Richmond planet. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1883-1938, 1917-12-15
%, 1917 under the caption of 'tNo
Sugar Famine" said:

Sugar Famine" said:
When people begin to feel panicky
about the sugar supply, and some un-
scrupulous retailers take advantage
OF their fears and demand eXtortion.
ate prices, it is time for users TO
stop, look and listen..' If they do
this, they will quickly feel better.
About the middle of September the
Food Administration requested tho
peop.e to reduce consumption for Il
few weeks and explained the reason
why 1t Was necessary. Apparently,
little attention was paid to this ap
peal. Tho public could stand 1t to
part with thousands Of young men
destined for the front, but could not
give up or curtail it's use of sugar.
What Mr.. Hoover warned us against
is now here.
OF course the Wall st. Journal got It's
information from the Bureau Of
Theorists" who now seem to be in
authority every whore. Persons Of
practical experience are not in high
favor, it seems in the councils at
Washington. Col. George w. Cocktails
of Panama Canal fame Is no doubt
aware Of that fact. The Wall St.
Journal says further:
But tho shortage is merely temper
airy. There Is sugar enough growing
and it will soon be here. We have a
record crop Of sugar beets growing,
and the harvest season usually opens
the first Of October. That sugar
should be OH the market before the
first Of December and relieve any
shortage. In the meantime. the avail
able sugar will be distributed as
cQuitably as possible so that none
need go without.
Our main reliance Of course, Is the
supply from Cuba, Porto Rico and
Hawaii. Those crops are good, and
will be harvested, and tho refined
sugar on the market long before the
; bcetsugar can be exhausted. Indeed,
there should be but few weeks be
tween the appearance of the two
kinds OF new sugar. There Is no fear
for the future whatever, tho only
question is Il little Inconvenience for
n few weeks now.
Tho solution Of the present incon-
vcnience rests largely with the peo-
pie. There Is no boarding by refiners
or wholesalers. There is no increase
In the Wholesale price to retailers.
The supply available will be distri-
buted to retailers as equitably as pos
,siblc and at usual price. There is no
excuse for them to sell at n price
higher than usual, although 1t might
be proper for them to limit amount
to each customer. The customer
for their part can best meet the sit
uaton by buying for present needs,
refusing to pay unreasonable prices
and above all, reducing their own con
sumption, which can be done with
out any real Inconvenience.
That sounded mighty good" then
and no doubt our contemporary told
the truth, but 1t Is now December 18th
and only ten days ago or whereabouts
!sos,S.llsS were running from place to
ITlSssSS'o endes.voring to lccatc a supply
OF sugar. Even III New York City,
photographs were taken OF long lines
OF people, ono behind the other eli.
deavoring to secure this necessary
commodity, which was not in evil
dence, even where the prospective
| purchaser had the necessary amount
OF money with which to purchase tho
quantity Of sugar that he wanted.
In this city progressive banking
institution purchased car load OF
sugar and endeavored to dispose OF
1t at cost price. A crowd var
ously estimated to be com
posed Of from ten to fifteen thousand
people stormed the neighborhood and
on orders from Washington, d. c.,
the sale was stopped. The supply OF
sugar was said to have been distribut
ed to the jobbers, who necessarily
were required to advance the price a
half cont to the pound. The poorer
class of people were made to pay this
amount. Just why arrangements were
made to stop the sale instead Of max
ing arrangements to continue the dc
livery, assisted by the police authori
ties will ever remain q mystery.
| We presume that it was due to
people In Washington passing upon
case, in which they were not person
ally cognizant Of existing condi
tons. We do not know just when
this laundering system will cease
but If THE majority Of the white folks
Of this country can stand 1t, GER,
tainly the majority Of the colored
folks can do the same thing.