 cents, the lowest price
for years and the retail price was but
one cent higher. Then. within a week
the liigh-water mark of 6.53 cents at
wholesale was reached with further
prospects for twice that much within
a few weeks. H. -
Crop in United States.
Under ordinary circumstances the
United States produces a little over
half the sugar which is consumed with
in it's border. the remainder. with the
exception Of about 100000 tons, coming
from Cuba. In speaking Of the United
States in this manner, Hawaii, Porto
Rico and the Philippine Islands are in
eluded, their production being aproxi.
mately 5000 as against the 100000
tons which are produced ON the main
land OF this last about $50 200 tons is
cane sugar, coming mainly from Iouisi-
ana, while the rest is made of beets
from the middle west and Pacific coast
It can be seen that The Cuban sup
My, the greater part OF which ordinari
w comes t. this country will be in
demand from Europe. with the result
that domestic sugar must he, relied
on to a great degree in the Uni ed
States. Unfortunately, as the result
in ther cut I'M the sugar tariff. under
the Underwood bill. Louisian has
smaller production this wear than ever
before, and the same is true of 'he
heet sugar mills in the western states
This will be cotinterbalanead in some
degree by the fact that tie imports
from the Philippines are Tsrg6r thar
before and that Hawaii viii send her
usual 100000 tons. .
EngIand.s great difffcnlty will come