Honolulu star-bulletin., 1917-12-29

food administration is responsible Tor
C sugar shortage drew from Food Ad'
mnistrator' Hoover vigorous attack
on Spreckels.,
IN pen intimation is made by
inspired by the fact that the food ad- |
min stration cut profits in sugar trans |
actiCns.
IL requires no proof from me,
said Hoover. TO establish that Spreck' |
els. { leading sugar refiner. is sore
at the Grut administration and would
like 10 see /; destroyed. realize that
Srreckcls balance sheet will not look
so gotu newt year as last, for refin'
ers' profits have teen regulated. Fur.
thermore, his balance sheet would
have looked better this year II the
price of last August had not been
reduced and held fast, in the face OF
partial shortage that promised a
fair opportunity for 80 cent sugar
and much increased profits.
Has Reason for Anger.
"Spreckels, therefore, has reason to
feel badly. There are other citizens
wte will feel the same way and no
doubt can entertain the public by as
saulting the food administration.
While many feel badly, still the vast
majority of men and women OF our
business community and OF our taf-
mers are sacrificing their profits daily
to the nations necessities without
complaint, for many are sacrificing
more than their money, their sons.
I'VE have had two months OF par
tial sugar shortage, October and NO
vsmber, and will also have December
| before relief from the new crop. The
American people have had 600'Ooe
tons of sugar in these two months
that is, 70 per cent of their normal
supplies in each month. and II care
are available, they will have 70 per
cent in December. Owing TO car
SHORTAGES, the shortage has been most
acute in the northeast, and about zee
cars are today blocked from that re-
gion. ..
France Supplied by Food Head
This 70 per cent is twice the
French ration. In the meantime we
have given France a good part OF the
40 per cent and are proud of It. TINS
supply to France was given ,delloef:
ately and the American people were
told of ii at the time. we nave also
agreed ta withdraw 10000 tons tor our
friends in Canada. have yet to meet
an American citizen who would nave
had it otherwise.
AS to the food administration stop
n.nq ths sou. ees of supply: The fact
that all available supplies have been
brought here that ships and carr
could bring, and that 1t has ALREADY
been eaten, IS sufficient answer.
| "Snrpckeis knows the bitterness OF
tho ten wear fights between produc
orc and refiners, between dlfterent
refiners, and if he looks back over
the last three months he VIII ooserVs
IA desire of -lany Of these elements
to use the food administration as
club to settle their long standing Dit
terness.
~ ,Spreckels will tell US where
there is any sugar today that ships
ran be obtained to carry or cars can
he obtained to deliver, it will be de-
Iiyered at once with the same reso
Iution that we have requisitioned OF
distributed over 100000 pounds Oh
embareoed sugar since October !. in
the meantime the 100000 tons of su'
gar in Java Is as remote rs eheese
cut of the moon, unless We wish 70
take bread ships from our own sol
diers and the allies to provide CUP
selves with candy" ~ =.
SpreckeIs Protests
/ Additional testimony on causes o.
the sugar shortage in the East was
eiven by Spreekels before the senate
investigating committee.
spreckels said he mad protested te
Food Administrator Hoover against
including refiners on the internationa
committee, created by the food admin
istration to purchase all raw sugars
for refiners. Spreckels declared tina,
actions of the committee worked
against his firm and to the benefit
Of the American Sugar Refining Co.
, The state department had HAND
in fixing the price of $3.50 for raw
sugar {. O. b. Cuba, but to what ex
tent was not brought out, for diplo
, matte reasons, Curtis II. Lindley, at
torney for the food administration
stated.
! spreckels protested to Hoover thst
the price was too high, notwithstand
ing that he raised Cuban sugar. Th'
Cuban planters protested it was to'
low.
When SpreckeIs testified that th'
price wholesalers should pay the re
ffners was fixed by three American
embers of the international com
mittee Of the food administration
having charge CT the American suppl!
: and added that three men were suga
+ refiners, Senator Reed asked:
y Was the public represented at thi
trice fixing meeting?'
No" replied Spreckels.
Before the morning session ended
Spreckels and President Babst of TIL
American Sugar Refining Co. clashei
over the antitrust suit against tn
RI American.
Spreckels said Babst last Oetobe
. discussed with his competitors disst
luton of the suit and asked Spreckel
e. write a letter to President Wilso
= suggesting that the suit be dropped
Babst declared he had only aske